LETTER: Thank You Wayzata Schools Community

To the Editor:

Filling a bowl with soup for dinner seems such a simple task, but far too many people have neither the bowl, nor the soup and spend the evening listening to their hunger and wondering when they will have their next meal.

I have watched students at grasp this concept for 21 years and have been amazed by the level of talent these students achieve as they craft art bowls to raise money for hungry Twin Cities’ residents. But I am also profoundly touched by the hundreds of patrons who arrive at our annual Wayzata High School Empty Bowls event to donate their time and money for this cause.

It is with gratitude and humility that I write this letter to thank those who came to our event this year and shared our company and table to help out those in need. But without our sponsors, and there were many this year, the event would not take place.

A very special thank you is deserved by the many local businesses that provided the meals, financial support and talent to make this year’s event the most financially successful the school has hosted in the last 21 years.

This year’s event raised more than $7,000 to benefit and its fight against hunger in the Twin Cities. This year’s success is due in no small part to the contributions made by Allegra Print and Imaging; At Last Gourmet Foods/Dunn Brothers; Breadsmith; General Mills; Great Harvest; Lunds; Minnetonka Center for the Arts and contributing artists; Minnesota Clay; Noodles; Olive Garden; Ridgedale Mall; Sunset’s; WHS Administration; Wayzata Bar and Grill; WHS alumni pottery intern Arlo Hanson; WHS pottery students, their families and friends; WHS pottery alumni; WHS YES staff and students.

Your contributions have made it possible for many residents to know when their next meal will be, promoted the arts among our children, brought together our community for a good cause and instilled in me another moment of awe and respect as I watched a simple lump of clay transform into a bowl, then a meal and finally into a community of love and nourishment.

Sincerely,

Nancy Hanily-Dolan

WHS pottery instructor