Dare County Schools

 Volunteers, Community Support Contribute to Success of Food Bank Fundraiser - First Flight High School sophomore Ashley Murillo volunteered to take tickets for folks selecting bowls and other pottery pieces at the February 25 Empty Bowls dinner and silent auction food bank fundraiser. Dozens of students and staff members worked to set up, serve, and clean up to support EB. The event was coordinated by Dare County Schools art teachers Jennifer Hamrock, Jenna Saunders, Cindy Croswait and Robin York; this year Hamrock and Saunders took the lead in organizing. Supported by an array of businesses, restaurants and the art community, approximately $4,000 was raised this year. Funds will be distributed between the county's three main food banks.

Community Schools and Artists Collaborate to Benefit Neighborhood Food Pantries

Dare County Schools Empty Bowls dinner was hosted this year by First Flight High School and coordinated by FFHS art teachers Jennifer Hamrock and Jenna Saunders.  "We want to extend a HUGE thank you to the businesses and individual donors who made this event possible. We also want to thank the volunteers and everyone who came out for the event and supported the cause," noted Hamrock. The February 25 Empty Bowls dinner and silent auction raised approximately $4000 to benefit Dare County's three primary food pantries. 

Participating businesses donating food, bread, and/or funding for the event includes:
Pigman’s Barbecue, Mamma Kwan's, Tortuga’s Lie, Kelly’s, Applebee’s, Hurricane Mo’s, Black Pelican, Good Life Gourmet, Darrell’s, Striper's Bar and Grille, Ortega'z, Magnolia Grill, First Flight High School Culinary Arts classes, (Kill Devil Hills) Harris Teeter, (Dare Centre) Food Lion, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Big Al’s, Dorothy Morris of Flower Field, FFHS Cafeteria staff Debbie Fecak and Lisa Simpson and FFHS Custodial staff.  The First Flight High School Jazz Hawks and Joseph Bell Tyson and the Bellhops took first and second shifts for live entertainment.

Donating artists that made bowls for dinner were Red Drum Pottery, Antoinette Mattingly, Whitney Hines, Heather McClelland, David Ertle, Sara Gannon and her students in College of The Albemarle Dare Campus continuing ed pottery classes, including teachers, Dare County Schools students, and community members.

Serve Up Soup - Teachers Jessica Weiss, Jessica Witter and Witter's husband Matt joined other students and staff volunteers to do a multitude of tasks - including serving soup - for 2010 Empty Bowls. In addition to individuals and businesses who supported the dinner and silent auction, the school community is appreciative of the many folks and families who purchased tickets and supported the event.

Various community artists donated their work for the auction, including Endless Possibilities, Shay’s Creations, Naomi Roads, Heather Sakers, Sam Gillette, Sandy Ball, George Cheeseman, Martha Butcher, Rick Nilson, Linda Gillete, Elizabeth Kays, P.S. Cameron, Julie Moye. Mari Beth LaRose, Cole Fagersten, Margaret Miller, Shirley Ruff, Georgia Dale Designs, Jim Fineman, Jerry S. Charlotte, Gail Warner, Jane Shipman, Ticia Valentine, Ben Miller, Randy Hodges, Jenna Saunders, and Pete Rudolph.

This is the first year Empty Bowls was hosted by a school other than Manteo Middle or Manteo High. Art teachers Cindy Croswait (Manteo Middle School), and Robin York (Manteo High School) joined many of their students as well as Hamrock in putting heart and soul into this project that impacts so many in the community. Art teachers Martha Butcher at First Flight Elementary and Ticia Valentine at Kitty Hawk Elementary School also made bowls with students at school for 2010 Empty Bowls.