In past years, the event was held at Trinity Lutheran Church or Congregation B'nai Abraham's synagogue, both of which have co-sponsored the event for the Mill Street clinic.
This year, 29 potters created bowls for ticket-holders to take home, Mendelsohn said.
Among them is Jackie Shaw, 66, of Smithsburg. After retiring from teaching art, Shaw started taking pottery classes at Hagerstown Community College. At the end of summer 2003, students began talking about the Potters Bowl, which Shaw had attended early on at the synagogue.
"It was very packed in there. You were almost sitting on top of your neighbors," Shaw said. But the event had a "good, community feel" and was for a good cause.
Recently, Shaw had trouble getting tickets. The fundraiser usually sells out early. But for this year's Potters Bowl, as of Wednesday, there were still 20 tickets left, Mendelsohn said.
That's 20 opportunities left to taste a variety of soups, including sausage and white bean, chicken soup with matzo balls, Persian vegetable soup, mulligatawny, mushroom-barley and Maryland crab, said Janet Shaool, co-chairwoman for the event. Other food includes fruit, homemade bread, coleslaw salad and desserts.
There also will be a raffle for four artistic prizes, including a Ben Jones print and a portrait of the winner's pet by Beth Beckner-Mills.
Mendelsohn said a live auction will be held for seven items, including private yoga lessons, a gold and silver bracelet with diamonds, a handmade quilt and a sitting for a photographic portrait by Hagerstown photographer Chris Heurich.
If you go ...
WHAT: 16th annual Potters Bowl, fundraiser for Community Free Clinic in Hagerstown
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10
WHERE: Hagerstown Elks Lodge 378, 11063 Robinwood Drive, east of Hagerstown.
COST: Tickets are $50 each. There were 20 tickets left as of Wednesday. To reserve tickets, call Congregation B'nai Abraham's synagogue at 301-733-5039. Tickets must be picked up from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at the synagogue at 53 E. Baltimore St.
