Enewsletter
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Enewsletter • January 25, 2005 | ||
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News from Vegan OutreachAdopt a College Rolling AgainDespite bad weather across much of the country, AAC's dedicated activists have been out and about (see below). For example, last Friday, Jack Norris and Joe Espinosa handed out over 1,000 copies of Even If... at Illinois State, despite temperatures only in the teens.
Blazing Distribution!With just under a week left in January, Vegan Outreach activists have requested over 74,000 booklets to distribute, making this already one of the biggest months ever -- getting 2005 off to a roaring start! (Some activists have told us that they haven't received boxes of literature that they've ordered in the past month. We've asked the printer to look into this; if you haven't received an order, please contact us. Sorry for the problems.) Thanks to everyone's hard work for the animals! Because of the efforts and contributions of Vegan Outreach's members, every day, thousands of people are learning the horrible yet undeniable truth of factory farms and industrial slaughterhouses, and the steps they can take to help end the cruelty!
Notes from All OverShop Today!From COK: "Whole Foods Market is in the process of creating the most stringent guidelines for farmed animal welfare in the world. Developed with the help of several animal protection organizations, including PETA, Animal Rights International, Viva USA, and HSUS, these guidelines will not permit battery cages, veal or gestation crates; will mandate outdoor access; and will address a number of other common causes of animal suffering in the meat, egg, and dairy industries. "Whole Foods Market will donate 5 percent of its global sales today, Tuesday, January 25th, as seed money to establish its new Animal Compassion Foundation. "While COK promotes vegan eating, we also support any efforts to help reduce animal suffering, which this clearly does. Learn more about the foundation here."
From Our MembersI scheduled a return visit to Florida Memorial College, an all black private school this week in honor of MLK, where I handed out 150 Why Vegans. Martin must have appreciated the commitment and orchestrated some serendipitous moments just to show his gratitude: 1. Guy about 6'5", 300 lbs. (looked like football player), said "I remember you. I just ordered that veg. starter kit the other day, thanks." (I almost cried on that one) 2. A few different students said, "Oh, yeah you gave me one last time, thanks a lot." 3. A nice lady (student), flagged me down from far away. She said that she had been very moved by the leaflet last time I was there. She wanted to know how we could do more. I said that I was trying to show Peaceable Kingdom. She called someone she knew in the main office from her cell phone. We went over to the office. They agreed to view a copy of PK (I just happened to have one) and let me know if I could screen it at an "assembly" which they have on Tues and Thurs (for approx. 75-100 students). This student also told me that the last time I was there, she went around picking up any discarded leaflets that she found and stocked them in the bookstore at her church. 
I actually did cry on
that one. Even though
Joe Espinosa (at right) has been
one of Vegan Outreach's most successful
leafleters for many years, I had
never leafleted with him before.
I was surprised to see him loudly
and repetitively announce to everyone
within a good 30 feet, "Brochure
on animal cruelty?!" He exudes
confidence and projects the attitude
that animal cruelty is something
that people should be concerned
about. It also let people who were
intending to pass by to know what
the leaflet is about; some walked
out of their way to take one. I
found myself announcing the booklet
in a louder voice than I normally
use and was pleased with the results. I once
asked Josh Balk what
made one of his friends go from
meat eater to veg advocate. He had
mentioned that one of the reasons
was that his friend simply liked
being around the COK
folk, that they were interesting
and fun, so the progression seemed
natural. I think with the guy that
I was talking with today, the suffering
of animals was very important, but
it helped that this info was passed
on to him by individuals that were
friendly and whom he could trust. I handed
out 100 Why Vegans
at Virginia Commonwealth University
in about only 35 minutes! Maybe
no one wanted to turn me down because
it was so cold. :) I talked to a
couple people briefly.... As I was
leaving a guy stopped me to ask
what vegan foods were quick to prepare.
Turns out he is vegetarian who has
tried veganism a few times, but
usually breaks down after 6 months
because he craves cheese. We briefly
commiserated that there are no good
brands of soy cheese available locally.
Then I suggested that he could still
try to be vegan, but eat cheese
when he really craves it instead
of giving up veganism completely.
He really liked that idea. Ann Swissdorf
and I handed out 600
(300 each) of the EI brochures.
I think they went over great. We
spent about 1 hour at Red Rocks
CC in Denver and gave out about
100 of them from our small "Free
Speech Zone." The students
were really nice and went out of
their way to come to us and take
a brochure. We then went to CU-Denver/
Metro and gave out the rest (500)
of the brochures in a little over
an hour. We had many people there
who told us they were already vegetarians,
one who told me she gave up meat
1 day a week because of a brochure
I gave her this past summer. Many
took EI and stood looking
at it with big eyes. We were able
to answer some questions and felt
wonderful when we were done. What
a wonderful gift to be able to help
other beings. I just
thought I'd let you
know that your program has inspired
a lot of high school students to
take action on the war against inhumane
animal production,including myself.
I go to Victoria High School, and
many other students who have received
a pamphlet or watched the movie
are grateful that there are people
out there who open our eyes to things
we wouldn't have seen otherwise.
I just wanted to say thank-you and
it takes people like yourselves
who take action, to make the world
a more informed and less oblivious
world. At Montclair State University, I distributed 599 EIs in 4.5 hours w/ some warm-up breaks (it was another bitterly cold day). Some feedback: * One young woman came up to me and let me know that she got a Why Vegan last time I was there and has been vegetarian since. She proudly stated that it has been over a month now. * Another young woman told me that she had been unaware of the plight of farmed animals until getting a WV from me last time. She said that she has cut her meat intake in half and hasn't gone completely veg because her parents fear for her health. She wants to get active as well. I got her email address and am going to give her info on getting active as well as links regarding veg health. 
* One young man said he got a WV from me last time I was there and wanted a few of the new booklets to give to his friends. * One woman took a booklet and
she mentioned that she is vegan
and an animal activist, spending
her time on anti-vivisection and
fur issues. I gave her a copy of
"A
Meaningful Life." I'm a
student an the University
of Victoria. I read your pamphlet
about animal cruelty, and I have
promptly stopped eating any animal
products at all. I have
now fully committed
to the vegan cause. Thank you for
your continuous stream of newsletters.
Its comforting to know there are
other folks out there who feel the
same way I do. I
love Even
If…
I think they are a lot less intimidating
for people because they don't ostensibly
promote an all-or-nothing stance
and they don't throw people off
with the extremist connotation that
"vegan" carries. I have
a feeling that the throw-out rate
will be reduced with these too...
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