Area students created bowls for the sixth annual Empty Bowls Project, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 12.
In the middle of the cafeteria at J.S. Robinson Elementary School, David Dye stood in front of a class of fifth grade art students. He held a tan ball of clay and tossed it onto a small potter’s wheel. Within minutes, the rock-like sphere had transformed into a smooth, spotless bowl.
The students craned their necks in their plastic chairs to get a better look at Dye’s work. As they watched, art teacher Ray Cowen walked around the tables, placing a ball of clay in front of each student.
It was their turn to try.
Following Dye’s instructions, students mashed the clay into flat pancakes before shaping them into pod-like structures.
There were round bowls, square bowls, heart-shaped ones, ones with intricate coils and ones with swirled designs.
On Saturday, Nov, 12, the completed bowls will be sold as part of the sixth annual Empty Bowls Project, a fundraiser that benefits the United Food Bank of Plant City.
Filling Hearts and Bowls
Robinson Elementary isn’t the only school to have students’ bowls featured at the November event. A total of 11 schools, as well as a homeschooled group and two church groups, made bowls. Every school made between 32 to 40 bowls, with over 400 made last year. Once the bowls are made, they are left to dry and then fired and glazed by volunteers at Florida Brick and Clay on Turkey Creek Road.
After the event, the bowls become cherished mementos for Plant City residents. For a $10 donation, Empty Bowls attendees are able to enjoy a soup lunch, live music and take home a handcrafted bowl. The Empty Bowls committee sets out to raise $10,000 from the event annually, raising as much as $9,000 last year.
For Silvia Dodson, a Florida Brick and Clay employee and the Empty Bowls Committee chair, the annual event remains close to her heart.
“When my parents and I came to the United States (from Cuba), we left everything behind,” Dodson said. “We left without anything. Our family needed help.”
Years later, Dodson continues to be reminded of those in need through the Empty Bowls Project.
“Everybody needs help sometimes,” she said. “These are the reminders of the bowls that don’t get filled every day in our community.”
Professional Plant City artists also paint bowls to be auctioned at the event. Civic organizations make varieties of soup.
“I’m just part of the team,” Dodson said. “We all do our part. We’re trying to get as many people involved as
possible and promote awareness of the food bank.”
With every passing year, the Empty Bowls Project expands. This year, a multi-school choir will perform a patriotic program, since the event is the day after Veterans’ Day. Next Radical Generation is set to perform.
Dodson and the rest of the Empty Bowls Committee also are working on creating either a cookbook or a calendar featuring the dozens of soups with accompanying recipes that have been served at the event in the past.
“We’ve had more each year,” Dodson said.
The recipes will be available for sale at the event, with those funds also going toward the United Food Bank of
Plant City.
“We’re always trying to help,” Dodson said.
The sixth annual Empty Bowls Project will be held Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
