Welcome everybody to Midday magazine for this Monday, February 3rd, 2025.
Have your host James J. Meila here and we're welcoming to our studio, our good friend,
Mary Schultz, chair of empty bowls and chair of focus. Mary, good to have you with us.
Thank you very much for having us.
Appreciate the time. Thanks so much. And we're going to get into the details that the
Eleventh Annual Southwood County empty bowls event. We'll talk a little bit of that.
But before we do, if you don't mind, Mary, I'd like to get into the history of empty bowls and just
let the audience know a little bit of where this all started.
Awesome. So this is actually the 34th year of empty bowls nationwide.
Yeah.
Yes. And so it actually started in 1990 in the state of Michigan with an art teacher who wanted to
have his kids give back to the local food pantry. And he wanted to try to find a way to do that.
And so he had his kids make bowls. He was an art teacher so the kids potted bowls.
And then they had an event to provide soup for people that would come to the event.
And so it became the empty bowls. And from then on,
it has grown to actually a global event. So it's everywhere.
If you look up empty bowls, the logo, you will find it pretty much everywhere now.
This is our eleventh year in Wood County. Portage County actually beat us to the
puns. They've had a number of years before us. But we've been lucky enough to have a group of
people willing to keep going, keeping the event going for 11 years. And it's growing. We have
which I'll get into later, but we have more restaurants and more things. So it's pretty exciting.
I'm excited to dive right into that with you. I cannot wait. And we'll be,
certainly again, getting into the details now. People can be a part of it and everything in a moment.
But it's a beautiful history. It's a really unique history. And like so many of my favorite
things. And I think many of the audiences out there, it starts grassroots. It starts from just
people, you know, having a thought, having an idea, and it blowing up. I think that as a
side note to the audience, I hope it is inspirational to people out there who have similar ideas or
similar thoughts. And you know, well, I don't know if anybody would get behind this. I don't know.
I imagine it's empty bowls started that way. Well, who knows who's going to be enjoying this?
Maybe just our local community will. And then look where it is now. It actually goes back to
the idea of what one person can do. Yes. You know, when you look at that, one person had an idea.
Now it's a global event. And the idea of community, the idea of looking out for each other.
Giving back strangers, helping strangers. You know, one of the greatest things a human
being can be a part of and do. And here we are in 2025 with an event like this happening. I
hope that that is as noteworthy to the audience because we need more of this stuff. Exactly.
Especially nowadays. Oh my goodness. Yes. Absolutely. And Mary, I'm curious. Now that we know a
little bit more of the history of empty bowls about your history, how did you get involved with this?
Well, I've been, I was an employee of the Wisconsin Rapid School District for 35 years as a
counselor. And one of my assignments was I was also the homeless coordinator. And so I got hooked
in with at the time was the neighborhood table, which is part of now focus. And so being a part
of the neighborhood table, I got involved in a lot of the other activities that were going on.
And one of the activities that was going on in town here was the empty bowls event that was
actually put on by some ladies at the church near where we were serving actually right across
the street from where we were serving our meals on Thursday night. And that group of ladies
was looking for helpers. So we as a board decide we're going to help them out. And so I got involved
pretty much from the start working with that group of ladies and helping them. And I actually
was just a server and helped out with serving rather than being on the board at the time and the
committee to run it. And from there, then we had the ladies from that church decided that they
really needed a break and they were getting older and just thought this is a lot for us to do and
would somebody else take it over. And at the time, I was the president of neighborhood tables.
And so we took it over. And since then, it has been a group of us from focus who help with a lot
with some of the other original people from the original committee who decided to still stay on.
Like Linda Olson and Don Mansl and Mary Jo Zira, some of the people who were
instrumental from the very beginning are still helping us out.
greatly appreciate them, those individuals and so many others that helped this go and keep it
going. And you mentioned focus and so many of the people with whether it's the backpacks or
neighborhood table or so many other great events that we love and appreciate in our area.
And another note, another side note to this too, everybody is the idea of being on a community board
or being a part of doing the type of work that Mary is doing and everything. We need more
individuals to do these things and doing these jobs. And the great work that can be done for it
is is no worthy. And I think we've talked about a lot. I want to remind everybody too, though. This
is also recharging for the soul. Mary, I can't imagine how good being a part of something like this
must feel. Oh, it's awesome because when the day of the event, I mean, it's a lot of planning. We
start planning in October for this event. So it's about a four or five month, you know, planning
stages, but the day of the event is just so exciting. And you know, when the people come through and they
they want to help out. And then when we're able to have the money to be able to give back to the
various pantries and the backpack programs in our area, it just is so rewarding. And it just,
you think it was all worthwhile. Very well said, very well said. Let's go ahead and get into the event.
Let's tell everybody first up what empty bulls is and then what they can expect with this year's.
All right. So it started off. And so the theme of empty bulls is it's empty bulls because somebody's
bull is always empty. And so this is not necessarily a common eat all you can eat kind of event.
It is an event where we really focus on this might be what a person gets for the day. This might
be their only meal. And so that's the theme of it. So we have it's a we've really streamlined it
because now this is our third year in this building, our new building. And so we've been able to
change up to make it run even more smoothly every year we've been in the building. And so it's kind
of down to clockwork now. We kind of know what to do and how to do it and just getting everything done.
So the idea is you come and you pick out a bowl that one of our local potters has made. We have
some professional potters like Jim Lorweck and and Kathy Vanay and the actually the arts council
has made bulls this year. And so they've had potters come and make. But we also have children involved.
So our schools are involved in making bulls. And so not only the high school like Nikuta High School
and Port Edward's High School and Lincoln High School and Assumption High School have made bulls.
But we also have some of the younger kids making bulls, which is really fun because they might not have
the expertise that our professionals do, but they're darn cute. And those bulls, they go just
as well as the adult bulls. So you pick out a bowl and you don't get your soup in that bowl.
That is a bowl you get to take home and use for treasures that you might have at home or put it
in a spot to remind you that this might be what somebody eats for the day. And then you come
through and you get your ticket and you can either eat in or you can take out if you'd like.
We also have, as you pass by, you're going to pass by a room that has many, many raffle baskets.
We had roughly 80 some last year that people can bid on and try to to win a basket. And they are
amazing baskets. Our number of our places in town here have donated to that. We have gifts
certificates. We have items that we give away. So just some great, great prizes for people to try
to win a basket. And then they come into the kitchen or into the dining area where they are able
to select from one of 13 different soups. So we have some new restaurants, 13, yes. We have new
restaurants this year, which we'll touch on when you get a chance. And so then they tell the person
at the table what soup they would like. They get their bowl of soup. They get a homemade roll that's
made that morning. So it is still warm. And then they are escorted to the table and they're treated
like a guest. And so we have a server that will bring them their beverage of choice. And they get
a homemade dessert for our wonderful baker Don who just makes amazing desserts. And so that is
the meal. They get a bowl of soup. They get a roll, a homemade dessert and a beverage for $10.
That's the cost of the day, which you can't hardly go anywhere else for $10. And get a homemade
bowl of soup and a homemade roll and a homemade cookie. And not to mention, all of that Mary just
very well said. And of course the bowl that you get to take home and everything, which is an
awesome, one of one of a kind thing that there's no other things like this no matter who made the bowl.
All of that being said, and you feel good, like I said, this will recharge your soul, you'll
feel good knowing you put back in your community. And I don't mean just at the event or just an hour
later. I mean, years later, when you're looking at that bowl and you're reminded of where it came
from, and knowing that you did some good in your community, as well as hopefully being reminded of
that there is somebody's bowl that is empty out there. It can do both. And this is one of the
beautiful things about doing good in your community, that it can be fun, it could be adventurous,
it could be a unique and cool opportunity and experience while also doing some real good and
doing some real foundational work in our community. This is a topic that is very passionate to me.
I've been very adamant about it on the airwaves as long as I've been in this area for over 20 years,
talking about homelessness, talking about hunger in our communities, and how important it is.
It's one of my most passionate topics. All that being said, I don't think in my lifetime I could
come up with half the things this event does. It's incredible what this work, what this is,
because there's another part of this too, Mary, that I don't know we get the touch on very often,
and we'll get into the businesses with the soups in a second, but the kids are making these
pottery and stuff. I was a little kid when Thanksgiving my mom took my sister and I to go to a
soup kitchen and hand out soup and everything. And I remember thinking as a kid, well, shouldn't we be
in line? We're poor. But it was just as important to her that we were doing this. Well, my sister,
my brother, we've spent the rest of our lives looking at ways to get back to our communities,
looking at ways to impact our communities. Those kids making those bowls are having a taste
of that right now. No pun intended. They're getting an idea that maybe that starts a spark or at
the very, you know, it reminds them when they're adults, hey, I remember that empty bowls event I
was a part of. That felt good. I want to put good into my community. Just more and more opportunities
of showing kids empathy, showing kids of working together of strangers, helping strangers.
There's so many layers to this event that I don't even think we can necessarily see from their,
we can't see it from their eyes. Oh, exactly. And not only the making of the bowls, but we have
even kids that help on the day of the event, you know, that will be servers or that will clean off
tables or do things. And it's really a good thing for them to see as well. Just like when we have
people come and serve on Thursday nights for the neighborhood meals or when people are helping out
at the pantry, it really isn't eye opener to see, you know, there really are people that need me,
you know, and there may be a time when I may need something, but right now I can do something to
help someone else out. And that is such an important topic to teach kids today. Whether it's making a
bowl or coming and cleaning off a table or handing somebody a cookie, whatever it might be,
they need to see that there are people that maybe need more even than you might, even though like
you said, you were poor at one time. I remember receiving a holiday basket after my second child
was born because we were out of work. And, you know, you felt guilty at that point that I needed
something, but now I find ways that I can give back. So it comes around, you know, it's always the
pass it forward kind of an idea. We have such a community that is so responsive to these things,
just goes above and beyond when it comes to that. And we see it all the time, especially when we
have so many businesses being a part of this, we talk every year about empty bowls. I don't know if
I've seen this many restaurants involved before, Mary, that's pretty and cool. Can we go through
some of the people joining us for this? Yeah, so our newest ones are the purple basil, which we're
excited to have and whoosles or whoosles, however, on the lake. So those are two of our new ones,
but we still have our true, tried and true, Erin's wine and Stein, our anchor bay, the chatterbox.
I don't know, do you want me to list all of them? Please do, yeah. Okay, Danny K's,
Grace's family restaurant, great expectations, Jennings, the junkyard bar and grill.
Misty's that has a new name, it's Burgers and oh goodness, I might forget.
Pancakes and Burgers. That's it. Pancakes and Burgers, thank you so much for helping me out there.
An Olympic II restaurant, the sportsman's bar and grill. So I mean, we have, yet we just really,
really appreciate all of them. We're still working on one more to try to get before next week,
Panera Bread has been great for us, even though they're in plover, they provide us with bakery every
week that we are able to give out at the pantry. And so we're really trying hard to also get one of
their soups, but they're more of a commercial base they have, you know, this is a big business,
so they're a little harder to get through than some of the local ones. They have to go through
a lot more corporate to be able to get the okay and stuff, but that's, that is a great point
to bring up. I appreciate you letting us know some of that because when it comes to these,
these great establishments that have been in their area forever and we've gone there many,
many times we appreciate. There is always, this is a note to businesses out there, restaurants out
there, whether it's this year or next year going forward here and everything. What an amazing
opportunity to get your business seen that may have not been seen otherwise. Say you've never
been to, this is hard to imagine, but Danny Kase has been there forever. But say you've never been
to Danny Kase. Well, you come to empty bowls and you taste some of their stuff and you're like,
oh, I gotta go check that out. That sounds really good. This is marketing 101. This is advertising 101.
You can't put a price on that kind of marketing. You are attaching yourself to a nonprofit event
that is so popular and well received and you and your business are going to be seen with that.
What's neat too is we're highlighting each restaurant for a day on Facebook. So they get their
own spotlight on Facebook that has their restaurant name and that they're part of the empty bowls.
So we've already done a couple. So you can go back to our focus website and see some of the soups
we've already highlighted. But yeah, so we're trying to get their name out as well so that we
help them out because they are helping us out. We couldn't do it without them, obviously.
And that's such a great point and a great thing to a message to remind the audience of. We want
you to be a part of these events going forward and everything. So if you're not able to this year,
there's always next year and everything and you want you're going to want to be a part of this.
You really are. And it's only growing. So you get in there way. And when it comes to the details
of the event itself, is this something that we need to RSVP for anything? No, not at all. It's just
come in and we've kind of come up with a really good way. Although the weather looks great for
that Saturday. I've already been checking. And as long as the weather doesn't change too drastically,
it looks like a pretty decent day. Like around 30 degrees and the sun is going to be out. So that's
ideal for us. But we do have an area for you to wait inside if it is chilly. And you just come
and get a ticket and then you wait in line or go look at baskets until your number is called and
then you come and eat. We serve roughly in the last couple of years, we've been pretty on top
of this number, 350 people in less than three hours. So it's pretty exciting. We move people moving
pretty quickly and we can serve about 140 at a time. So people aren't rushed, but there's usually
not a long way to wait if you want to get a bowl of soup. And with a $10 donation to participate,
as Mary said earlier, that you are not going to find many things for 10 bucks. Let alone all of
this for that. And come home with a bowl. Yeah. And a home, a memento from this. That's pretty
darn cool. And this is all coming up Saturday, February 15th at the new focus location. Yes.
And that again, for those that don't know, 2321 West Guy and Avenue, be sure to keep that in mind.
And not just with this event, but with other events with focus. Right. And we serve from 11 until
two. So anytime in there, we have never really run out of soup, although we have run out of
some of the soups. So, you know, some of the ones that are maybe more popular flavors that some
people want, but we really do have quite a variety. We have everything from clam chowder to a creamy
chipkin dumpling. We have tomato basils. We've got chili. I mean, there's, I don't think you'll
find a soup that you don't like. So there will be soup available. We also do at the end, if we have
soups left, we will serve as sell by the court. So if we have soups toward the end, you're also
willing to take a quarter soup home, if you'd like. So it's pretty cool. Yeah.
And we'll never mind everybody. You can find out more by going to their Facebook page. It's a
great way to keep up the data on things. We'll give you more information before we wrap up.
And as great as this event is, Mary, I did want to take a moment at just for a chance because we
don't get to talk to focus very often. How are things going with the focus organization? Is there
anything we can bring attention to with that? Well, I'm glad you asked because I also
am involved with two of the food pantries in Portage County. And we are all experiencing
the same difficulties right now. Not only are donations down, understandably, but also things
from feeding America, the food that we typically would get from feeding America are down as well.
So our expenses are up. We used to be able to buy a can of tuna from feeding America for 19 cents.
We can't do that anymore. So even something as simple as our backpack program, which when we took
the backpack program over from the school system, as far as putting the backpacks together and
ordering around the food, they used to do that. We now have taken that over. We organize them at
focus. We order all the food from focus. When we started, we had about 53 backpacks. We are now
providing 192 backpacks per week. And so the cost of those backpacks has also gone tremendously up.
We used to be able to provide food for a weekend for roughly five or six dollars. The cost that
we're seeing right now is closer to $18. And so the cost just of the backpack program alone
has skyrocketed. If you look at the price of eggs and milk, which we tried to give each family,
that alone has really escalated our prices for those meals. So we try to continue to look at new
recipes that might be a little bit more economical, but we do want to provide something that's
hearty and nutritious. So it's not like we're just going to give you mac and cheese, and that's it.
We want to give you something that's good for the kids that will get you through a weekend.
So the cost of the backpack program alone has gone up. The food prices have gone up. So
we looked at last year's budget and realized that we were in the red last year because of the cost
of food and the lower donations that have come in from some pretty big donors in the past. So
that happens. You lose people or one year you might get a good estate, you know, donation.
So we are always in need of additional monetary help and food help. I mean, even the businesses
that donate to us, theirs have gone down just because they don't have as much to give out either.
So it is definitely helpful. I mean, this event raises about $6,500. And we split that between
the food pantry and the backpack program for both here and Nikusa schools. Port Edwards is
actually part of ours. So we already take care of Port Edwards. So all of the backpack programs
in Southwood County are helped with this program. But again, $6,500 isn't going to make the whole
difference. So that's kind of where we're at. I mean, as far as volunteers and that kind of thing
we're great. We've got great volunteers in this community who come forward all the time. But yeah,
donations are down and food prices are up. And keep in mind everybody that when it comes to
donations, they are investment, they are an investment in the greatest thing we can invest in.
Our kids, our future, you are helping the economy with this. You are helping almost every
fast of the life. You don't think of it maybe that way. But if a person has a healthy meal,
they're that much they're able to work more, they're able to do more, which pace, which helps
with lowering taxes, which helps us our economy. I would like to think I could just reach your soul,
reach your heart with this story. But if I can't reach it there, I bet I can reach you on your
taxes and your economy and some of those things. We have less people needing these services and
everything that we have more and more people working in the workforce and et cetera, et cetera,
working better in the workforce. Your donations, your is an investment. And one of the greatest
things we can invest in, we need more and more people, more hands on deck with these events and
with focus going forward. And Mary, if people do want to be a part of events or help out or donate,
how can they find out more about focus or empty bowls or all the above? Well, our Facebook page
is a great place to look at, which is the focus of Southwood County. That's a great place to get
some help also calling our office right on West Grand Avenue is another place to call.
All stop in. I mean, we love it when people stop in and say, hey, I would love to help out. And
whether that's coming in just to the pantry sometimes during the week or coming on a Thursday night
when we have our meal program from quarter to five till six, people stop in and they're amazed.
And my daughter was able to be here over Christmas and so she came with me for our anniversary meal.
And it was awesome because she's like, wow, mom, I didn't realize. So, you know, people really do get
their eyes open and that good heart feeling when you're done. The 11th annual Southwood County empty
bowls event will be held Saturday, February 15th at the new focus location at 2321 West Grand Avenue.
Right here in Wisconsin Rapids, find out more by going to their Facebook page and be listening
to this station because we'll be talking about this event and make sure that you guys get a good
crown there. Thank you very much. Thank you for the time. Well, a more midday magazine coming up
at WFHR.
