ORANGE PARK – The bowls have been crafted, kilned and glazed. Soup recipes are on stand-by and all-star ladlers are ready to don their Salvation Army aprons to support the annual Empty Bowl fundraiser on Tuesday, April 28.

The event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Orange Park Methodist Church’s Family Life Center supports the Women Auxiliary’s food bank. Guests are served a bowl of soup, bread and water as a symbolic reminder of those who go without food. When finished, guests can take their handmade bowls home that were crafted by art students from Oakleaf, Orange Park and Ridgeview highs, St. Johns Country Day School and Wilkinson and Lake Asbury junior highs.

“These bowls are made by kids,” said Clay County Salvation Army Capt. Tim Scott. “We provide the clay and the young folks make the bowls. Then we have folks that come out and give of their time and talent to serve it up.

“We have bake sale goods. We have silent auction goods. We have, of course, chili and a couple of different kinds of soups.”

In previous Empty Bowls, servers included Supervisor of Elections Chris Chambless, Sheriff Michelle Cook, Attorney David King, Property Appraiser Tracy Drake, County Manager Howard Wanamaker and Camp Blanding Post Cmdr. Col. Todd Hopkins.

“This is the most important fundraiser we do all year in Clay County,” Scott said. “The need for our food pantry has never been greater, which makes this year’s Empty Bowls even more important.”