BRATTLEBORO — Brattleboro Clayworks is preparing for the 11th annual Empty Bowls Dinner, a benefit for the Brattleboro Drop In Center, with a Bowlerama on Saturday, July 12.
This year's Empty Bowls Dinner is Saturday, Oct. 11, at Landmark College in Putney.
Bowlerama is a chance for those who have little or no experience in clay to create a bowl to donate to the dinner.
Bonnie Stearns, Alan Steinberg, and Annie Lauterbach will be available to help bowl makers get started. Basic instruction and troubleshooting are all most people need before they're off and creating - digging their hands into clay to pinch, coil, roll out, and decorate bowls of art.
Indeed, such bowls often are the first chosen at the Empty Bowls Dinner.
Space is limited, so Clayworks asks folks to register in advance of the morning session (10 a.m. to noon) and afternoon session (1 to 3 p.m.) by calling 802-254-9174. Children 10 and older are welcomed when accompanied by an adult.
Clayworks says it is donating instruction, clay, glaze, and firing costs. The event is free, but donations are welcomed.
All proceeds benefit Brattleboro Area Drop In Center, which provides a community food shelf, day shelter, overnight winter shelter, support services, and a warm welcome for the homeless among us.
This year, the Drop In Center says severe budget cuts on the state and federal level complicate their ability to meet growing demand on a weakened economy.
Meanwhile, the Empty Bowls Dinner has helped raise funds and awareness to alleviate hunger and homelessness for the past 11 years.
Empty Bowls is a collaborative event, organizers note. Here, local potters contribute bowls, local eateries contribute signature dishes, and musicians contribute their talents. A $25 donation gets guests hours of live music, a delicious meal, and a handcrafted bowl they take home.