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Country Club East's Susan Tabicman and Len Tabicman are overwhelmed by the number of soups from which they could choose.
Country Club East's Gary Corson, Heritage Harbour's Mike Neville, Metro Diner's Managing Partner Justin Gorrell and Sabal Harbour's Joe Angers serve soup during Empty Bowls.
Mark Keckstein, the instructor of the culinary program at Manatee Technical College, and Brianna Brookins, an MTC culinary student, serve gumbo soup.
Sharon Litchfield, the human resources director for Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, shares information about the nonprofit's upcoming events.
Cars come through the drive thru Empty Bowls event. Empty Bowls was supposed to be held in-person, but the rain caused Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee to change it to a drive-thru event.
Andy Guz, the CEO of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, and Maribeth Phillips, the president and CEO of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, show off the ceramic bowls people are able to choose after selecting their soup.
Maribeth Phillips, the CEO and president of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, helps Heritage Harbour's Steve Gandel and Paulette Gandel pick out their bowls to take home.
Every person who participates in Empty Bowls gets a handmade ceramic bowl.
Heritage Harbour's Mike Neville serves curry soup.
Maribeth Phillips, the president and CEO of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, and Country Club East's Gary Corson serve soup to people who come through the drive-thru of Empty Bowls.
Sabal Harbour's Joe Angers wasn't able to volunteer at last year's Empty Bowls at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Angers is back serving soup, and he couldn't be happier.
"I missed it last year," Angers said. "Last year was a total wash out for all my volunteering. I'm happy to be getting back into it. It's great."
Dozens of cars flowed through Main Street at Lakewood Ranch Nov. 5 as Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee had to change Empty Bowls from being an in-person event to a drive-thru due to rain.
Country Club East's Gary Corson volunteered at Empty Bowls for the first time.
"I'm looking forward to getting rid of this whole pot of chicken noodle soup," Corson said. "And if I do that, I have a spare to serve too."
Corson has been volunteering with Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee as a driver delivering meals for the past six months. Seeing the need in the community made him want to volunteer for Empty Bowls.
"The first time I (delivered meals) I went home and I was depressed because the fact is that some people that you serve are in real need," Corson said. "Then you think why am I doing this? I'm doing it because you want to help the people and you feel good about it. I feel good about the route of the people that I deliver to every week. You get to know them and become friends with them."
As people came through the drive-thru, they were able to select a soup and handmade ceramic bowl.
Country Club East's Susan Tabicman and Len Tabicman were overwhelmed with the choices of soup. It was the first time they went to Empty Bowls.
"I have no idea what to get," Susan Tabicman said. "They all sound super good. I'm having a difficult time deciding."
