Many Northlanders look forward to the Empty Bowl Event each year. It's designed to help fund the Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, but it does so much more than that.  It brings the community together, whether it's sharing time and talent making the bowls or enjoying soup and conversation on the day of the event.  The opportunity to make bowls for Empty Bowl 2017 is already available, get your friends or group together to help feed families.

First, we need to take a second to applaud the Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank.  Their staff works with the community tirelessly to provide food for people in our area.  With 120 different charitable food programs and providing food to over 1,500 people in our community per month as part of their own direct service programming.  I just attended Project Joy which funds Second Harvest's Backpack Program and their labor of love raised almost $20,000!  That's huge given the statistic that it only takes $3 to feed a child for a weekend.

Empty Bowl is slated to be held at the Depot, 506 West Michigan Street in Duluth.   Because of the overwhelming support from the community it takes literally hundreds and hundreds of bowls to satisfy the demand.  That's why the making and painting of the bowls needs to start now, months out from the actual day.

Starting now and through March of 2017 the Pottery Burn has group Empty Bowl painting opportunities.  (the bowls are made).  The Pottery Burn Studio is at 2340 Mountain Shadow Drive in Duluth.  But, if you and your organization prefers, they have the capability to bring the bowls to your location for painting.  The cost is $15 and includes instruction and materials.  Afterwards, your bowl will be donated to the Empty Bowl event, but if you just can't part with it, you can purchase your bowl for an additional $20.  The capacity for limited to 40 people per session, so this is great for girl and boy scout groups, birthday parties and church groups.  You'll have fun and be doing something great for those in need in our community.  To schedule your session or get answers to your questions call 218.336.2304.

The Duluth Art Institute will have opportunity to make bowls Tuesdays from 6-8 in February at their Lincoln Park Studio, 2229 West 2nd Street.  I'm letting you know now so you can make reservations because their capacity is 10 people per week.  The cost is $35 and includes instruction, materials and a ticket to the 24th Annual Empty Bowl event.  You can call 218.723.1310 to make your reservation or get answers to your questions.

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