Empty bowls

Sometimes the best ideas are simple ones.

That's the case with the Empty Bowls project, a fund-raising event where local potters donate homemade bowls. Folks give a donation of $10 or more, keep the bowl and the money goes to local food pantries.

The simple meal that is a part of the Empty Bowls project serves as a reminder that many in the area can't afford fancy meals and need help from time to time.

Last year's Empty Bowls event raised $3,600 for local food pantries. The event this year will be held Nov. 4. It's a worthy cause and a creative endeavor. Tickets are available at Grace Cafe, Garden Gallery, the Cape Area Family Resource Center and the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

If your bowl isn't empty, help fill someone else's.