Teapots for sale

It's unusual that students in ceramics classes and marketing students would combine efforts on a charitable project, but Saturday afternoon, Montana State University-Northern students from both disciplines will hold a sale of hand-crafted pottery teapots at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church.

The two groups of students have benefited from taking part in the project, said Barbara Zuck, an assistant professor who taught the marketing classes.

The real beneficiaries, though, are the clients of the Havre Food Bank, since the food bank will get the proceeds from the sale.

The Empty Tea Pot sale was an idea conceived last year by Zuck's marketing students who were creating a marketing plan for the food bank, Zuck said.

In doing research, they discovered that ceramics students at Carlton College in Minnesota had made pottery bowls which were then sold at a successful fundraiser for the local food bank.

Penny Velk, Havre Food Bank's executive director, loved the idea, Zuck recalled. Zuck talked to Steve Helmbrecht in Northern's art department. He was open to the idea, she recalled, but the semester was drawing to a close, and there was only one project remaining — making tea pots. So the students agreed to make two teapots each. They would keep one and donate one to the Empty Tea Pot sale to be held as part of Havre Festival Days 2010, which takes place this weekend. People can see, and buy, the teapots at the Methodist Church, located at 410 5th Avenue, along the parade route. Students will be in the parade, riding in golf carts, reminding parade-goers of the sale. Fourteen student-made teapots will be on sale, along with five pots crafted by Helmbrecht and Bethany Ward. Teapots aren't the only draw to the sale. Pie, baked by local volunteers, will be available during the sale, which will be 2 to 5 p. m. Local businesses also have contributed gifts that will be given to people who purchase teapots. The sale has already generated interest, Zuck said. The teapots have been on display at the Havre-Hill County Library, and Library Director Bonnie Williamson said the public has been talking about prospective purchases.

Zuck praised the creativity of the students who made the teapots. "I'm excited about this, and I know the students are as well," she said.

It's unusual that students in ceramics classes and marketing students would combine efforts on a charitable project, but Saturday afternoon, Montana State University-Northern students from both disciplines will hold a sale of hand-crafted pottery teapots at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church.

The two groups of students have benefited from taking part in the project, said Barbara Zuck, an assistant professor who taught the marketing classes.

The real beneficiaries, though, are the clients of the Havre Food Bank, since the food bank will get the proceeds from the sale.

The Empty Tea Pot sale was an idea conceived last year by Zuck's marketing students who were creating a marketing plan for the food bank, Zuck said.

In doing research, they discovered that ceramics students at Carlton College in Minnesota had made pottery bowls which were then sold at a successful fundraiser for the local food bank.

Penny Velk, Havre Food Bank's executive director, loved the idea, Zuck recalled. Zuck talked to Steve Helmbrecht in Northern's art department. He was open to the idea, she recalled, but the semester was drawing to a close, and there was only one project remaining — making tea pots. So the students agreed to make two teapots each. They would keep one and donate one to the Empty Tea Pot sale to be held as part of Havre Festival Days 2010, which takes place this weekend. People can see, and buy, the teapots at the Methodist Church, located at 410 5th Avenue, along the parade route. Students will be in the parade, riding in golf carts, reminding parade-goers of the sale. Fourteen student-made teapots will be on sale, along with five pots crafted by Helmbrecht and Bethany Ward. Teapots aren't the only draw to the sale. Pie, baked by local volunteers, will be available during the sale, which will be 2 to 5 p. m. Local businesses also have contributed gifts that will be given to people who purchase teapots. The sale has already generated interest, Zuck said. The teapots have been on display at the Havre-Hill County Library, and Library Director Bonnie Williamson said the public has been talking about prospective purchases.

Zuck praised the creativity of the students who made the teapots. "I'm excited about this, and I know the students are as well," she said.