On Saturday, October 11, MATC students, volunteers and people in the community attended the 10th Annual Milwaukee Empty Bowls at the Oak Creek Campus.Every year for the past 10 years hundreds of people wait their turn in a long line to pick the perfect bowl donated by local artists.

They then wait in line again to fill their bowls with soup and eat in the MATC cafeteria, to remind themselves that somewhere in the world someone is hungry and their bowl is empty.

The profits from this event go to one of several different hunger programs across the community. These programs were selected by the grant committee and had to apply earlier in the year.

In the kitchen, Paul Carrier is all smiles while preparing the different soups with his students. He says, “This is our ninth year participating in this event. The students learn the value of
service-learning and helping those less fortunate within our community.

“This event is part of our curriculum within in our program. I feel great that I am able to be involved with the students in this type of event to help our local community, and the students get a great teaching and learning experience from it.”

Amy Dodge, who is one of the founders of Milwaukee Empty Bowls, talks about how this event started. “It originated in Michigan. Art teacher John Hartom started the idea in 1990, and in 1998 Jean Smaglik Wells invited my son Max and I to a small Empty Bowls event in Madison. She is a ceramic artist, and I was coordinating special events at the time.

“We thought it would be a good idea to host an event in Milwaukee. I’ve always done volunteer/charitable work ever since I was a young girl. I feel it is important to give back to your community and to those that have a need.

“I can coordinate and bring others together for a common goal. I also wanted to teach my son about giving. He was 6 when we started Milwaukee Empty Bowls. I wanted to show him every person should use their talents and time to help others.”

Ms. Dodge is also very grateful for all the people who help make this event possible every year. She adds, “Everyone at MATC has been so fantastic, and many different departments have been involved.

“We started the event in 1999 when we were at the downtown facility. When they went under the major renovation six or seven years ago, we moved to the Oak Creek Campus.

“They have welcomed us with open arms. John Stilp, Caryn Dohring and Mike Kupsik, with the Building Services team, are wonderful to work with.

“Tom Tateoka and Bob Ilk allow us to invade their kitchens and coolers.that’s a very special privilege. Basically, we couldn’t do this event without the support of the Downtown Milwaukee Campus.

“The administration from downtown, Bill Quirmbach, Jim Gribble, Ginny Gnadt and President Cole get behind this event and let us run.