Providence shows its commitment to students, community with Empty Bowls project

Art students of The Providence School have been participating in the Empty Bowls project for the past six years, but this time around they decided to do something different.

Being that it was their first year in Wilmore, Providence art teacher Liz Spurlock said she wanted to do something special not only to raise money for a good cause but make a statement to the community that the school “is their neighbor and happy to be apart of the city.”

To do that, all the ingredients and food came from the local Fitch’s IGA Grocery and the money raised will go to a local charity.

“It really does come back around again,” Spurlock said. “We give to the community and it comes back and helps these kids in ways they don't even realize sometimes.”

More than a dozen students made 223 brightly colored and creatively designed ceramic bowls, which were available for $10 purchase last Wednesday along with all the chili or soup one could handle.
It was a successful luncheon, Spurlock said. They sold nearly every bowl to make their goal.

“It’s pretty amazing to see people come in and buy stuff, something that you pretty much made,” Charlie Wathen, 18, said.

Wathen was just one part of an “assembly-type” team that started making the bowls after the holiday break in December.

There were some who formed the bowls, glazed or designed them. It Wathen’s job was to throw the bowls.

“This year I don't think we did as many bowls, as far as quantity, than we did last year,” Iva DeMoss, 16, said. “But I think we did much better, the quality was better this year.”

The students said that they were “surprised by how many actually showed up” and were pleased by the overall turnout.

Members of the Wilmore community and Jessamine County, such as Jailer Jon Sallee and Ronda May of Hospice of the Bluegrass, were in attendance and said they were happy to support such a good effort and get a delicious lunch.

Not only was it for a good cause but the turnout bolsteed many of the young artists’ self esteem.
“Today was a lot of fun watching people look at all the different kinds of bowls, especially the ones I made,” Kayla Fosberg,18, said. “The looks on their faces when they picked up my bowl made my day.”