Each year, the campus hosts Empty Bowls, a project that helps feed food insecure families through Ferrum Elementary School.
On the day of the event, around 500 kiln-fired and glazed bowls adorn tables in the BlueRidge Mountain Room for the annual event, where students, staff, and community members donate to receive a bowl, soup, a dessert, bread, and drink.
But who makes the bowls?
The answer, in part, is bowl-making workshops like the one held on campus recently.
Led by Ceramics Professor Nell Fredericksen, the workshops bring together all walks to help create the needed pieces to the project’s puzzle.
“The goal each year is to have 500 unique bowls to offer,” Fredericksen explained. “About half of the bowls are made by our very own community local members.”
Hosted on campus, bowl-making workshops have been a large part of event preparation. As community interest has been higher than ever, Fredericksen has found immense success, with more than 400 bowls ready to be filled.
“Bowl making workshops are open to anyone,” she said. “In January of each year, I post available dates for workshops, and then groups sign up on a first-come first-serve basis. Typically, 10 are offered, but this year, there was such a huge response I hosted 14. We’ve had organizations, friends, and families join us.”
The people participating seem just as pleased as Fredericksen. Local resident Ashley Amos is one of many that participated in the most recent workshop.
“I attended this event because Empty Bowls is a wonderful opportunity to support local students,” Amos offered. “Nell does an amazing job involving the community–not just for the fundraiser event but (she) also allows us to take part in the creation of the bowls that will be sold. This workshop is a fun way to give back and provides additional opportunity for connection and community.”
Local resident Seijin Campbell agreed, having attended the same event.
“It was a great experience,” Campbell stated. “I’ve gone to Empty Bowls for years, and it’s been fun supporting Ferrum Elementary and the community. I liked making the bowls because it gave me a chance to help and be a part of it from a different angle.”
Fredericksen defined the workshops to be a fun, lively, and creative time for all to enjoy.
Henry Baptist Youth Group, Ferrum Foward, Friends of Ferrum Park, groups of elementary school teachers, Twin Creeks Distillery, Empire Bakery, and Girl Scouts are just some of the many local contributors that have come together for the cause.
On March 16, the product of their dedication will be revealed at the Empty Bowls event. Fredericksen aims for their work to have an impact on each and every attendee.
“On the day of the event patrons select a bowl, have a simple meal, and then keep the bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world, and those that have nothing to fill them with.”
Empty Bowls is a globally recognized project aimed to fight hunger within local communities and is centered around potters making and donating bowls.
Ferrum is one of these communities, with the event filling hearts and bringing the people together.
Residents, organizations, the college, and other groups in Ferrum have worked to help bring the honored event to life each year.
