New Pioneers' eighteenth annual Empty Bowl Supper was a huge success this February! This event is our sole fundraising event of the year, bringing together over 130 community members to connect, collaborate, and celebrate in a heartwarming fashion.
This unique evening started with attendees choosing from our beautiful array of handcrafted bowls, provided by local potters! Then, each bowl was filled with homemade soups, stews, breads, and desserts, prepared by local volunteers. Guests also had the chance to "take home" the delicious food from the night through our Community Recipe Collection, available for sale or to win as a door prize. During supper, attendees enjoyed socializing and an assortment of Bluegrass music, performed live by the Kaintuck Band from Louisville, KY.
Empty Bowl Supper also featured the third annual "Pioneer Awards Ceremony," recognizing four awardees for their commitment to a more sustainable future. The "Champion Environmental Educator" award was presented to Jonathan Shirley for his volunteer work with Naturally Bardstown, Bernheim Forest, and DarkSky Kentucky. The "Green Business" award went to Grace Permaculture for their commitment to no-dig, zero-waste gardening to protect and promote soil health and biodiversity. Whitney Lewis, the creator of "A Cleaner Kentucky, Inc," was presented with the "Sustainable Project of the Year" award for her efforts to remove litter from waterways and natural spaces in our home state. Finally, the "New Pioneers' Member of the Year" award was given to Anne Harrison for her unending support of our organization through her participation in planning committees, local meetings, board committees, and more. We congratulate each of these wonderful awardees!
Attendees also learned more about New Pioneers' current and upcoming projects during this event through a short presentation of "Pioneer Updates," provided by Julia Gerwe-Nicholson, Executive Director. Furthermore, guests had the opportunity to bid on a variety of local goods, services, and experiences through a silent auction. This special night was closed with a group performance of "This Land is Your Land," our annual tradition!
Thank you to our wonderful attendees, food preparers, volunteers, potters, and donors who made this night a huge success. We also give a special thanks to our host, Cornerstone Acres, and our performers, the Kaintuck Band!
To view more photos from Empty Bowl Supper, click here, or on the collage above.
