Mathews, Virginia – The 10th Annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser to benefit Hands Across Mathews was held at the Bay School on Sunday, December 10. This year, approximately $11,000 has been raised, beating last year’s previous record by $4,000. While most of this money was raised directly through the event, it also serves to raise awareness of the “need to feed” here in Mathews, and donations are sent to HAM outside of the event. This event is a poignant reminder that there are those around us that, without the aid of Hands Across Mathews, will surely have empty bowls in their future.
430 beautiful hand-made bowls from the Clay by the Bay Ceramics Guild and other area potters were displayed and sold in the Art Speaks Gallery. 25 different soups, bread, cookies, and water were served in the pottery studio. All of the food was made and donated by local volunteers. Guests dined communally in the gallery and classroom or took their meals to go. Four items were raffled, including two sculptural pottery pieces by Lynn Trott, a handmade cutting board, and a set of Maurine Frank’s two children’s books, along with a reading in the Art Speaks Gallery. The event has grown dramatically from 117 bowls and $2,377 raised in its first year, 2014. This year, the 430 bowls made specifically for this event sold out before 12:30. The potters brought out around 50 small bowls made for the studio’s summer ice cream fundraiser, and those were sold out by 1:10. At the event’s end, three servings of soup were left from the 28 crock pots.
To meet the ever-growing demand, the pottery guild has pledged to make 600 bowls in 2024. They will meet one night a month and focus on just making bowls for the event. The soup goal will be to have 30 crock pots. Anyone who wants to get involved in preparing for next December’s fundraiser should call or email Pam at the Bay School at 804-725-1278 or pamdoss@bayschool-arts.com.
Donations can still be made to Hands Across Mathews at any time on the Bay School website; cash, check, or charge in person at the Bay School; or check mailed directly to Hands Across Mathews, P.O. Box 1303, Mathews, VA 23109.
The Bay School is a non-profit arts organization partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, Dominion Energy, the Mathews Community Foundation, Mathews County, and local community foundations. More than 100 studio classes are offered each year and Art to Go brings art into the community. The Mission of Hands Across Mathews is to help local families who have suffered some crisis that puts them in need of the basic amenities of food, clothing, shelter, prescription medications or fuel. When all other avenues of support have been exhausted, they help them get back on their feet. They have combined the efforts of 35 churches to provide non-denominational charitable aid to families, which have been evaluated and approved by the Mathews County Social Services Department. More than 100 families are currently being served each week. For more information about Hands Across Mathews, please visit their website at http://handsacrossmathews.org/ .
