The Collinsville Women’s Club and Junior Service Club recently announced that their joint Empty Bowl fundraiser raised $9,100 for the Collinsville food pantry.
Left to right: Barb Kusmierczak of the Collinsville Junior Service Club, Lizzie the Grizzly, Izzy the Grizzly and Barb Smock of the Collinsville Women’s Club at that 2014 Empty Bowl fundraiser / Photo by Roger Starkey
The money comes at a time when donations are starting to dwindle, said Mike Watkins, director of CAMA’s Helping Hands Ministry, which runs the food pantry, and provides temporary and financial assistance.
“Most giving is done during Thanksgiving and Christmas time,” Watkins said. “This comes at the best time.”
Hundreds of area residents lined up on March 5 to pay $10 for their choice of more than twenty types of soup donated from local restaurants and licensed vendors. In its second year, the Empty Bowl fundraiser easily bested the $6,700 raised last year.
Watkins said the Helping Hands Ministry was very grateful for the community support.
“We want to thank the Women’s Club and the Junior Service Club for arranging the event and also the citizens of Collinsville for the way they came out to support them,” Watkins said. “It was awesome what they did.”
