Earlier this year, the Limestone County community came together to celebrate the Athens-Limestone County Empty Bowls luncheon, a charitable concept that has been used and locally adapted throughout the United States.

Guided and planned by a local committee and held in February, this year’s Empty Bowls marked the event’s eighth installment as a Limestone County tradition. Purchasing an Empty Bowls meal secures each guest not only their food, but the hand-thrown clay vessel it’s served in.

This year, The Potter’s Hand in Athens as well as a number of local potters (Roberta Ress, Janet Nichols, Jaina Glaze, and Emily Britton) provided the 300 locally crafted clay bowls for guests to take home. Area restaurants also provided a wide array of food, featuring delicious soups and breads for the luncheon.

In Limestone County, Empty Bowls offers volunteers an annual opportunity to emphasize hunger issues in the community, while also supporting the agencies that endeavor to address hunger issues. A simple meal of soup is prepared for the event and each ticket holder receives one of the handmade pottery bowls as a reminder that, somewhere close by in their own neighborhood, someone else’s bowl remains empty.

The event sold out this year, as generous sponsors and donors pushed the proceeds from Empty Bowls to more than $20,000. Local organizations including LCCI, Hearts for Homeless, and Beyond Blessed were the beneficiaries. The Athens Rotary Club also received funds to supply food for the Full Tummy backpack programs in Athens and across Limestone County.

Empty Bowls Committee members include: Emily Clem, Karan Baker, Randi Harbin, Julie McNeese, Donna Cotton, Amy Caldwell, Courtney Greene, Susan Ming, Roberta Ress, Gina Garth, Brenda Gilmore, Sharon Hand, Sarah Chadwell and Joanna Bauer.

Participating restaurants this year include:  Café 72, 306 Barbecue, Athens Alehouse and Cellar, Chick-Fil-A, Cracker Barrel, Eagle’s Diner, Las Trojas, Li’l Mazzara’s, Old Black Bear Brewing Co., Publix, the Salty Cod, The Southern Table, Suzanne’s Bakery & Eatery, Whitt’s BBQ, and Wildwood Deli.

This year’s business sponsors included: Clem Tire, Steelcase Inc., Cast Products Inc., Hodges Trial Lawyers, T & C Stamping, Advantage Pickleball Strategies with James Ford, Alexander, Corder & Shelly, PC, Franks Good Stuff Antique, Mauldin & Jenkins, Ming Commercial Real Estate, Morrell Engineering, Athens Handyman Service, LLC, Beltone Hearing Aid Center of Madison, Cruise Planners with Dana Henry and Associates, Linda Lovvorn Farms, Paper Plus of Athens, and Valley Family Medicine Associates.