With a total of 100+ hours of work on display, people everywhere are invited to witness how donated ceramic bowls can bring joy and food to families within the community this April.
The Empty Bowls drive is an annual opportunity hosted by LHS Ceramics teacher Michael Helle for students to support hungry families living nearby by raising money through ceramics donations. Hundreds of ceramics students submit their best bowl for this assignment, which will be sold on the day of the event, with prices ranging from $5 to $50 per bowl.
“[The price] depends on the size and the quality of the bowl,” said Helle. “Some big salad bowls will probably be in the range of $50.”
Before the bowls’ purchase, they are filled with ice cream, making Empty Bowls a highly anticipated event each year both for the well-crafted ceramics and the tasty ice cream included with each purchase.
The event will be April 10 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at LHS, and Helle believes many people will attend. “It’s a very popular event within the community,” said Helle.
“[The drive is] beneficial for students who live in our affluent community of Lake Oswego [because they] give back to the local community”, said Helle.
“[People] overlook the fact that there are locals within our community that are in need of some assistance,” said Helle. He has participated in this event since 1996 and found this experience very gratifying for ceramics students who have the opportunity to sell their works for an important cause.
On average, one bowl can take around two weeks to complete, depending on the kiln’s schedule and the piece’s difficulty. Once all bowls for the event are submitted, the total time and effort put into the variety of pieces is staggering.
“Making my bowl was fun. I thought it was nice to donate,” said junior Malia McLaren. The general consensus among ceramics students seems to reflect this, as many students reported feeling satisfied with their work being donated to the cause.