The clay was flying as metro celebrities joined with Shawnee Mission School District students to take a crack at making ceramic bowls. The works of art created were auctioned off as part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser for City Union Mission on February 12, 2008 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm at SM West High School, 8800 W. 85th Street, Overland Park, KS.

The ticket deadline for Empty Bowls 2008 was extended to February 10, so that more would be able to attend this soup supper, art show and fundraiser for City Union Mission.

Superintendent Marjorie Kaplan's handmade bowl was auctioned off along with bowls crafted by other local celebrities including KCTV 5's Gary Amble, KMBZ's Ellen Shank, E.J. Becker, and Darla Jaye, KCSP's Roger Twibell, KC Wizards Davy Arnaud, and Kerry Zavagnin, Kansas Rep. Ronnie Metzger, SMSD School Board members Donna Bysfield, Patty Mach, and Deb Zila.

Even if attendees didn't bid on a celebrity bowl, they walked away with an original, handcrafted, ceramic bowl created by a Shawnee Mission student.

This was the third year for the event sponsored by SMSD and Panera Bread. In its first two years, Empty Bowls donated more than $20,000 to feed the homeless and hungry at City Union Mission.

Tickets for the soup supper, K-12 art show, and auction were $15 and included an original handcrafted ceramic bowl created by a SMSD student to take home, and must have been purchased by Sunday, February 10.

Tickets were available from school secretaries at SMSD elementary schools, from art teachers at SMSD middle and high schools, through the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation, and by calling Cortney Sivewright at 913-993-8619.

Has this story inspired you to see how you can make a difference too? To find out how you can get involved at City Union Mission please click here, or call 816.329.1459.