Submitted photo Sculptor and potter Bob Pulley is shown with wife Nancy and some of his sculpting work.
Sculptor and potter Bob Pulley quickly protests that he is hardly a visionary. He is far more comfortable with the label of one who shared the seed of a simple idea to help the hungry.
“I tend to think fairly small,” Pulley said. “My initial contribution was just a pebble thrown into a pond.”
But his so-called pebble — the idea for the local food pantries fundraiser called Empty Bowls — has created ripples still felt today. Because the tiny event that he recalled initially attracting only 30 people to the First Presbyterian gym marks its 25th anniversary Saturday with a hoped-for crowd of maybe 500 diners and a goal of $20,000 for the cause.
The gathering will unfold from 5 to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of Central Middle School, 725 Seventh St. in downtown Columbus. A $15 ticket is good for unlimited soup, bread, cookies, and drinks. Bowls and bake sale items will be priced individually this year. The event will feature live music from Dan and Linda Mustard, a silent auction, a handcrafted bowl sale, and a bake sale.
The six food pantries and shelters who will receive the proceeds are Love Chapel, Horizon House homeless shelter, Community Center of Hope, Turning Point Domestic Violence Services, Columbus Salvation Army and Thrive Alliance.
The fundraiser is especially significant since in January alone, 1,287 families came to the nonprofit Love Chapel Pantry for food, representing more than 4,000 individuals receiving help.
Pulley pitched the idea as a member of Columbus Peace Fellowship after hearing about a similar event from artist friends. He then watched people such as longtime local volunteer Sarah Grey of the fellowship help turn the idea into a reality. She served among organizers until 2019.
“I think it’s one of the few causes today for which everyone can work together,” said Grey, now a resident of Madison. “It’s not political. Yes, everybody can work together on this, whatever their other differences. In fact, half the joy of this is the working together across the breadth of the community.”
Through the years, Empty Bowls has raised more than $250,000 total, according to organizers. Some years, such as in 2011, more than 1,000 people have attended.
Its foundation includes a variety of local artists and students making bowls of all shapes and sizes for the event. The bowls are then purchased by diners as part of the fundraising. The soups, chilis, breads, desserts and more are made by volunteers.
The event also always has included live music ranging from local bands to entertainment from Bloomington or Indianapolis.
“I just thought that it was something that I could do fairly easily while helping raise some money for a good cause,” Pulley said.
Nearly every year, he has donated about five hours of his time and made 30 ceramic bowls for the gathering. Again, he considers that a pebble of sorts. Grey mentioned that she is especially happy that the event has continued since she and other longtime volunteers needed to move on to other projects in 2019 and the gathering was temporarily canceled.
“I really applaud the work that this present team (of organizers) has done to keep it going,” Grey said. “I think it’s heroic. I see it as very important not just for all the hungry people — but the idea of so many community people working together. I believe that that is the reason that it does last.”
