ORANGE PARK – The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser returned on Tuesday, April 18, for the first time in three years after being shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary of Clay County hosted its 18th Annual Empty Bowls Event on Tuesday afternoon at the Orange Park United Methodist Church’s Family Life Center, with a bake sale, auction, and lots of soup.

The nonprofit hosted a packed room of residents for a piping-hot meal featuring freshly-prepared items from hardworking volunteers, with options including vegetable and noodle soup, potato soup, chili and savory bread.

The meal and the gifting of beautiful, hand-crafted, kiln-fired bowls from Clay County school students from Oakleaf, Orange Park and Ridgeview highs, St. Johns Country Day School and Wilkinson Junior High went to those who made a $20 donation.

The event was sponsored by The Salvation Army of Clay County, VyStar and McDonald’s of Orange Park. The event’s purpose was to support the Salvation Army’s food pantry programs.

Salvation Army Capt. Mike Chamberlin and Superintendent David Broskie

provided a few short words to commemorate the event. Nina Wunderlich, President of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary of Clay County, also spoke.

“That’s the best part, is that we are all together again. There are leaders in the community here and volunteers, and we are happy to be all together again. We’re just happy to serve the community, serve the hungry in the community, and serve other needs,” she said.

Several specialty auction items was offered to help fight against hunger and other needs in the county, including freshly-baked slices of cake, whole cakes and goodie bags filled with things like coffee mugs, popcorn, DVD movies, yarn, crayons, custom calendars and more, along with paintings depicting beautiful North Florida scenery like a crane in the marsh and a sunflower in the field.