The Fairbanks Group Meals Financial institution raised greater than $20,000 on the annual Vacuum Bowls fundraiser on Saturday.
Residents started ready outdoors the meals financial institution at 9:46 a.m. in anticipation. The Fairbanks Potters Guild, the College of Alaska Fairbanks Pupil Ceramic Arts Guild and different native potters donated greater than 800 handmade bowls for the occasion.
Anne Weaver, government director of the Fairbanks Group Meals Financial institution, stated Empty Bowls brings a whole lot of individuals collectively to see what the meals financial institution is doing and be pleased with what the group has constructed. All funds raised go on to the meals financial institution.
“The meals financial institution belongs to the group,” Weaver stated. She stated the meals financial institution is supported and provides again to the Fairbanks group.
Final 12 months, the meals financial institution raised three million kilos of meals and supplied greater than 700,000 meals to folks in Fairbanks with 23,000 volunteer hours. It additionally donates meals to greater than 100 companies within the Fairbanks space, Weaver stated.
“We get it without spending a dime, we give it away, which is a horrible marketing strategy,” Weaver stated. “We belief the group and so they do a terrific job. “This group is phenomenal.”
Weaver stated a bit goes a good distance on the meals financial institution. “Everybody issues right here,” she stated.
He stated an individual who buys a $5 bowl contributes to the meals financial institution.
“It's very simple to have a look at massive numbers and suppose, 'Nicely, that's too massive for me to do something about,' however that's not what occurs right here,” Weaver stated. “Everybody right here is doing one thing.”
This 12 months's fundraiser was devoted to a meals financial institution volunteer who made a big influence on the meals financial institution and the Fairbanks group.
“He was simply a unprecedented man,” Weaver stated of Stanley Zielinski.
Zielinski, who died in August at age 94, heard in regards to the idea of a fundraiser just like this one at a nationwide convention and introduced the thought to Sam Kirstein, the meals financial institution's government director on the time.
“This meals financial institution was based in 1982 by a few individuals who noticed a necessity and thought there was a simple strategy to remedy it,” Weaver stated. “This occasion was based by a easy man who understood that he might do one thing and it has modified many lives.”
Since 1991, the meals financial institution has raised greater than $600,000 by means of Empty Bowls alone.
Weaver described Zielinski as soft-spoken, sort, hard-working and clever. “He's the type of man that, wherever he went, he was going to make it higher, and he did,” Weaver stated.
“He didn't say a lot, however every part he stated was value listening to,” Weaver stated.
The meals financial institution additionally offered dozens of Zielinski's wood fashions, scaled from one inch to at least one foot. The fashions mirror Zielinski's love of woodworking.
The meals financial institution has raised $20,zero23 as of Saturday afternoon and nonetheless has some bowls on the market.
The Fairbanks Group Meals Financial institution is open from 9 am to five pm Monday by means of Friday and 10 am to 2 pm Saturdays at 725 26th Ave.
