Filling hearts and filling bowls

On the campus of Waynesburg University, November is not just the month of Thanksgiving. November is Hunger and Homeless Month, and with that comes two specific events that will help the people in need in Greene County: Empty Bowls and Gnomes for Homes.

Marco Moorby, a senior in forensic investigation and co-leader of Empty Bowls, said that the event was started at Waynesburg University to spread awareness and raise funds to help childhood hunger. Moorby also said that it is a yearly event that is finally coming back after being postponed due to COVID-19. 

Empty Bowls takes place on Sunday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Beehive, on the second floor of the Stover Campus Center, Moorby said. The tickets will be $20 at the door, and for that, students will get two soups and a ceramic bowl that they get to keep. There will also be a silent auction for items like gift cards and goodie baskets that local organizations donated.  In a letter about the event, Moorby explained where the proceeds would go. He wrote, “The Empty Bowls event is led by the Imagine Render Group, which is a grassroots movement to help end hunger. The Greene County community plays such an integral part in our university community that we will be partnering with the Greene County Community Foundation and Food Security Partnership to raise funds that will financially support and sustain the local school districts Weekend Food Program.” Moorby said that in the Greene County community, their goal is to “end childhood hunger and raise funds to financially support and sustain the local school districts weekend food program.” Moorby hopes that with Empty Bowls starting back up, it will continue to spread through the community and bring everyone together for a specific purpose. “This event has always been a chance for people to connect more, like, on a deeper level, to fight something serious,” Moorby said.

“This event just overall helps to raise funds for the Weekend Food Program,” Assistant Dean of Student Development, Adrienne Tharp said. “We are helping to provide food for children in the community who have a need. But I also believe that this event helps raise awareness that food insecurity is a concern here in Greene County.”

This is a chance to get the members of the community and the students at Waynesburg University to come together and create awareness for a greater cause. 

“This event helps show that students are interested in what is happening in the community,” Tharp said. “Our students are involved in the organizations that the fundraiser is supporting as well.”

Pat Bristor, associate dean of students and advisor to the student activities board (SAB), said Gnomes for Homes is a new event that was created during a brainstorming session in resident mentor training this August. Willison Residence Hall RMs came up with the idea and Bristor and the SAB decided to collaborate with them to host the event in early November. Bristor said students can sign up on myConnect for $5 to reserve a small gnome to paint or pay $10 and also receive 21 raffle tickets. Someone can also buy three raffle tickets for one $1 or 18 tickets for $5. The raffle tickets go towards winning larger, 18-inch gnomes that are located in the Student Engagement office located in room 307 on the third floor of Stover. All the proceeds of this event will go to Habitat for Humanity, “It’s $5, but in essence, you’re really not paying for that [the gnome], you’re making a donation,” Bristor said. According to the poster on myConnect, the event will take place on Monday, Nov. 6, at 4 p.m. in Stover 301. 

 “You’re able to build community, and also benefit the greater Waynesburg community.” Thomas Hyland, resident director of Willison Residence Hall and graduate assistant to Bristor, said.For more information or to sign up for Empty Bowls or Gnomes for Homes, go to myConnect at https://idp.quicklaunchsso.com/waynesburg.