Kalika Valentine-Erickson/ Winonan

On Wednesday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., a fundraiser called Empty Bowls was held in the SLC Atrium.

Students paid $10 and adults paid $15 to receive a handmade bowl filled with soup, a side of bread and a glass of water. The event was sponsored by the Art and Design department at Winona State, several ceramics classes and the Mud Club.

The soup was donated by Blue Heron, Bluff Country Co-op, and Chartwells; Bloedow’s Bakery and Acoustic Café donated the bread.

Anne Plummer, art faculty and chair of department of art and design and a ceramics professor whose class donated bowls to the event, said, “The students do this as part of their service learning for the class.”

The students served soup, oversaw the bowls, cashiered and offered to rinse the bowls once people were finished.

The event showcased pottery bowls made by Winona State ceramics students and local potters. Plummer and the clubs partnered with local potters and hosted bowl-a-thons and glaze-a-thons in order to make and glaze the bowls.

“People on campus really respond to this event. People love to get the homemade bowls and love the idea of donating money to the food shelf, helping people who need food,” Plummer said.

Student Olivia Stoltman agreed and said, “I was already interested because of the local pottery, but what really made the decision for me was when I saw that the money was going to the local food shelf.”

Events like Empty Bowls are popular nationwide, and since learning about similar projects at a conference years ago, Plummer has been inspired to bring the ceramics project to Winona.

“This event was started by a couple of high school teachers 25 years ago. They just had their 25th anniversary. When I went to the National Ceramic Education Conference, I learned about this initiative. These high school teachers started it, and then they figured out that it was a great idea. They started to spread the word,” she said.

Winona State’s Empty Bowls event is currently in its tenth year. Plummer explained that she likes the connection that this event makes between Winona State and the community of Winona.

“As a service learning experience, it’s usually a very positive one,” Plummer said. “I hope they continue to see the value in serving the community.”