Unity College to Host 15^th Annual Empty Bowls Fundraising Dinner on November 18

     Members of the Unity College community will host the 15^th Annual Empty Bowls fundraising dinner November 18^th at the Unity College Centre for the Performing Arts from 5-7 p.m.  Proceeds benefit the Volunteer Regional Food Pantry in Unity, which serves Unity and surrounding towns.

      Volunteers will include students from the The Environmental Citizen Growing a Garden, Feeding Those in Need class at Unity College taught by Associate Professor Nancy Ross.

      Community participants include Crosstrax Deli in Unity, area farmers, potters and Unity area community groups such UNITEL and the Unity Area Rotary Club.

     “The objective of this dinner is to raise funds to support area hunger relief programs,” said Jen Olin, Community Based Learning Coordinator.  “Traditionally the College has distributed the funds raised equally between the Unity Area Food Pantry and People for People, a poverty relief organization with offices in Thorndike and Belfast.”

      Diners will first begin by choosing a bowl for their meal.  Bowls have donated by Unity area potters and Unity College students.

     In honor of the 15^th annual dinner, we are suggesting a $15 donation voluntary donation.

       A new addition to the Empty Bowls project is a pottery workshop taught by Unity College Instructor of Pottery Randy Fein.  The workshop will take place on Wednesday, October 21, from 6 – 7 p.m. at the Unity College Pottery Studio, South Coop, on the campus of Unity College, 90 Quaker Hill Road, Unity.  For more information contact Jennifer Olin at (207) 948-3131, Ext. 273, or e-mail jolin@unity.edu.

     The event is part of a larger, ongoing effort to address area hunger.

     “The environmental citizen class at Unity College is working with the leadership of the food pantry to reinvigorate their communications materials, assist with efforts such as harvesting produce from the food pantry garden, and helping to prepare the Unity College garden to benefit the food pantry in 2010,” said Sara Trunzo, Community Based Learning Food and Farm Project Coordinator.   “We have harvested and donated approximately 2,000 lbs. of produce from the Unity College garden to the food pantry.  Next year, we hope to do more.”   

     Unity College is a small private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education which emphasizes the environment and natural resources.  Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.