Thunder Bay’s popular Empty Bowls fundraiser has found a new home for this Sunday’s event.
Empty Bowls — which raises funds for Shelter House and the Thunder Bay Food Bank — was initially scheduled to take place at the Moose Hall on Fort William Road.
However, Robin Cooper, chair of the event’s organizing team, said they found out Thursday that the Moose Hall was closing down indefinitely.
But despite the short notice, Empty Bowls was able to find a new venue at Confederation College.
“Confederation College has stepped up, and will allow us to hold the event in Ryan Hall in the Shuniah Building,” Cooper said. “The room is amazing. It fits exactly the number of people we need with some space to spare.”
Share a meal…and help fight hunger.It’s the simple idea that’s kept ‘Empty Bowls, Caring Hearts’ going for a quarter of a century.Hear from the co-chair of the organizing team for this year’s event.
“There’s room for our potters to set up their bowls, there’s room for our raffles,” she said. “There’s room for people to congregate and meet each other and, and just enjoy the event.”
“There’s lots of room, and the college has been really accommodating to make sure that we have everything we need.”
Doors for Sunday’s event open at 4:30, and Cooper said the college is providing free parking for attendees in the green lots east of the Shuniah Building.
Cooper said organizers were “a bit shocked,” and concerned for the Moose Hall, when they were told it was no longer available.
“What we were told that there is an issue with their charter,” Cooper said. “The charter has been suspended.”
CBC News contacted the hall, as well as Moose International, for comment, but has not received a response.
Signs posted on the doors of the Moose Hall state the lodge is closed until further notice, and a special meeting of membership is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 4.
“We’re really hopeful that things will work out, because the Moose Hall is an amazing venue for not just us, but for many organizations,” Cooper said.
