Marshfield Area Empty Bowls set for March 12

For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD — The fifth annual Marshfield Area Empty Bowls event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, at Hotel Marshfield, 2700 S. Central Ave.

Admission is $10 and includes a bowl of soup along with crackers, cookie and beverage, and a handmade ceramic bowl to take home. Children under age 4 get a free bowl of soup.

The bowls have been made by students, community members, potters, and artists. Hundreds of bowls in all colors, shapes, and sizes will be on display throughout the three-hour event, and attendees can take their time to select the perfect bowl to take home.

Symbolizing hunger awareness, the handcrafted “empty bowl” is a reminder that, “Somewhere, someone’s bowl is empty.”

“I have been part of Empty Bowls from the beginning. It has been so rewarding to work with the community to make this wonderful event the success it has become,” said Marshfield Area Empty Bowls Steering Committee member Barb Krall.

A family friendly event, Empty Bowls also features raffle prizes for all ages and interests.

New for 2016 is the flight of soup. Three smaller “sample size” bowls of soup will be available while supplies last. There are three options: a 12-ounce bowl of soup for $10, the flight of soup for $10, or a 12-ounce bowl of soup and a flight of soup for $15. Each option comes with a handcrafted bowl of your choice.

Since 2012, Marshfield Area Empty Bowls has been a fundraiser for Soup or Socks Inc. (SOS) of Marshfield. In 2015 the event raised $15,000 for the SOS Food Pantry, which has allowed SOS to offer families in need a great range of healthy and perishable food, including meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, and dairy products. SOS also is a partner program of the Marshfield Area United Way.

“I continue to be amazed at the generosity of our community with this event. We so appreciate the support,” said SOS Director Cheryl Lewis Hartl.

More than 20 local restaurants and businesses are donating soup to be served at Empty Bowls. Some of Marshfield’s favorite soups are on the menu, including duchess soup from the Daily Grind, chicken dumpling soup from Melody Gardens, and cheeseburger soup from Nutz Deep II Bar and Grill.

Additional soup donors are A Slice of Heaven Catering, Belvedere Supper Club, China Chef, Crabby Dave’s, Culver’s, DiLuca’s Italian Steakhouse, Five-O-One Sports Bar and Grill, Lammar’s Smokehouse BBQ, Libby McNeill’s at Hotel Marshfield, Lumberyard Bar and Grill, Mandie’s Marshfield Family Restaurant, Papagalos, Perkin’s Family Restaurant, RiverEdge Golf Course, Taqueria El Sol, The Thomas House, Nora’s Family Restaurant, and West 14th Catering.

Empty Bowls will sponsor additional bowl-making events for the public in coming months to restock the supply of bowls for 2017.