Empty Bowls raises funds, awareness for hunger
Dunn County News
Menomonie WI
March 12, 2008
by Julie McNaughton
More than 400 people participated in the Empty Bowls event on Saturday, March 8, at the Menomonie Middle School. People enjoyed the soup and bread lunch, the art auction and entertainment.
Close to $6,500 was raised for local hunger and homeless programs, including Interfaith Food Pantry, House of Hope and Menomonie Area Bread for the World. Many letters were written to enlist government help for hungry people through poverty-focused development aid.
Participants of all ages learned more about how to stop hunger.
Maddie Haas, seventh grade Menomonie Middle School student council member, summed up the event saying, "It was interesting to learn facts about hunger, such as over 50 percent of the world lives on less than one dollar a day. That is why we need to help by giving food and shelter to those who need it."
Children and youth explored the displays, games and musical instruments. They added their hands to the "Hands of Hope," wrote letters to legislators and examined the refugee site.
People bid on a wide range of locally-created artwork, including pottery, jewelry, quilts, art prints, photography and wood handicrafts. The silent art auction brought in more than $1,200.
Local entertainers included the children of the Peace and Our Savior's Lutheran churches, who opened with "We Come to the Hungry Feast." Melodies by Bob Boone, Jim Nelson and Marv Whitman followed, as did original songs by Heather Jerrie. More music was performed by the Right Reverends' Quartet, River Heights Elementary and the duo of Dudley Markham and Gary Johnson.
Empty Bowls was co-sponsored by Menomonie Area Bread for the World and the Menomonie Middle School student council. Middle school, high school and adult volunteers all pitched in helping with set up, preparing displays, serving food and busing tables and encouraging letter writing.
Empty Bowls was the kick-off for the Bread for the World 2008 Offering of Letters. Letters were written to urge government leaders to increase U.S. funding for poverty-focused development aid. Menomonie Area Bread for the World is a Christian citizen's movement of the Menomonie area that works for legislation to eliminate causes of hunger.
More than 20 area churches and groups are now preparing for an Offering of Letters this spring. They will enlist letters urging Congress to adopt legislation to increase poverty-focused development assistance by at least $5 billion in fiscal year 2009 — to give the poorest of the world's people a chance in life.
Churches or groups that would like to receive Offering of Letters materials, may contact Julie McNaughton, coordinator of Menomonie Area Bread for the World, at (715) 235-9377.
