Every year Oakton Community College’s Ceramics Studio hosts an Empty Bowls event. That means everyone who works at the studio, as well as other area ceramics artists and students, makes and donates a bunch of bowls.

Then on a certain day a lot of people come to Oakton to admire the hundreds of bowls that have been donated. They pay $12, pick a bowl they really like, fill it with soup, grab a hunk of bread, and enjoy—and when they’re finished eating, they get to keep the bowl. There’s also a raffle (tickets are $3, or 4 for $10) and silent auction for some bigger art pieces donated by better known artists. All the proceeds go to local charities; last year $12,000 was raised and donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. There will be some tunes by several student bands, including a band called "Patchouli" (the name scares me a bit, but you never know).

This year’s Empty Bowls event will be on December 8th, 2007, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Rd., Des Plaines, IL 60016. The earlier you get there, the better the selection of bowls will be. So come on out and get yourself a nice bowl, and support a good cause while you’re at it!

Here's a photo from last year’s event:

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