Georgia Southwestern to host 10th Empty Bowls event

AMERICUS — Faculty and students in the Department of Visual Arts at Georgia Southwestern State University, along with Harvest of Hope Food Pantry and local restaurants, are coming together for the university’s 10th annual Empty Bowls event to feed the hungry by selling hand-crafted ceramic bowls and soup.

GSW Department of Visual Arts, the Ceramics program, and student organization Artists United are sponsoring Empty Bowls, which will take place on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry at 606 McGarrah St. in Americus.

This year marks the event’s 10th anniversary and is the first since the retirement of long-time Director the Rev. Sonny Pinckard, and his wife, Ginger, who helped establish Harvest of Hope in 2013, serving approximately 150 families. The Christian-based, nonprofit organization now serves anywhere from 750-1,000 families in need per month, and will be led by Chris and Rhonda Slocumb, associate professor in GSW’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

The goals for this year are to honor the Pinckards’ many years of service and sell more than 200 bowls at $25 each. The majority of the proceeds collected from this event will benefit Harvest of Hope; the remainder will go toward GSW visual arts students’ attendance to a national conference in Richmond, Va., and a visit to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., in March.

This year, local restaurants Pat’s Place and Little Brother’s Bistro have donated soup for the event. With the purchase of a ceramic bowl, participants will receive a soup voucher that can be redeemed at one of these local restaurants (while supplies last). Volunteers also are making baked goods to help when the soup vouchers run out. Bowl cozies made by GSW nursing students and faculty also will be for sale.

Bowls are made by GSW students Noah Miller, Alexis Glass, Kayla Crisp, Dulce Sarmiento, emeritus Professor Ralph Harvey, and GSW Professor Keaton Wynn.

Special Photo: GSW