Highlands’ Student Senate Helps with Local Empty Bowls Hunger Benefit

The undergraduate student senate at New Mexico Highlands University gave time and money to help with the Feb. 13 Empty Bowls luncheon, a local benefit to help feed the hungry in the Las Vegas area.
 

Jane Warsaw, the United World College-USA, New Mexico Highlands University, and local artisans and residents sponsored the luncheon to benefit the Las Vegas Soup Kitchen and Samaritan House food pantry.
 

 “We know that there are many opportunities to help with different needs in the community and this was just one way we could express our support for what the Empty Bowls luncheon stands for,” said Nicholas Maestas, vice president for the university’s undergraduate student senate. “We felt it was important to get involved to show that students at Highlands really care about people in San Miguel County.”
 

The student senate also donated 10 luncheon tickets valued at $20 each to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
 

“We chose to donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters because of the important work they do with local youth,” Maestas said.
 

“I think these students from Highlands are fabulous,” said Maggie Romigh, Big Brothers Big Sisters community coordinator for San Miguel and Mora Counties. “I can’t thank them enough for making this contribution without being asked. We gave the tickets to our “Bigs” so they could take their “littles” to the luncheon to learn about the need for food in our community, and volunteering.”
 

The student senators also made 50 of the 276 ceramic bowls that were used for the benefit luncheon. The university’s NU ETA Sorority joined the student senate to also make ceramic bowls. Those buying a ticket for the luncheon got to keep their unique, hand-crafted bowl.

Students in the university’s Fine Arts Department also made ceramic bowls for the fundraiser, as well as glazed and fired other people’s ceramic bowls in the university’s kilns.