Public invited to see bowls being made at Indian River Clay
The Samaritan Center for Homeless Families’ 29th annual “Soup Bowl” fundraiser will be back in November 2021, featuring for the third year traditional, whimsical, colorful, and creative handcrafted bowls made by potters affiliated with Indian River Clay, a community studio in Vero Beach.
Indian River Clay members participated in its first Soup Bowl in 2019, shortly after the studio’s incorporation, by contributing 500 bowls.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Samaritan Center was forced to scale back its Soup Bowl, sans soup, calling it “Empty Bowls Full Hearts.” The Samaritan Center approached Indian River Clay potters to provide the necessary bowls – 1,200 in total — to continue the much-needed fundraiser and to not break a 27-year long tradition.
The potters agreed, and with stringent COVID-19 safety procedures in place and help from other local potters, were able to produce and donate the 1,200 bowls. The modified 28th annual event held at the Heritage Center was very successful.
For the 2021 event, the Samaritan Center has again asked Indian River Clay potters to provide the soup bowls. With the fundraiser just over three months off, production is under way.
Indian River Clay is making the studio and clay available to its members and local potters this summer to join in the creation of the bowls. Interested potters can contact the studio for additional information on days and times. As in previous years, clay is available, on-premises, for potters to use to create the bowls either at the studio or in their home studios.
Indian River Clay invites the public to stop in to see the soup bowl production process:
- Sunday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 20, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Thursday, July 22, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Anyone interested in financially contributing to this effort, please go to indianriverclay.org, where donations can be made to help defray associated expenses.
For more information, call 772-202-8598 or email info@indianriverclay.org.
Indian River Clay is at 1239 16th Street, Vero Beach.
Volunteers also are needed to help the potters with preparing clay and helping with cleanup. Contact the Samaritan Center if you would like to help in that way.
Proceeds from the Soup Bowl support the Samaritan Center, which is an inter-faith transitional, temporary shelter for homeless families in Indian River County. The center can be reached by calling 772-770-3039.
