Hunger Bowl fills a need
The third annual Laguna Beach World Hunger Bowl will be a feast for the eyes — and stomachs.
Taste buds and wallets will be tempted by the soup and “fixins” served by some of Laguna’s top restaurants, as well as a silent auction of artist-created and donated bowls.
The event at Aliso Creek Inn on Saturday is the finale of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Proceeds will benefit the Laguna Relief and Resource Center.
“We have about 90 bowls for the auction,” said Faye Chapman, chairwoman of the event. “The bowls can be viewed at Coast Sotheby’s International Realty on Forest Avenue or on our website, www.worldhungerbowl.org.”
The $45 admission includes five soup tastes, prepared by K’ya, French 75, Watermarc, Sapphire, Sundried Tomato and Mozambique; a soft drink or cocktail; dessert; a ceramic gift bowl designed by local schoolchildren; entertainment by the Scott Sechman Band; and the “Outsider Art Show.”
Locally known artists who donated to the silent auction included Robert Wyland, who contributed two wooden bowls, with a suggested bid of $1,500 each.
Homegrown Laguna Beach High School art teacher and ceramist Bill Darnell donated three pieces of his work, with suggested bids of $125 for a 7-by-3.5-inch bowl and $175 each for two larger bowls.
The suggested bid for Marlo Bartels 23.5-by-10.5-inch bowl was $500.
Three bowls came from the Boys & Girls Club, with suggested bids of $40, $45 and $50.
Mike Tauber’s 5.5-by 5-inch bowl was shown with an $85 suggested bid.
Trabuco Hills High School ceramics students donated about 50 bowls, Chapman said, but bowls have come from even farther away.
“We just received a donation from Guinotte Wise in Kansas who welded metal ‘found’ objects like an old license plate,” said Chapman.
The Hunger Bowl is the culmination of the annual food drive conducted by members of the city’s Housing and Human Services Committee and the resource center board; Chapman is a member of both.
“We have an annual goal of collecting 50,000 pounds of nonperishable foods, but I don’t think we will make it this year,” said a disappointed Chapman.
The drive provides food and other items needed by less-fortunate Laguna residents and the homeless population.
Among the needed items are OCTA bus passes, small tubes of toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, shaving cream, hand soap, laundry soap, deodorant and shampoo.
Collection sites were at businesses, churches and schools. A mid-city collection bin was set up in the parking lot of the Neighborhood Congregational Church on St. Ann’s Drive.
Waste Management of Orange County supplied bins and took on the task of transporting the food to the center’s Food Pantry in Laguna Canyon.
Folks who plan to attend the Hunger Bowl are encouraged to bring donations of food and items to help bring the drive closer to the goal.
To purchase Hunger Bowl tickets or to bid on the artists’ bowls featured in the event’s silent auction, visit https://www.worldhungerbowl.org, call Chapman at (949) 280-2885 or email her at FayeChapman@gmail.com.
Tickets are also available at Sotheby’s, 381 Forest Ave. and the participating restaurants.
Twitter: @CoastlinePilot
If You Go
What: Third annual World Hunger BowlWhere: Aliso Creek Inn & Golf Course, 31106 S. Coast Hwy.
When: 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $45
Information: https://www.worldhungerbowl.org