Chronicle photo by Vanessa McGuigan

Good Shepherd Caregivers held their popular “Potter’s Bowl” event last Friday, with over 200 in attendance.

This is the event’s 17th year in which attendees get to support a valuable community organization, and in return they get to choose and keep a handmade pottery bowl and enjoy a variety of delicious soups provided by individuals and local restaurants, such as The Bavarian Inn, Bistro 112, The Clarion, The Devonshire, Domestic, Mi Degallado, the Press Room and more.

Several local potters donated a total of over 300 bowls, each with an estimated value of anywhere from $20 to $50.

Additionally, there are both silent and live auctions, with items donated from individuals and local businesses, and a 50/50 raffle.

Caregivers executive director, Paula Marrone-Reese said “We will make about $11 thousand dollars from this event between ticket sales and the other items. We are completely free. The only way we make money is from our events.”

Good Shepherd is a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization founded in 1990 by a small coalition of churches, individuals and the Shepherdstown Rotary and provides informal, volunteer caregiving to home-based aging or disabled Jefferson County residents of all ages.

Some of the services they provide are rides to the doctor or the grocery store, assistance with computers or paperwork and they provide friendly visits and phone calls.

“We also want to make people aware of a West Virginia tax credits program,” said Marrone-Reese. “It’s a program that was started to give incentive to increased charitable giving. It’s called the ‘Neighborhood Investment Program’ and when someone donates $500 or more to us, we are able to give that person a certificate for Federal taxes as usual, but on the state side (of taxes), they take half of the donated dollar amount in state tax credits. For example, if someone gives $1000, they can take $500 off what is owed on their state taxes. It’s a great way to get people more involved in giving.”

For more information about Good Shepherd Caregivers, visit www.gsivc.org.