Sweetwater County residents have the chance to create a unique and practical work of art and show they care for the community by supporting the YWCA of Sweetwater County through Bowls of Caring painting parties.
The YWCA is hosting multiple open painting parties over the next several weeks, including a party this Saturday, Feb. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Golden Hour Senior Center. Anyone who wants to can stop in to paint a bowl — no preparation, training or materials needed.
“We bring everything, so people can just literally show up,” Kayla Mannikko, the YWCA’s development director, explained.
Those who show up can paint whatever item they want, and however many they want, with each item costing $15. Participants can choose from a chili bowl, a cereal bowl, a big mug and a spoon rest, which they can then paint and decorate however they want to. Multiple colors and painting tools are supplied, and participants can either come up with their own ideas or follow suggestions and ideas from YWCA staff leading the party.
“You don’t have to be an artist to participate,” Mannikko noted.
After the bowls are painted, the YWCA teams takes them back to be dipped in a glaze and fired in a kiln to complete the process of creating a hand-painted piece of pottery. Participants in the painting parties get their finished items back within two weeks.
Another open party for Green River will be held March 26 at GHSC. There will also be an open party March 12 from 1-4 p.m. at Coal Train Coffee Depot in Rock Springs. Those who can’t or don’t want to attend the open painting parties can host their own painting parties at home. As long as there will be a minimum of five items painted, YWCA staff will bring all the materials needed at no extra charge. The YWCA has helped with about 10 private parties so far this year and is hoping to have around 40, which can be hosted by businesses or individuals.
“It’s fun for coworkers to get together to do, or some people would do Superbowl parties or wine nights where they’ll drink wine while they’re painting their bowls, all in the comfort of their own home, which has been something that everyone’s really been enjoying,” Mannikko said.
Whether hosting their own parties or attending the public events, some people participate in the painting parties to support the YWCA while others just want to do something fun, according to Mannikko. She said many people enjoy getting involved in the event together every year, with families bringing kids or grandchildren and grandparents participating together.
“A lot of people seem to use the bowls as a memory,” she added.
One family this year has attended multiple parties and is painting sets of dishes to give their daughter when she graduates high school. Manniko has also seen people put baby handprints or footprints on their bowls.
“Once it’s fired it’s yours to keep and then it’s permanent,” Mannikko said.
The bowls can be kept as a keepsake, or used on a regular basis. They are dishwasher and microwave safe. Manniko herself has bowls with special memories that she uses regularly. Her children, who are one and three, have enjoyed being part of painting parties.
“So I’ve got bowls in my cupboard that just have splashes of all kinds of random colors and things on them,” Mannikko said with a laugh. “But they love it and I love seeing those bowls and using them.”
Another part of the fundraiser this year will be a virtual auction in March. The site is up at aesbid.org/BOWLS2022 and anyone who wants to participate can register now. Those who register early will get a notification once bidding opens, and can bid directly from their phones. The auction will open March 21. Some of the items include Easter baskets and date night packages. All the baskets are donated by volunteers and community members.
The last change to paint will be April 9 at the White Mountain Mall in Rock Springs. After that, both the Bowls of Caring events and virtual auction will be over until next year.
The annual Bowls of Caring event originally started under the name “Bowls of Sharing” in 2004. The fundraiser was held in memory of Kathy Crabtree, a potter who co-founded Local Color. After Crabtree died due to complications from Cushing’s syndrome, her friends and family decided to hold an event to honor her. They made special pottery bowls and held a soup dinner, then donated the money to local charities. The event was held each year for a decade until it became so large the committee running it could no longer keep up. At that point the YWCA stepped in, asking if they could take over and continue running the fundraiser, which they have for the past eight years.
Originally, the YWCA continued the tradition of hosting both painting parties and an annual soup dinner. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the soup dinner was canceled in 2020 and 2021. Going forward, Mannikko believes the dinner will no longer be part of the fundraiser, which will instead focus on the painting parties, which seem to be the most popular part of the event, and the virtual auction.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has made the fundraiser more complicated over the last two years and continues to impact it this year, Mannikko said she believes they’re on track to have about the same success as last year when it comes to hosting painting parties and raising money. The goal is to bring in at least $19,000 from the Bowls of Caring fundraiser, according to Mannikko.
Bowls of Caring is one of two major fundraisers run by YWCA of Sweetwater County in addition to the Festival of Trees at Christmastime. Those two fundraisers, held between November and April, provide crucial funding for the YWCA to be able to continue offering their services, including childcare, free financial empowerment classes, a 24-hour crisis line and support and resources for victims of family violence.
“We wouldn’t be able to function as an organization or have all of those services for Sweetwater County if we didn’t have this fundraiser,” Mannikko said.
While Bowls of Caring is an important fundraiser for the YWCA, it’s also a chance for YWCA staff members to connect with the community they serve.
“I think one of our favorite parts about having the event is just being able to be out and around our community members,” Mannikko said.
Reader Comments(0)