OUR Center, Crackpots pottery shop prepare for nonprofit’s fundraiser

The Empty Bowls event for Longmont’s OUR Center is switching things up this year with an ice cream social to celebrate the summertime.

The 19th annual activity encourages locals to paint bowls at Crackpots pottery shop, which will be donated to the fundraiser benefiting the OUR Center.

“People get to be creative but at the same time, we get to send the message about the OUR Center and let people know because the OUR Center does so much amazing work here in the community,” said Tamar Hendricks, owner of Crackpots.

Formerly occurring in March, the event raises funds for the OUR Center’s nonprofit food plan to combat hunger. In previous years, the Empty Bowls fundraiser offered soup, but because it is now taking place in summer, officials are offering something a sweeter and colder.

The fundraiser exhibit will be from 1 to 3 p.m. June 11 at the Flatirons Community Church, 1850 Industrial Circle.

Attendees who come to Crackpots pottery studio, 505 Main St., before May 15 can have their painted bowls featured on the fundraising day.

“When they come to the event, they walk in and there’s just a sea of bowls painted and created by people in the community,” Hendricks said.

The bowl painting season leading up to the big fundraising event is an opportunity to come together with the community or friends and get creative.

“Everybody can participate so we have different businesses come in and they’ll have their staff do it,” Hendricks said. “Not only is it a fundraiser but it’s also an icebreaker or a team-building event.”

Despite being a virtual event, the Empty Bowls fundraiser raised more than $30,000 in 2021 for the food program.

“In 2021, we didn’t have an event and we had a pop-up shop at Crackpots and we did a bunch of live auctions,” Henricks said.

Crackpots encourages walk-ins and it costs $18 to paint an official donation bowl. Tickets for the event are $25 online and in-person and $30 at the door while supplies last.

More information about the fundraiser is available at bit.ly/3xBZ6B7.