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More than Just Lunch
Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: October - 2022
It’s an open table when the Highlands community serves up its Empty Bowls Project, October 2 at First Presbyterian Church of Highlands. Tickets are $25 each. To buy tickets, visit internationalfriendshipcenter.org/events.
Most of us think of soup as a bowl of steaming liquid comfort food, a companion to a sandwich at lunch or perhaps a delicious start to a fancy meal at a restaurant. But at the 20th annual Empty Bowls event in Highlands, soup is a way to feed the hungry, and nourish our community – one bowl at a time. On Sunday, October 2, 500 caring neighbors will share a bowl of soup at the First Presbyterian Church to benefit the International Friendship Center’s Highlands Food Pantry. Held after church services, from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M., the event integrates art, social action and a delicious lunch. Handmade bowls are used to serve the soup and patrons take home their empty bowl to remind them of those who go hungry around the world. The event is the Pantry’s biggest fundraiser, and as Andrea Smith, Director of Social Services explained, “Because food is at the center of our work, Empty Bowls is critical to our ongoing success. It keeps our shelves stocked with healthy foods, feeds food deprived fellow citizens, and builds connections between neighbors.” Empty Bowls is a partnership with the First Presbyterian Church and a community wide effort supported by the Highlands United Methodist Church, The Bascom Center of the Arts, local restaurants and a dedicated team of volunteers. All of the funds raised will go towards providing food for insecure families in need. “We set a goal for $10,000 this year,” Smith told me. First Presbyterian has donated the space for the event, and Marty Rosenthal will be in charge of the kitchen, keeping the soups warmed and serving up a selection of seven different soups: Brunswick Stew from Scaly Mountain’s Blue Hound Barbecue restaurant, Chicken Tortilla from Los Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant, Clam Chowder from Primary Restaurant & Bar, Fall Squash Bisque from Madison’s Restaurant, Italian Sausage and Root Vegetable from Four65 Woodfire Bistro & Bar, Vegetarian Lentil from The Kitchen Carry Away & Catering, and Creamy Tomato from Kristy Lewis at United Methodist Church. More than 300 bowls were made for the event at the Dave Drake Studio at The Bascom. (Crafting the bowls were: Frank Vickery, Pat Moore, Janet Chmar, Ann Gober, Tumpy Bethea, Marth Sutherland-Wright, Ned Turnbull, Francie Root, Keiko Coughlin, and Molly Suminski.) Others were donated by Harry Souchon, fired at his home studio. Forty-two were made by kids and adults participating at The Bascom’s Community Day on July 2.
