Square One Community, Inc.'s second annual Empty Bowls event is on Friday, Nov. 17, and president Della Ferguson hopes to see the social hall at St. Andrew's United Church filled with community members who want to see solutions to homelessness.
"We've had a steady sale of tickets, and we would love to see 200 people fill the social hall at St. Andrew's," Ferguson said. "We're so grateful for St. Andrew's help; they were very gracious to give us to opportunity to have our event in their social hall, which is such a beautiful, bright space."
Empty Bowls goes from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 17. Tickets are $20 each at the door, or can be bought in advance by e-transfer to communitysquareone@gmail.com. Emails should include your name, phone number, and the number of tickets you are purchasing.
The same address can be contacted to buy 'Home for the Holidays' raffle tickets ($2 each, 10 for $20), the prizes for which include $500 cash, a $250 Best Western gift card, and a $100 Montana's gift card.
Soups are being provided by The Mad Greek Restaurant, Canadian Brewhouse, Soltopia Juice Bar (gluten free), Kinsmen Café/Moose Jaw Families for Change, and Evolve Café. Ticket holders can fill their bowls with any of the soups on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bowls are being donated from several sources, including professional artisans like the River Street Potters and Mud Pie Girls, the local YMCA youth program, the Salvation Army, and by local potters looking to help out, such as Jenny, Sarah, and Matt from the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre's drop-in pottery program.
"So, guests will get soup, they'll get to keep their bowl, many of which are very lovely and unique, and there's cake, dessert, coffee and tea, and a bun, and that's all for that $20," Ferguson said.
"The doors will be open at 11 a.m., so people can have a look at the silent auction items generously donated by the community, and items for sale, which we'll have some Square One merchandise for people to buy. And we'll also be drawing for our 'Home for the Holidays' raffle, and we're very grateful that those tickets have become a hot item and it would be our goal to sell all 2,000.
"This event is also a chance to come together to talk about needs, to be curious about solutions, and to be supportive of moving forward together as a community. And that's why, at 12 noon, we'll be hearing from a special friend who has had great success in their journey to sobriety thanks to wrap-around community support."
Empty Bowls guests will hear from Kevin Smith, who went from lived experience to working on the front lines of the battle against addiction at the St. Joseph's Hospital Addiction Recovery Centre in Estevan. The centre uses evidence-based, patient-focused care to help people battling substance abuse from detox to sober living to assisted housing — and are seeing sustainable success.
Ferguson said the Addiction Recovery Centre in Estevan provides an encouraging example of what's possible with a 'continuum of care' model, and a possible road-map to success for other Saskatchewan communities like Moose Jaw.
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