BELLOWS FALLS — Our Place Drop-in Center is collecting bowls and auction items for its 16th annual Empty Bowl dinner and auctions, to be held Sunday, Nov. 3 at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, N.H.
This year's soup supper features a live auction with auctioneer Sharon Boccelli and an array of winnables such as a stay at a condo in the Austrian Alps; New England Patriots tickets; classes at the King Arthur Flour baking center in Norwich; a Pentax camera; a private plane ride; antiques; and the use of a condo near Torino, Italy.
An auction preview and social hour begin at 5 p.m.
At the event, themed “Gather and Share,” attendees can claim a donated artisanal bowl as a reminder that many in our communities struggle to put food on the table.
Proceeds support Our Place's food programs: a food pantry, a daily breakfast and lunch, and nutrition education.
According to Lisa Pitcher, Our Place director, this fundraiser is the organization's most important, and the organization is grateful for the donations of bowls, auction items, and food that make it possible.
Potters already pledging bowls include Malcolm Wright, Virginia Wyoming, Matthew Tell, Claudia Teachman, Dan Lasser, Susan Dunning, Carla Magbie, Bronna Zlochiver, Linda Bouchard-Bracken and Noelle Van Hendrick, and Erik Hendrick.
Area restaurants and schools are donating soups, bread, salad, and appetizers for the supper, all of which will be served by students from New England Kurn Hattin Homes.
Major sponsors signed up so far for this year's Empty Bowl are Windham Antique Center, S.B. & Co. Auctioneers, and Morrison & Tyson Communications. Also sponsoring are Robinson Sales, L.A. Burdick Chocolate, Vermont Academy, and the SEVCA weatherization program.
Our Place Empty Bowl is part of an international effort that launched in 1990 at a Michigan high school to raise money for food programs. Since then, the project has raised more than $1 million to combat hunger worldwide.