12th Annual Empty Bowls Packs OUUMC for Food Banks

The bitter cold winds of February bring with them a craving for warm soups and good company, and Empty Bowls offered both.

Hundreds of Oxonians packed into Oxford University United Methodist Church Thursday afternoon for Empty Bowls, a movement out of Michigan connecting food banks all over the world. Familiar strangers mingled together at community tables, meeting and eating together, and some even had to find seats on bleachers.

The 12th annual Empty Bowls in Oxford saw an increase to $20 for the handmade bowl filled with nearly two dozen soup choices donated by local restaurants, but the change didn’t deter the public who lined up down the halls all the way beyond the west sanctuary door.

“We’ve probably had larger turnouts, but this was the one that it seemed like everyone came at the same time,” June Rosentreter said. “They start coming at 10:30, but we’ve had some come as early as 9:30.”

Rosentreter, one of the founders of the Oxford movement, said they feared running out of the 600-plus pieces of pottery as many in attendance purchased multiple bowls made by the Ole Miss Mud Daubers and other local artists.

“We should have had more bowls,” Rosentreter said. “It’s hard because bowls are very expensive to make, but we do have several local potters who are very generous.”

By the end of the event, all the bowls were at home with new owners, but some people continued to give their money and get a little soup just to help.

Amelia Camurati is editor of HottyToddy.com and can be reached at amelia.camurati@hottytoddy.com.