Nice to Meet Ya

Now that the temperatures are in the 90s, it’s time to think of the cool autumn winds, which bring relief from the often unrelenting summer heat. It can be hard now, but imagine the first of fall where temperatures drop and run 70s in the day, high 50s at night. They are open-bedroom-window type of nights. It is a time for hearty soups for both the warmth and the soul.

Twenty-four years ago, the since-defunct Sunset Canyon Pottery owners Bridget and Bill Hauser decided that the nonprofit organization Helping Hands was an excellent recipient. They wanted to give them a hand. The pottery studio would provide the bowls, and, at first, even the soup to fill them. It was the birth of the Empty Bowls Project. People lined up to pick their bowl and then had their bowls filled with their choice of soup. Lines would go out the door and down the sidewalk where people were being tortured by the wonderful soup smells and the anticipation of a unique bowl to take home.

It became popular - very popular - and area cooks and chefs were asked for their best. For seventeen years the Empty Bowl Project was held at the pottery shop. Then it was moved to Mercer St. for a time, but with unpredictable Central Texas weather, the event moved to the shelter of Dripping Springs Ranch Park. It is a huge part of Helping Hands fundraising to help feed the hungry in the community.

Meet June Baumoel. She along with co-chair Kristi Greene, are organizers and Co-Chairs of the event. She is a veteran of running huge events like Founders Day. You know the event is in good hands.

While City Hall was in a trailer, which wasn’t that long ago, streets weren’t closed for Founders Day. “This is way back when they were in the trailer and I said, ‘Listen, ladies We cannot let cars come in during the event and park, and we are not going to have cars parked on the side of Mercer Street watching the parade.’

“My biggest fear is, during the parade, somebody gets hurt. We made a lot of old timers in the Drip mad, but we blocked off the roads, not letting anyone there at a certain time. I think it was about one o'clock on Friday. No more cars, and we roped everything off so the kids and families could cross over,” June said.

Originally from Longview, she graduated high school there and was off to college at Randolph-Macon Women’s College (now Randolph) in Virginia. “I wanted to go away to school, and I didn't want to stay in Texas. I wanted to expand my horizons. As a private liberal arts school it provided me that for education, and it gave me friends all over the United States and beyond.”

She married Jim and they had two children. “My husban and I were living in California. We were approaching retirement. We wanted to come home to Texas. As I spent many years enjoying the Texas Hill Country, as a child. I knew this is where I wanted to be," she continued.

“We didn't know anyone, and we were building a home. I knew the best way to meet people was to get involved. I volunteered for many, many years for the city of Dripping Springs on the Parks and Recreation Commission and also the Historical Commission.” To name all the groups would take a lot of space. She also worried that she would leave someone out.

Meeting new people, getting to know the community and getting involved in many groups allowed June to learn a few things. She got involved with Helping Hands because of her friend Kristi Greene.

“She asked me if I would come help with Empty Bowls, and I said sure with my responsibility for sponsorships."

“Going out and getting names, going out, talking to businesses and that type of thing is what a sponsor does. Over the last 10 years we have increased that sponsorship from about $10,000 to $50,000. It was really just a matter of expanding their mailing list.”

Now a veteran of the community, she was in place for last year’s unusual Empty Bowl project. Recipes on the internet served as the soups, with no face-to-face as in the past.

“Last year we did well. We did a virtual event. We were just hopeful that we could keep the names Empty Bowls and Helping Hands in front of the public.” They did well, all for those in need before the holidays.

Now back at DSRP, plans are in place for Empty Bowl, fingers crossed, with COVID-19 plans just in case. But this Nov. 7, the day will start on Saturday night and early Sunday for volunteers.

“We’ll know what kind of soups we have. We don't put out all the soups. We're going to put out a variety of soups... Let's do a cheese, let's do chicken, let's do chili, and then the next one... And they're labeled, whether they are gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free, and you can see those signs right in front. So, that never used to happen, it was kind of a free for all.”

It is shaping up to be a very tasty Sunday. The Girl Scouts and other area potters supply a few thousand bowls. Chefs and other donors ship their soups in five gallon restaurant grade buckets late Saturday or early Sunday and 10 burners are going at any one time. Just imagine the smells.

It is a feast, but more importantly it helps those in the community who need it, those who might not be very visible, but are next to being hopeless.

“I hope that people who are in need are aware of the services that Helping Hands provides. It's a full volunteer board. There are probably over 100 volunteers that work the pantry on Wednesdays and Thursdays. When clients come to be served. I think our community should be grateful for their volunteers, and their outreach to help our neighbors in need. Whether it's food or financial assistance, repairs, utility bills. That assistance money is not forever. It's meant to help people get back on their feet during times like this and other circumstances that rise during people's lives.”

Circle Sunday, Nov. 7 on your event calendar for Helping Hands' 24th annual “Empty Bowl” project. Rain or shine, in person (or virtual if needed) at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. Sponsorships are still needed.

For more information about sponsorships or donations see their website drippingsprings-emptybowls.org.