Cups for a Cause: A celebration of arts and charity

Havre Art Association and Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen have partnered together to bring a fundraising aspect to this year's 49th annual Havre Art Association Show and Sale Saturday and Sunday at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church.

"This is an opportunity for everyday community people to chip in to the soup kitchen - which I think a lot of us want to do, but it's one of those things we just don't - and also be able to get a beautiful cup," Havre Art Association member Kris Martens said.

She added that Steve Helmbrecht, art association member and local photographer and potter, came up with the idea and donated his time over the past six months to make the cups.

Helmbrecht said that he and the art association made about 150 cups for the event.

He added that he got the idea originally from something he did with the soup kitchen more than 20 years ago, when he made bowls to raise money. He said the fundraiser did very well, but after two years ended.

The Cups for a Cause is a great idea to get new people to go to the art show as well as support the soup kitchen, he added.

"It's been fun," he said. "It's one of those things, honestly, you get into a groove and it's like, 'I'm going to do this; this is my goal.' You think about the people, on occasion, that you are doing this for and it's just great."

He said that it is similar for the other artists in the art association.

"When you create something, it's a part of you," he said. "... It's something you have to get out."

He added that both the art association and the soup kitchen are worthwhile organizations and he wanted to marry the two groups, in some way, which could benefit both of them.

"When you have a fortunate life, as we do, that we can go ahead and give back in some way," he said.

Soup kitchen Director Janet Tams said that the Cups for a Cause fundraiser is a significant event for the soup kitchen. The last fundraiser the soup kitchen had was in 2014 or 2015 and was put together by the soup kitchen, she said.

The soup kitchen is a non-profit organization, supported entirely by the United Way Worldwide and individual donations from the community, she said.

She added that the money raised in the Cups for a Cause fundraiser will go a long way.

"I just like the generosity," she said. "I realize the hours that's going into the work and the desire to make the donation to us. I really appreciate that."

Soup kitchen board member Jody Hellegaard said the soup kitchen serves about 20,000 meals every year, and it's through the efforts of the community and United Way that they are able to help so many people. Every month the soup kitchen serves anywhere between 1,500 to 2,000 meals, and this would not be possible without the help of the volunteers.

She said that the soup kitchen has about 500 to 600 hours of volunteer service every month with about 40 volunteers at any given time. She added that they are always looking for more volunteers.

The soup kitchen also recently bought the building where it is located from the Salvation Army and has a number of improvements planned, she said. The money from the Cups for a Cause will go toward helping to improve the soup kitchen, such as installing new windows and a fan above the stove.

"This is just a blessing," she said. "... This is a major deal for us to be on the receiving side of this."

Martens added that the art association will also benefit from the fundraiser, hopefully bringing in a new crowd of people who have never been to the show before.

"What that does for the show is that it allows community members to come out and see something new and support not only the arts - which is just a great, nice afternoon - but to go and have a hot beverage, support the soup kitchen," she said.

She said that the art association was established almost 50 years ago and many of the members who are still in the association have been in since the beginning. The Cups for a Cause event allows the members of the group to display their art in a unique way and try something new.

"It's pretty neat to see something like this that collects everybody, their art," she said.

"I just think it's an incredible thing," she added.

Helmbrecht said that it is going to be really rewarding to see people using the cups. He added that he still has people who come up to him to tell him they are still using his bowls from 20 years ago.

"That's pretty cool," he said.

The cups will last forever, unless they are broken, he said, adding that in a way it can be seen as a legacy. He said that everyone has a legacy and can make a positive impact on people's lives.

Tams said that people can have a profound impact on other people's lives and it's important people keep their minds on the main goal. Working at the soup kitchen, she said, she does know people's stories, and she is not there to judge, she is only there to serve.

"You can't have an attachment to the end result because it's not our business, you have to give from an open heart and let go of what you are giving," she said.

The cups will be $25 each and feature the artwork from 13 members of the Havre Art Association. The artists include Ginny Streeper, Kris Shaw, Carona Sprinkle, Linda Pollington, Joel Soiseth, Lynn Hester, Melissa Litzingrer, Jade Helmbrecht, Mary Nault, Linda Warneke, Joy Christofferson, Melissa Litzinger, Stephen Godwin and Martens.

Martens added that 100 percent of the cup sales will go to the soup kitchen.

The cups are food safe and dishwasher safe.

Helbrecht said he wanted to thank Lynn Hester, who volunteered a tremendous amount of time and work to help get the project completed. He added that he also wanted to thank Montana State University-Northern, which donated the Pershing Hall ceramics room facility to the project.

"Without the facility, this probably wouldn't have happened," he said.

"Let's make it a celebration to help the soup kitchen and enjoy the art," he added.