The Empty Bowls Project held its local event at Beckets in Oshkosh on Nov. 10, which allowed art students an opportunity to create ceramic bowls for the community.

“A little work and compassion can go a long way to help others,” NHS art teacher Mrs. Lisa Dorschner said of the event she values. 

The Empty Bowls Project is a bi-annual, national event, and through participation in it, NHS students learn a valuable lesson of giving back to those less fortunate. According to OshkoshEmptyBowls.com/, the Empty Bowls Project raises money for local food pantries and organizations to fight hunger.

Dorschner has been participating with her ceramics students in the Empty Bowls Project for almost 10 years now. Students from ceramics classes, as well as local artists created bowls to be donated to the event.

The event raised $9,000 to benefit the Oshkosh Food Pantry. This gives the food pantry the ability to serve more residents in the community.  The event featured 60 donated bowls from NHS. All of the bowls at the event were sold.

Art is like a dream, if people imagine a bowl, they can create that dream into a real-life experience like the Empty Bowls Project, in order to help others.

Here is how the event works: The public pays an entrance fee and chooses a bowl. The event features soups, and breads from local restaurants. The event also features music and basket raffles. Visitors can then take the bowl home with them, once they are done with their meal.  Most importantly, 100 percent of the proceeds go to fight hunger in local communities.

“Students can see that their art can make the world a beautiful place,” Dorschner said. 

NHS students see that they can also help people in need, while reminding themselves that not everyone has the necessary resources to put food on the table. 

People can also take pride in this event to know that their contribution will greatly benefit people in need; thus learning a lesson that filling a bowl with soup creates a warmth of compassion within individuals.

According to OurCenter.org, the organization has raised millions of dollars since its conception in 1990. 

An event like the empty bowls project is a fun experience for all ages to enjoy because people know that their contribution will greatly benefit others within the community.  Love is a fluid in a container.  Even though it cannot be seen, it shows in the bowls and lives of people.