Empty Bowls, Another Year of Success

After ten years, the organizers of the Empty Bowls fundraiser have the event down to a science. Saturday evening in the cafeteria of , several hundred guests partook in the tenth annual service learning project to raise money for the Hunger Task Force.

For a donation of $10.00, a guest was able to select any of the hundreds of student-made ceramic bowls and enjoy an all-you-can-eat meal of student-made soup, bread and frozen custard. Bowls ranged in size, shape and color but had a glaze theme of earthy hues. The kitchen housed five different varieties of soups including: vegetarian chili, black bean, vegetable beef, broccoli and cheese and cream of chicken with wild rice.

“The community response from the beginning of this process has always been encouraging,” explains Pamela Merkel, event co-founder and Art Director of Greendale High School. “The first couple of years, we spent some time ironing out the logistics of how to make enough soup and bowls for 600 people with a limited timeframe. But after so many years, we are a well-oiled machine and everyone understands his or her role and steps up to do his or her part.”

Late Saturday afternoon, the halls of the high school buzzed with anticipation as student volunteers scurried to put the final touches on the impending event.  “At this point, we have been working with the other schools in the district for so long that a student can be nearly as well-seasoned as we are,” said Barbara LaSee, event co-founder and Director of Family, Consumer Education at Greendale High School. “We no longer need to entice students to volunteer; they devote their time and energy willingly.”

Students take part in every aspect of the event planning, using what they have learned in the classroom and directly applying it to the Empty Bowls process. For some students, this time of the year is something they look forward to all year long. “I have been volunteering since sixth grade,” boasted Angie Matel, a high school junior. “I began just making bowls in middle school, but as I entered high school I took a bigger role every year. After spending over 80 hours on the project last year, I along with Cody Olson, stepped up to be the volunteer coordinators. We organized the schedules of students and assigned them all their tasks.”

Staying away from the thrill and enthusiasm of those working on the district-wide project is difficult. According to volunteer coordinator, Cody Olson, “I started making soups in one of Ms. LaSee’s classes and got sucked into it. It’s a lot of work, but you have an amazing time while you’re doing it.”

Even first time volunteers, Brandon Kais and Kristyn Wartman exude, “Helping out after-school and during class in the past few months has been unlike anything we’ve ever done before.”

The pair had the opportunity to research the recipes that would later be made for the evening as well as to head down to Ferch’s for a private lesson in frozen custard making. “I have never had an opportunity to help like this before, and I feel so accomplished,” said Wartman.

After all these years, the hard work and devotion has proven to be more than just a good time for those that volunteer, “we have become one of the largest single contributors to the Hunger Task Force – so all the effort has been well-worth it,” concluded Merkel.