Empty Bowls Raises Funds For MVFRC

By LAURA ROBISON

The Progress

The first annual Empty Bowls project was held at Moapa Valley High School on Monday, Feb. 27. The fundraiser to benefit the Moapa Valley Family Resource Center (MVFRC) saw crowds of hungry people being fed and entertained.

MVHS Culinary teacher Chef Esmie Serrano and her Culinary 2 classes made a delicious meal for the crowd which included a variety of soups, salad, bread and beverage.

MVHS Ceramics students had formed dozens of ceramic bowls. For a donation, attendees could choose one of these bowls, fill it up with soup and; when dinner was over; take the bowl home with them.

With the kitchen full of students quickly preparing the food, a line soon formed for patrons to fill their bowls with either beef pozole, chicken noodle with potatoes, or broccoli and cheddar soups.

MVFRC President Norita Espinosa said that she had done this same fundraiser at Mack Lyon Middle School many years ago. She knew that she could make it work again.
“MVFRC is needing funds for building repairs after recent flooding,” Espinosa said, “This is a great community event that will benefit a lot of people.”

Espinosa said that she had approached MVHS Principal Hal Mortensen and Fine Art/College and Career teacher Donna Swanson about sponsoring and getting the event up and running.
Mortensen was eager to showcase his teachers, students and programs. Swanson was on board as well.
“We actually were approached in 2019 about this,” Swanson said. “I told Norita it would take time for the students to make all the ceramic bowls.”

By the time the kids had 110 bowls made with custom designs, the pandemic had hit and the project was shelved. “So these bowls have been here since the beginning of 2020,” Swanson explained.

Last fall all of the programs and people at the school involved in the project again began planning a date for the event to come to fruition, Swanson said.
“We started this project a month prior to the event by practicing hospitality skills, menu planning and designing, and mise en place organization,” said Chef Serrano “We executed the soups by the Friday before the event, so that all we had to do is set up the kitchen and heat up all the soup for service.”
“The students understood how important it was to represent our culinary program to the community by practicing soft employability skills, maintaining professional attire, signing in and out of “work”, and cleaning up afterwards,” Serrano added.

Crowds came early, eager to partake of the feast that was 100 percent done by staff and students at MVHS.

Live entertainment was provided by the MVHS Orchestra, under the direction of Sean Tyler; and the school Jazz Band, under the direction of Will Ragland.

The Jason and Heidi Baker family, of Logandale, attended the fundraiser to have a great meal, support the school and MVCFRC, and watch their daughter Brielle perform with the orchestra.
“The food is delicious and you can try all the soups,” said Heidi. “I am glad we came, and we would definitely support this cause and come again.”

About 135 people were served and all of the ceramic bowls were used and taken home.
The Clark County Farm Bureau donated the food for the event. FFA kids under direction of Lacey Tom created the centerpieces and flowers.

“We are so fortunate to be able to utilize ingredients from our amazing AG Program such as beef, broccoli and cabbage, which we used for the event,” Serrano said. “All of the cooking could not have been possible without the generous sponsorship of ingredients from the Farm Bureau. My culinary program thanks them from the bottom of our hearts.”