Creedmoor glass blower creates beautiful project to give back to families in need

CREEDMOOR, N.C. (WTVD) -- A lot of families are doing their best to get by right now, but they're coming up short and sometimes that means missing meals. That's why one Creedmoor woman is doing what she loves and giving back at the same time.

Lisa Oakley says glass blowing is a part of her everyday life. Her parents opened the Cedar Creek Gallery in the 60s, showcasing their handmade pottery. Lisa continued the tradition finding her own love of the arts in glass blowing. And for decades, she's turned her passion into a passion project every year that helps feed the people in her community.

It starts as just a blob of glass, add a huge flame and precise movement Then mix in a lot of talent to create 55 glass eggs.

"I want to live in a community where we give back. And I think we are strong enough here at Cedar Creek to be able to do that so we go in the glass studio every year and start making eggs," Lisa said.

Every year--the glass blowing crew at Cedar Creek takes about a week to solely focus on creating the eggs.

"It is a labor of love, but again I'm in a privileged position to be able to just go home and get what I need," Lisa said.

The eggs are never for sale. Instead, they're raffled and auctioned off and all of the money goes straight to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. It's a cause near and dear to Lisa's heart.

"When my grandfather died, my grandmother had four little kids. And she couldn't make it all on her own. And they needed a little help for a little while. And if they hadn't had that help when they needed it then maybe this wouldn't be here," Lisa said.

Last year the project brought in more than $30,000 for the food bank, which translates to about 150,000 meals.

"It's so easy to become food insecure. I think we don't really realize how many people are on the edge. I want to bring attention to that. I go home at night and I look in my pantry and I've got all kinds of things to eat. It's not do I have something to eat? It's what do I want to eat tonight? And that's a luxury. It's a privilege," Lisa said.

Fifty of the eggs will be raffled and 5 will be auctioned off. Raffle tickets are $10 for one, which is 50 meals! The auction is all online. You have from now until April 13 to get involved.

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