Tamara Aspell, executive director of Desert Sun Counselling & Resource Centre, congratulates Empty Bowls fundraiser winner of the People’s Choice Award, Damian Mischkinis. Damien is the Chef de Cuisine from The Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl Winery. He prepared a lovely “Mushroom Veloute” for the event held on Nov. 14 at the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos. The soup ladle on the award was hand carved and donated to the event by Butch Abel, from Rock Creek. The event raised more than $19,000 for programming at Desert Sun. Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson, who acted as emcee for the evening, looks on in the background. (Photo supplied)

Tamara Aspell, executive director of Desert Sun Counselling & Resource Centre, congratulates Empty Bowls fundraiser winner of the People’s Choice Award, Damian Mischkinis. Damien is the Chef de Cuisine from The Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl Winery. He prepared a lovely “Mushroom Veloute” for the event held on Nov. 14 at the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos. The soup ladle on the award was hand carved and donated to the event by Butch Abel, from Rock Creek. The event raised more than $19,000 for programming at Desert Sun. Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson, who acted as emcee for the evening, looks on in the background. (Photo supplied)