While they won’t be holding the all-out event that previous Empty Bowls have been, the Glory Hall will be holding a quieter event beginning Friday night.
“It’s going to be an online bowl auction. Our plan was to cancel Empty Bowls this year,” said Mariya Lovishchuk, executive director of the Glory Hall. “Then we heard from our wonderful bowl makers that they’d like to contribute bowls still.”
The proceeds will go toward the operations of the Glory Hall. Unsurprisingly, the coronavirus is part of the reason for the smaller event. This year’s Empty Bowls will kick off at www.feedjuneau.org on Friday at 9 a.m., Lovishchuk said.
“Usually we have 300 to 400 bowls. Usually, the Canvas contributes a lot of bowls and the (University of Alaska Southeast) ceramics program contributes a lot of bowls. This year is totally different,” Lovishchuk said. “This year, because of the disruption of schedules and COVID stress, we thought it would be too much to ask. This year, we have somewhere between 100 and 125.”
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Artists such as the Voelkers-Wyatt Family, Neil Slotnick, Don Gotchall, Tongass Wood Turners, Margo Waring, Kevin Miller and Mike McKrill contributed bowls in a variety of media to the event, Lovishchuk said.
“They are wood and ceramic primarily,” Lovishchuk said. “This year people made some really beautiful serving trays and some bigger bowls, like for salad.”
Bowls like those seen here will be available for sale or auction during the Glory Hall’s Empty Bowls fundraiser beginning Friday, April 30, 2021. (Courtesy photo / Mariya Lovishchuk)
The event will serve a slightly different purpose than years before, Lovishchuk said, as the Glory Hall looks finish its new structure near the airport with assistance of grants from a variety of organizations. The new shelter is slated to open on July 1, 2021, Lovishchuk said.
“This year, the purpose isn’t to raise a ton of money,” Lovishchuk said. “This is to remind people it’s spring and we’re still here and to bring a little bit of cheer.”
The Dr. Bronner’s company donated 2,000 bottles of soap to the Glory Hall last week, coming to more than 800 pounds of cleaning supplies. (Courtesy photo / Chloe Papier)
So fresh, so clean
When clients start using that new structure, Lovishchuk said, they won’t hurt for soap, thanks to work by the Glory Hall’s deputy director, Chloe Papier.
“Giant soap donation! So we’ve been really promoting hygiene and handwashing at increased levels here. We’ve been going through a ton of soap. Chloe reached out to Dr. Bronner’s and thought maybe they’ll give us some soap,” Lovishchuk said. “They gave us a gazillion bottles of soap!”
The hygiene products company donated nearly half a ton of soap to the Glory Hall after Papier reached out, Lovishchuk said, coming to about two full pallets.
“They sent us like, 2,000 bottles of soap. And it’s all almond flavored, which I think is the best flavor of soap,” Lovishchuk said. “They paid for shipping. It was remarkable.”
Lovishchuk said they planned to share the windfall with AWARE, as well as being thankful their new facility was available to store the company’s largess.
“Thankfully, because we have our new building, we have a place to put it and take it out when we need it,” Lovishchuk said. “We have the soap in our bathrooms. People can take showers and wash their hands. If someone’s camping at the campground, we’ll give it to them.”
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
