Above: Cory Cochrane, one of the high school students who helped bring Empty Bowls to Cook County, and mother, Jean Cochrane, help out at the event. Left: The first wave of excited visitors chooses from a colorful collection of bowls.
Another Empty Bowls event has come and gone with a host of wonderful volunteers pulling off an enjoyable and successful day. Walking among the tables after the first few guests had trickled in, I discovered there were quite a few regulars present.
One pair of sisters informed me that this event was an annual get together for them. Another table of guests said they made it a point to come to Empty Bowls because it supports such a good cause. Attending was their way of showing support.
Kelsey Kennedy, one of the minds behind the event, noted that profits were a little lower this year, but funds are still coming in. So far, they have raised $8,000 to be disbursed among a number of organizations fighting hunger. A good chunk of the funds go to the Cook County Food Shelf, but also to 10 other organizations.
“There’s a lot of unknown hunger in Cook County,” Kennedy said. It isn’t always obvious. Neighbors or friends who appear to be doing well could be benefiting from the support of the organizations to which Empty Bowls contributes.
Many of the entities supported by Empty Bowls target hunger that isn’t easily visible. One program, for instance, supplies vouchers for food, which are then used to provide snacks for kids in classrooms who might have forgotten or were unable to bring their own.
“The event is a true community event,” said Kennedy. “It’s all the people coming together to make it happen. It’s not just volunteers, it’s the community working together.”
One of the volunteers this year was one of the high school students who played a role in bringing Empty Bowls to Grand Marais. Cory Cochrane and her mom, Jean Cochrane, worked at a table handling incoming funds.
According to Cory, the Empty Bowls project was adopted by a high school Art Club with the help of a teacher, Jayne Hoatling, about 10 years ago.
“We had been looking for an outlet,” Cory said. “And Ms. Hoatling was excited to work with high schoolers.”
The Art Club wasn’t originally geared toward pottery, but fortunately, Hoatling brought that knowledge with her to the job. The idea for Empty Bowls came from Hoatling, who had seen the event in Minneapolis.
“It was cool to me because it was a group of people excited about doing stuff not done before,” said Cory. “Just one teacher and a group of students.”
Preparing for the event took some time, and Cory remembered spending many after school hours in planning and preparing. She and her friends divvied up tasks, and worked together with the community to make the bowls by holding workshops in which people could come make a bowl.
Cory acknowledged that there were some mishaps along the way as both the high schoolers themselves as well as the people participating in the workshops were just learning pottery.
“Teaching and learning was a big part of it,” Cory said. “Kids or youth made the bowls that were actually part of it and we learned as we went.”
The event originally took place at North House Folk School, and Cory, along with the rest of the Art Club, went to work decorating for the event. Christmas lights and other decorations set the scene for the first Empty Bowls in Grand Marais.
Overall, the event was a couple of months in the making, Cory said. “And there was an outpouring of support.”
Businesses and individuals throughout Cook County gave donations, just as many have done this year, to make Empty Bowls a success. Over the years, Empty Bowls has bounced from place to place, prompted by the need for larger spaces. This year, St. John’s Catholic Church was the location.
For those who might not have made it to Empty Bowls this year, there is still a multitude of ways to contribute. Bowls, necklaces, and more items from the event are being sold at Birchbark Books and Gifts. There are also bowls for sale at the Grand Marais Art Colony.
Additionally, checks can be sent to P.O. Box 413, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Payments can also be made online at givemn.org.
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