The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Kathryn Godsiff looking at a silent auction item.

The third annual Empty Bowls fund-raiser on Friday, April 19, helped replenish the Family Access Network (FAN) emergency fund.

The event raised almost $4,000 for FAN, which spent $5,000 over the past three months to help families in need.

"Oregon has the highest unemployment rate in the country," said Theresa Slavkovsky, the director of FAN. "Since September 11, there have been a lot more layoffs, a lot more need in this community.

"The FAN emergency fund is used to help local families in crisis. We help pay dental, medical, and vision care bills, as well as rent and utility payments."

Art teacher Mike Baynes introduced the concept of Empty Bowls to the Sisters community several years ago.

He had heard about an art teacher in Michigan who developed the Empty Bowls project to help alleviate hunger on an international level.

"Each year we get the help of local artists and my own students to make the bowls for this event," said Baynes. "The potters started working on these bowls in September and generously donated their time and bowls for this project."

Michelle Herron, who teaches Leadership at the high school, said that 150 bowls were made for the event and 135 tickets sold.

Two sizes of bowls could be purchased this year, to keep the event more affordable for families. Larger bowls were $15 dollars, smaller ones went for $10.

Each ticket-holder got to choose a bowl, and then have it filled with a nutritious soup which had been cooked up by Janice Comfort and her culinary arts students.

This year's soup choices were chicken noodle and garden vegetable with pasta. French bread, beverages, and a cookie rounded out the simple meal.

Adam Hillis and Nathan Harpham provided musical entertainment throughout the evening.

Silent auction items had been provided by the school staff and local businesses.

The bidding closed at 7:30 p.m. with a grand total of $1,308 being raised by the auction.

Slavkovsky was full of praise for those who worked to make the event a success.

"Mike Baynes is the backbone of this thing," said Slavkovsky. "He and Michelle Herron really make it happen.

And Pinky Pagano answered the phone and did ticket sales ... the art students and local potters helped with making all the bowls.

"The Aid Association of Lutherans from the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran church helped us out with an $800 grant again this year and they also helped with set up and serving the soup --this couldn't happen without the support of the whole community."

To make a donation to FAN or for more information about Empty Bowls, call Theresa Slavkovsky at 549-0155.