By C. Ruth Fletcher
Empty Bowls in an annual fundraiser through the Craven Arts Council in New Bern. Every year, they organize a night of art, food, and community centering around feeding your neighbor. This year’s Empty Bowls marks the tenth year of fundraising for Religious Community Services (local food pantries) and the Craven Arts Council in order to feed the hungry in our community. This year finds a special need in the wake of Hurricane Florence.
The ceramic students and faculty at Craven Community College continue their participation with more enthusiasm than ever! Rebecca Shelby dared two of her students to contribute 20 bowls each to this event. Not only did they meet her challenge, but a total of four ceramics students, Shelby, and Mike Sagaser, a mathematics teacher from the Havelock Campus, contributed over 60 bowls. These are not just any bowls; each is unique. Each proves a work of art with different colors, patterns, techniques, finishes, and so much more to give every bowl a personality of its own. Shelby shares that she is “excited the students stepped up to the plate and contributed to the community in an effort to feed people.”
Each bowl is filled with soups from local restaurants in this event. Not only do you walk away with a full stomach, but with a bowl representing a piece of community. The tenth annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser will be held this Thursday, February 28, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Temple Baptist Church in New Bern. Tickets in advance are $25 while tickets at the door are $30. You can purchase tickets at the Bank of the Arts, 317 Middle Street, by phone, or online. For more information, please visit www.EmptyBowlsNewBern.org or call 252-638-2577.
Ruth Fletcher is a student at Craven Community College finishing her Associate in Science. When she graduates in the spring, she hopes to transfer to a four-year university and continue her pursuit of pre-med. While at Craven CC, she has been a part of the Student Government Association for two consecutive terms, SEAS, C-STEP, and the Honors Program. She is always busy, but loves all the experiences she’s been given here at Craven CC.