(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Marietta resident Janet Chase looks at some auction items Saturday during the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church. Chase said she’s been coming to the event for many years and enjoys the handmade wooden crafts.

WILLIAMSTOWN — More than 300 residents and volunteers Saturday came together at First United Methodist Church in Williamstown to support Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church located at 304 W. Fifth St., members of the community could show their support to the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley by purchasing a ticket at $15 for adults, $10 for children, and free for children under 5. With the purchase of a ticket, guests could then select from a variety of fresh soups and baked goods.

Since 2001, Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley has been hosting this annual fundraiser. All proceeds go directly to the local food pantries in Marietta, Clarksburg and Williamstown.

“It takes us from year to year,” said Mabry O’Donnell who has been a board member for many years. “So when this closes out, we start on a date for next year and then start talking to people about it and trying to get people to volunteer and to give us donations.”

There were around 60 volunteers from the First United Methodist Church, Marietta College, Washington State College and local high school students helping out on Saturday afternoon.

(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Marietta College Cheer Team member Shelby Campbell helps people pick out their free ceramic bowl during the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church. The bowls were made by local high school students and there was a separate silent auction for sculptures created by local artist Henry Aglio.

“We have an incredible publicity committee that publicizes the whole thing and we talk nonstop about this event,” said Carol Garoza who serves as the Chair of the Empty Bowls Committee.

The Empty Bowls Luncheon has grown substantially over the last 25 years.

Caroline Putnam founded Empty Bowls in Marietta at the Union Church in 2001 before outgrowing that space and moving on to Saint Luke’s Episcopal. It has been hosted at multiple churches before ending up at the First United Methodist where volunteers and church members offered to provide their kitchen space for the event.

Marietta residentJanet Chase has been coming to the event for years.

“I like to support a local cause and help raise money,” she said. “And the food is always really good.”

(Photo by Amber Phipps) Over 300 community members and local volunteers enjoy homemade soups and freshly baked bread Saturday afternoon during the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church.

Chase said she likes to see all the items made by local artists for the silent auction and that the ones made from wood are her favorites.

“You can never go wrong with gift cards, either,” she said.

The homemade soups were served to guests in disposable bowls, but took home with them a handcrafted ceramic bowl.

Henry Aglio was one of the artists who sculpted a number of bowls that were available for auction during the event.

“This year he gave us 51 bowls of his creations which are on the tables,” said Garoza. “They’re exquisite pieces of sculpture and we sell those and earn extra money.”

(Photo by Amber Phipps) The menu of the variety of soups that were available during the annual Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event held Saturday at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church.

With over 300 community members and volunteers at the annual Empty Bowls Luncheon, the committee were excited to see how successful the turnout for this year ended up being.

Marietta College freshman, and member of the cheer team, Shelby Campbell isn’t from the Mid-Ohio Valley and was surprised by how many people attended the event.

“This is a really cool thing,” she said.

Campbell helped people select their free ceramic bowl everyone in attendance received and said she liked seeing all the different designs made by local high school students.

“They’re all super unique and different,” she said.

(Photo by Douglass Huxley) St. Mary Catholic School 6th grader Seth Merritt dishes out cookies and baked goods Saturday during the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church.

For anyone looking to volunteer for the next Empty Bowls Luncheon, people can contact them on their Facebook page.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com

(Photo by Amber Phipps) Carol Garoza and Mabry O’Donnell serve on the Empty Bowls of Mid-Ohio Valley committee as the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley held their annual event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church.

(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Larry and Marilyn Croucher stir hot soup Saturday during the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church.

(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Ellie Rannebarger, Jazlyn Ingold and Geneva Cech arrange cookie platters Saturday during the Empty Bowls of the Mid-Ohio Valley event at the Williamstown First United Methodist Church.