Empty Bowls

[Brian]

Quite a turnout for Jeanne's Empty Bowls fundraiser at Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church tonight! If the ticket numbers are a good way to measure, I got 189 through 192, and that was only after the first hour.

I had planned to arrive at the beginning, around 5 p.m., but my battery barely got my car started so I stopped to get a new one before all the mechanics closed for the rest of the weekend.

I just missed Roberta, but I enjoyed talking with Susan and seeing Jeanne, Paige and Mark. I joined Cynthia, Linda, Robert and a neighbor of theirs for some soup -- Robert had donated $15 each for 11 bowls, so a newspaper reporter wanted to interview them.

Anni gave me instructions -- something about thickness and evenness -- but, man, there were so many that fit her description. Hope she likes the ones I chose.

Anyway, when things settle down, perhaps Jeanne will tell us how everything turned out and whether there are any bowls still available.

[anni]

Brian, you chose THE perfect Empty Bowls, just like I knew you would. You with such impecable taste...

Then again I'd seen a few of the bowls in various stages of finish and I knew every choice was beautiful and perfect!!!


Yes, Jeanne, do tell, please!

[Jeanne Lavieri]

Well, thanks for asking Brian and anni. The event was great. We surpassed our goal for fundraising. We have made $6600 at last count. That will make a difference in Glendale, Pasadena and Burma. Pat yourselves on the back, corner people. Your steady, cheerful work truly helped sustain this project. People love the bowls and are still buying them after the soup has cooled and been delivered to Union Station. The bowls were made and received with love.
Montrose Peace Vigil has nurtured the cause of peace with their contribution because no one who is hungry is at peace.

Very cool that Robert was interviewed on his bowl buying merits. This is the kind of news I like to read about. I imagine the headline: Bowl Buyer Appreciates Craftsmanship and Social Action. Things are getting better already, aren't they?

The remaining bowls (hundreds) will be stored in my garage and available for purchase by appointment. Better yet, C'mon down to the Ceramics Sale at the La Canada Flintridge Community Center December 12, 13, 14. You know the way.

AND, if that's not enough, there will be an Empty Bowl event in Glendora in March, one Arcadia in April. We could become bowl groupies. Bowl Brains (like Dead Heads.)

[anni]

Thanks, Jeanne!
What great news and what a huge success!!!

Bowl Brains...mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

[Brian]

Arriving at our post office box this week: a $20 gift card to Annie's Scandal in Montrose, a door prize from one of our tickets bought at the fundraiser!

We also learned that Crescenta Valley Empty Bowls has a website. Who knew?

www.cvemptybowls.org/

Nov 23, 2008 19:53:41 GMT -8 @Jeanne Lavieri said:

The event was great. We surpassed our goal for fundraising. We have made $6600 at last count. That will make a difference in Glendale, Pasadena and Burma.

Reading one of the five pages on that site, we now understand where the money is going:

www.cvemptybowls.org/hunger.html

Thank you, Jeanne, for bringing Empty Bowls to our attention. It's our new favorite charity. And you've also given me a chance to become a transvestite at age 50.

[Jeanne Lavieri]

I can't take credit for the transvestite thing, Brian. It's just a door prize. I think it's for Annie's Scandal, not meant to become anni's scandal. It's good to hear appreciation for Empty Bowls and our recipients. MPV people were a happy, driving force for the project. anni's faithful wedging, Roberta's glazing, Debra's trimming (at which she does not suck.) Michael and Amy excelled at many tasks. I got the bowl that Nancy decorated for Vinnie. He loves it. And having you all there for soup was great. I hope we'll do it again next year.

[anni]

Uncontrollable giggles ensue! Thanks Jeanne, this whole event was totally brilliant fun!

;D ;D ;D ;D

[Brian]

We're planning on buying more bowls next weekend at the La Canada Flintridge Community Center, after talking to Jeanne at the corner. She'll have a table at the Holiday Ceramic Sale -- dates and times here on the center's homepage:

www.cclcf.org/

Maybe Anni will want to drop by before the vigil Friday afternoon to get first crack at the best selection. Or both of us can go Saturday. Or both!

[Jeanne Lavieri]

Well, thanks for the plug Brian. I look forward to seeing you there. Maybe you'll be wearing your new outfit from Annie's Scandal.

[Brian]

That's beautiful, Jeanne -- I'm still laughing reading it again! ;D

I visited the Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church website to see what it had about Empty Bowls and found three recent sermons by Pastor Paige with a pottery theme, including the one titled "Go Down to the Potter's House," which is "done in tandem with pottery performance art by Jeanne Lavieri." Anyone can listen or download the audio:

www.cvumc.org/media/media/recent.php

The performance art must be visual. But it was so great to experience Paige at work without waking up early on a Sunday morning. When she spoke about the need to find a center in life, like one does when spinning bowls, that hit the spot for me.