Their first fundraiser was so successful that the ceramics class at Eisenhower High School has decided to stage another one.
Students, under the guise of the new EHS Ceramics Club, will hold a Western-themed bingo and bake sale fundraiser from 6-8 p.m. April 2 in the Commons Area at the school.
Club members have been hard at work on the prizes, which will be what one would expect from ceramics students — ceramics. Most will be Western in nature, in keeping with the theme, and include longhorns, cowboy boots, cacti, farm animals and Western characters. A few non-Western animals, such as teddy bears and an octopus, also will be given out.
This is the second fundraiser the ceramics students have held this school year. The first was an Empty Bowls project in December which raised about $3,000 for Hungry Hearts Feeding Ministry and First Christian Church Agape Feeding Ministry. Proceeds from the bingo fundraiser will go toward a new roof for Hungry Hearts.
“We were really saddened they needed a new roof. They reached out to us to see if we could assist them,” said Ceramics Club President Nelly Ponce Martinez.
Ceramics teacher Sherri Denning said the two ministries are close to her students’ hearts because some of them have been personally impacted by food scarcity.
“We just really want to make a change in this community,” Denning said of the two community service projects.
Martinez said the group was so excited to give out the checks from the Empty Bowls fundraiser, that they wanted to do another one.
“We were thinking about a dessert event or a bake sale, but wanted to do more,” Martinez said. “Bingo attracts more people, and we want them to stay longer. We really want to make more than Empty Bowls to apply toward their new roof.”
Students settled on a Western theme and began making items, including 3,000 heart-shaped chips for the bingo cards. Bingo cards will be $5 apiece and donations will be taken for the bake sale. All transactions will be cash only.
“We want as many people to participate as possible. Bring cash,” Martinez said.