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<p>WILKES-BARRE - Roughly 1,500 locally handcrafted bowls were displayed for sale at Wilkes University Sunday as part of the Empty Bowls Project.</p><p>From thin, wide and shallow to thick, narrow and deep, bearing all colors of the rainbow, the handiwork of local potters was admired by guests who took their time deciding on which bowl would be their favorite.</p><p>According to its website, the Empty Bowls Project began 25 years ago as an international grassroots efforts to raise money and spread awareness to end world hunger. With a $15 donation, guests were treated to a brunch at the university featuring various soups, bread and beverages. They also got to choose a bowl to take home.</p><p>Donna Witkowski and Cathy Gawlas attended the event for the first time. Looking over the colorful pieces, they tried to decide on just one.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re beautiful,&#8221; Witkowski said. &#8220;We&#8217;re having a hard time picking.&#8221;</p><p>Gawlas said that although she&#8217;s been aware of the Empty Bowls Project for a few years, she never had the opportunity to attend until now. She said she was astonished by the quality of the pieces.</p><p>&#8220;I think the volunteers that made the dishes did a great job,&#8221; she said as she looked at the bowl Witkowski chose. &#8220;I can&#8217;t decide which one to get. I have to go through the tables twice to pick mine out now.&#8221;</p><p>In 2012, Wilkes University pottery instructor and Kingston resident Jean Adams brought the nonprofit to Northeastern Pennsylvania in an attempt to aid local food pantries and soup kitchens.</p><p>As she stood at the doorway speaking to guests about the bowl they chose and it&#8217;s maker, she spoke about why she began the Empty Bowls Project for the Wyoming Valley.</p><p>Adams said that prior to 2012, she would create bowls and send them out of the area to other Empty Bowl fundraisers. Then she has an epiphany.</p><p>&#8220;After awhile I thought, &#8216;Why am I sending bowls out of the area?&#8217;&#8221; she said, planting the seed to start the project on a local level.</p><p>With the help of Ken Marquis, of Marquis Art &amp; Frame, and various local colleges and universities, a local Empty Bowls Project was born.</p><p>Today, Wilkes University &#8212; along with Luzerne County Community College, King&#8217;s College and Wyoming Seminary &#8212; participate in the project and have raised over $40,000 since it&#8217;s implementation. Last year, the organization assisted in funding the St. Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen, Meals on Wheels and the Luzerne County Community College food bank, to name a few.</p><p>Adams said students of Wilkes University and Wyoming Seminary help her craft the pieces, and LCCC and King&#8217;s students and faculty assist in preparing the soups and working the event.</p><p>Over 100 guests attended the event inside the Henry Student Center Ballroom, including students and faculty from participating colleges and universities, local business owners and community residents. While guests were enjoying their brunch, husband-and-wife duo John Michael and Amy Vaida, of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chamber Music Society, preformed classical string pieces.</p><p>Linda Zak heard of the event on Facebook. The Shavertown resident decided to stop by and support a good cause, as well as pick a unique bowl for home.</p><p>&#8220;It looked like a very good fundraiser to attend and help those who need it,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Zak credited Adams and her assistants for their craftsmanship, and the amount of time and effort they spent creating the various designs.</p><p>Adams said she hopes to reach her goal of raising $15,000 this year, noting that last year, the project raised roughly $13,000.</p><p>&#8220;I said &#8216;I know if I can make 1,000 bowls that I can make $15,000&#8217;,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We&#8217;re getting closer to my goal.</p><p>She said making the bowls is a prolonged project, because there are multiple phases to making a bowl. In all, she said, it takes about an entire year to create all the bowls needed for the event.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a big, long, time-consuming process,&#8221; she said.</p><p>When asked why she decided to continue such a tedious project, her answer was simple: to help those in need.</p><p>&#8220;I do it because I&#8217;m a very fortunate person. I have a great life. A loving family. A nice house. I&#8217;m lucky to be in the position to help people who just need that little extra support right now.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">People pick out handmade bowls during the fifth annual Empty Bowls event at Wilkes University on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102416EmptyBowls1.jpg</photo0><caption0>People pick out handmade bowls during the fifth annual Empty Bowls event at Wilkes University on Sunday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102416EmptyBowls2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Attandees browse through tables full of handmade bowls. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102416EmptyBowls2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Attandees browse through tables full of handmade bowls. </caption1><photoCredit1>Clark Van Orden | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102416EmptyBowls3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">After picking out a handmade bowl, Bob Stanley, of Forty-Fort, choeses chicken noodle as his soup of the day. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_TTL102416EmptyBowls3.jpg</photo2><caption2>After picking out a handmade bowl, Bob Stanley, of Forty-Fort, choeses chicken noodle as his soup of the day. </caption2><photoCredit2>Clark Van Orden | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Empty Bowls project helps hungry, features work of local pottery artists