Kristin Godwin always uses her donated Souper Bowl of Hope to test out new colours or techniques, and highly recommends it.
“It’s an opportunity to try new things,” says the general manager of Fired Up! Ceramics Studio.
For $8 a patron can pick a bowl style and paint it to their heart’s content then donate it to a good cause.
“You can take as little or as much time as you like to paint it,” Godwin said.
Fired Up! Ceramics, owned by Oak Bay Rotarian Janna Gisler, has bowls at the ready this month to create for the Souper Bowls for Hope fundraiser.
“We really enjoy supporting the Youth Empowerment Society. It’s a really great cause. We like what they stand for and what they do in the community,” Godwin said.
Souper Bowls for Hope supports the Victoria Youth Empowerment Society, a non-profit agency that offers specialized free programs to support at-risk youth to make better lifestyle choices, find resources to increase the likelihood of future employment, housing or return to their families.
“It’s a fundraiser to raise money for vulnerable street youth and the whole concept is to eat soup, have fun and keep a bowl,” said organizer Michele Davis. “It’s something they can take home and it reminds them of the wonderful things they have done.”
Event goers have a bowl of soup crafted by local chefs, then select a bowl to take home as a keepsake.
“Fired Up! has made a commitment to us and supported us in the last three years and they’re a great partner for us. It gives the community an opportunity to come and paint the bowls and donate them, then someone is going to take that home as a reminder of this wonderful community coming together to support our vulnerable teenagers.”
The event features a special tribute for founder Helen Hughes who raised almost $1 million dollars for YES over the last 18 years.
“This woman, talk about super hero. She saw a need to help raise funds to help these kids and she did that,” Davis said. “For 18 years she has worked tirelessly to do that. We are going to be honouring her at the event. There will be a special tribute.”
The 19th Souper Bowls for Hope is April 6 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Victoria Conference Centre. Visit souperbowls.com for soup tickets, raffle tickets or to make donations.
Visit Fired Up! at the corner of Richmond Road and Fort Street during business hours through the end of March and select one of a handful of soup bowl styles for $8 to paint and donate.