Orono High School Hosts Ninth Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser

Orono Schools’ ninth annual Empty Bowls fund-raiser will take place this year from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in the cafeteria of Orono High Schoo. The event is open to the community. Tickets are available at the door, and all donations are tax deductible.

For $10, participants will enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread, entertainment and be able to choose a hand-made bowl to take home—all while helping to curb hunger in our community. All proceeds will be donated to Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners and Maple Plain Food Shelf.

Most of the bowls have been created by Orono students. Back by popular demand this year is the silent auction featuring bowls created by teacher and other staff celebrities, local artists, community members and a few surprise participants.

To date, the community event has raised more than $35,000 for the two beneficiaries. Their food shelves serve residents of Hamel, Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Plain, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Plymouth and Wayzata.

What’s important about a fund-raiser like Empty Bowls is that these food shelves are able to use their buying power to acquire an estimated 10 times the amount of food that an individual could get for the same money at the grocery store.

In addition to dinner and entertainment, there will be displays of student artwork and an opportunity to meet with representatives from both food shelves.

Local businesses play an important role in making the meal delicious and the evening profitable.  This year, to date, many local businesses are participating:

• Birch’s Restaurant, Long Lake – Corn chowder
• Blackwater Coffee & Café, Maple Plain – Chicken spatzle soup
• Breadsmith Bread, Minnetonka – Bread
• Caribou Coffee, Long Lake – Coffee
• Harvest Moon Natural Foods, Long Lake – Soup
• Maple Plain Food Center, Maple Plain – Collecting donations at checkouts during March
• McGarry’s Pub, Maple Plain – Potato leek soup
• Minnesota Clay Company, Plymouth – Clay for the bowls
• Wuollet Bakery, Wayzata - Cookies

Empty Bowls events occur around the world to draw attention to and help alleviate world hunger. The first event was held in Michigan in 1990—the idea of a high school art class.