Program raises funds for local emergency aid service

Laura Campbell shows her ceramic work.

Photo by Torri Barco

Eighth graders Katie Nordquist and Kelsey Newport could have been eating popcorn and watching a movie Friday night. Instead they participated in an auction targeted to help local families in need.

Their inspiration: Natalie Lopez -- a Redmond baby in need of a liver transplant. A charitable program called Sparrow Club brought Natalie and her family to the middle school earlier this year to meet students who might want to help. They left an impression.

With memories of that encounter, the girls found a perfect platform to extend a hand to help more neighbors at the Sisters High School's fourth annual "Empty Bowls" fundraiser. The program, sponsored by the Family Access Network (FAN) -- a social service for the Sisters community -- was held Friday night at the high school cafeteria.

"I came here because after seeing our Sparrow child (Natalie), I knew there were other families out there who needed help," Nordquist said. "The little girl was so cute and had tubes and it was sad."

The fundraiser, which included a $15 dinner and silent auction, sold 150 meal tickets and raised $2,800. Last year, the event raised $3,797.

"I think of how lucky I am because I have everything I ever wanted," Newport said. "But, then I think here's some people who really need something."

All proceeds from the evening will go to FAN's Emergency Access Fund, which helps local families pay bills including rent, utility, medical, dental, vision, prescription needs, gasoline, vehicle repair and school supplies, said Theresa Slavkovsky, family advocate for FAN.

FAN spent $15,170 from the emergency fund last year for such needs, Slavkovsky said.

The auction showed hundreds of student-made, hand-thrown, cereal-sized ceramic bowls, which held just the personal touch and artistic flair to inspire Lee Evans and Craig Ruddell to purchase two.

Evans and Ruddell are the parents of Sisters High School senior Elyse and sophomore Dan Brownson.

Evans stood in the cafeteria, fascinated by a simple, rust-colored bowl with the mysterious initials "MKM" engraved on the back.

"I know this bowl was made by a student so I know a lot went into it," she said. "Maybe it was their first bowl and I don't take that for granted. Art brings out the passion and personality in a person."

Sisters High School art teacher Mike Baynes helped start the "Empty Bowls" program after he learned about an art teacher four years ago in Michigan who similarly used art to alleviate hunger. Student interest in the ceramics project has grown each year, Baynes said.

"Each student was required to make six bowls and one of them was for the auction," said Bethany Benhower, a senior in the ceramics class, who decorated her bowl with pears, watermelons, apples, cherries and peaches. "Normally, a bowl is not my favorite thing to make, but since I knew it was for Empty Bowls, it was the first thing I did and I had more motivation."

It was the love of the arts that drove junior Laura Campbell to so feverishly donate her time in making ceramics for the fundraiser.

"I love doing ceramics," Campbell said. "So anything that involves it, I'll do it."

Campbell said she spent over 20 hours creating several bowls, a mug with an elk on it and a teapot with fish designs.

Local professional potters including Mitch Deaderick of the Cliff Scharf Gallery and Cheryl Guggenheim donated about 25 percent of the bowls, Baynes said.

In addition to an auction, Americana Project (high school music composition class) students provided musical entertainment. Culinary arts teacher, Janice Comfort and her students prepared soup, bread and desert. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church and Thrivent Financial For Lutherans also donated funds.