By Venita Fritz

Tribune-Courier General Manager

Vfritz@tribunecourier.com

Volunteers with Marcella’s Kitchen are hoping the symbolic gesture of filling an empty bowl will raise money to help feed the hungry of Marshall County.

The Empty Bowl Project 2012 will be held on April 14 in the Marshall County High School Commons Area from 11 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. For a $15 donation, attendees can purchase a bowl and fill it with samplings of food from 26 Marshall County restaurants and catering businesses. All proceeds from the event will go to Marcella’s Kitchen.

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger and was created by The Imagine Render Group. The basic premise, say the founders, is simple: craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a meal in exchange for a cash donation. Guests of the event may keep the bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger.

The idea to bring the Empty Bowl Project to Marshall County was that of 17 year-old Victoria Poston of Calvert City. Victoria approached Marcella’s volunteer Grace Forte with a desire to help in a way beyond serving meals at the kitchen. Grace listened, liked the idea and the planning began shortly thereafter. Victoria and her mother, Audrey have been instrumental in helping plan the event. They, along with Forte and volunteers Pam Mathis and Joni Knight, are working daily to help organize the event.

Forte said she would like to raise $15,000 and is hoping to sell 800 tickets for the project.

Members of the community have gotten behind the cause by painting bowls at Funky Monkey Pottery Company in Draffenville.

Tammy Ross, with Funky Monkey, said the response has been amazing. She said hundreds of bowls have been made and more are in the works in advance of the event.

Forte said anyone wishing to donate a special bowl may also drop it by Marcella’s Kitchen.

Tickets for the event may be purchased at Marcella’s Kitchen, behind Johnny’s Barber Shop in Draffenville, at WCBL Radio, inside Funky Monkey Pottery Company in The Draffenville Shopping Plaza or by calling Forte at 270-205-0223.

Empty Bowl Project Food Vendors

Mama D’s

Holy Smokers

Calvert City Drive In

Los Tres Amigos

Cracker Barrel

Marshall’s IGA

Cactus Jacks

Dairy Queen

Majestic

Habanero

Ponderosa

John Staten

Leah Lewis

Leigh Thistleweat

Dominos

Los Portales

Hutchens

Magic Valley BBQ

Subway

Cynthia Cary & Saundra Keeling

Natalie Ford-Edwards

1st Baptist Church

Hardin Baptist Church

The Crossroads

Panera Bread

Pepsi