CMC ceramics faculty member Michelle McCurdy holds one of the many ceramic bowls that will hold soup during the Empty Bowls fundraiser Oct. 5.

Empty Bowls fundraiser returns

Colorado Mountain College Rifle ceramics students provide bowls, area restaurants donate soup to benefit Grand River Meals on Wheels

Sept. 22, 2022 – Organizers are busy getting ready for the seventh annual Empty Bowls event on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Grand River Health’s Ballroom. The fundraiser provides a handcrafted bowl to keep, soups crafted by local restaurants, and bread and beverages in exchange for a $20 donation and raises money for the Grand River Meals on Wheels program.

Empty Bowls is coordinated by staff from Grand River Health, as well as faculty and students from Colorado Mountain College Rifle. The idea for the collaboration started in 2015 with Michelle McCurdy and Kaaren Peck, who put their passions together (ceramics and feeding the homebound) to bring awareness and funding to Grand River Meals on Wheels. Students of Colorado Mountain College Rifle’s ceramics program and area artists donate their hand hewn bowls to make the event memorable.

New this year is the soup is being donated from local supportive restaurants: Hugo’s in Glenwood Springs, Miner’s Claim in Silt, Jalisco’s Grill, Rama’s Bistro and Wing Nutz Bar and Grill in Rifle, as well as Grand River Health Café and Care Center.  The luncheon runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 5.

Although the fundraiser is a locally focused effort, it’s internationally based. The Empty Bowls Project conducts events around the world to raise money and bring awareness around hunger issues and provides funds for food distribution efforts, like Grand River Meals on Wheels. In 2021 Grand River Meals on Wheels provided and delivered over 22,000 meals from New Castle to Parachute.