Enewsletter
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Enewsletter • March 23, 2011 | ||||||||||||||
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Notes from Vegan Outreach
Link of the Week: A New World, If We Build ItEver feel disheartened or pessimistic about the future?
From “Your Daily Dose of Vegan Outreach!” Blog
Note: There will be no enewsletter next
week.
Product of the Week
Deanne:
“Tofutti
Cuties are so delicious!” Please submit your nominees for product of the week via this page; previous entries here.
Notes from All OverLightning Round
Notes from Our Members
What
better way to celebrate my one-year Cali-VO-versary than
to leaflet with Yvonne? We reached 2,220 students at Citrus College
today, where there is at least one confirmed
convert every time I’m here! In addition to
today’s (right), there were at least two others
in the making. Also, while politely countering
a “why not help humans?” person, I
drew an appreciative crowd – score six more
for the animals! Jamie
and I had a special day at Bergen
County Community College. One wrestler sitting
next to us kept saying, “Read it!”
when we gave someone a booklet. Another macho
man said he gave his leaflet to three girls
eating meat and asked them to consider the suffering
of the animals. Two construction workers proudly
showed us their veggie sandwiches from Subway,
holding them up and saying “no meat”
with pride and a smile. A girl showed us the
salad she got for lunch. Saw lots reading as
they walked, and many folks came back to talk
after reading the pamphlet in class. Dozens
and dozens of conversations over the course
of this very powerful day; three students specifically
stated they would no longer eat meat. Thanks
as always to the donors for making days like
this possible – we woke up many people and saved
a lot of animals today. Jeni,
Sarah, and I reached 2,235 hipsters at
San Francisco State – an epic day of mega ultra
awesome fun! We met upwards of 100 vegetarians/
vegans.
Take
rate was great at Borough of Manhattan
Community College, where, with some help from
Sean, I reached over 1,000 students. Heard from
more vegans and vegetarians than ever before
at this school. Countless positive conversations,
with a lot saying they had been thinking of
going vegetarian/ vegan, and now they’ll try
it. One girl was particularly excited about
going vegan, because just from giving up meat
as a vegetarian, she lost 50 lbs and got her
family and friends to start considering the
plight of animals. Also heard from several people
who were thinking about veganism since watching
the Oprah show a few days ago, so I think it’s
really great that we’re already seeing some
positive effects of that. A former music therapy
supervisor of mine, who refused to even
try any of my vegan baked goods six years
ago (let alone entertain the notion of a plant-based
diet), is now going vegan for a week to try
it out. We’re making progress! Best
part of today was at Southeast
Louisiana State, where a nice student told me
she got the booklet from me two years ago and
immediately went veg. She has since done class
projects and speeches on the issues, as well
as other activism.
We
reached over 5,300 people at the
Christian concert and evangelical event. We
used the booklets from the Christian
Vegetarian Association until we ran out,
then we used VO booklets. The crowd was incredibly
receptive, much more receptive than anticipated.
Several people said they would go vegetarian
on the spot. We met many part-time and former
vegetarians, and encouraged them to continue
or get back on the path. We also met many vegetarians
and vegans who thanked us for being out there. Kris
and I had great reception at Cerritos
College! Heard from a former veg who will now
go back to being veg. Other positive comments
from the very friendly students. Despite
this being the coldest day I have
leafleted this year, the students at Ball State
were very receptive – reached over 700. During
the last hour, a student reporter from the paper
took photos and interviewed me, and another
took video footage for the student television
station. When
I left the apartment the thermometer
said -6 and when I got back it said 3 degrees,
so I think it is officially the coldest day
I have leafleted! Despite this, the students
at Harold Washington were friendly and incredibly
receptive. Heard from a few vegetarians, had
a few thumbs ups, and saw some students who
got excited when they saw that the literature
was about animals.
Today
was a good day leafleting at Vassar.
Since Wednesdays are always “chili days”
at one of the cafeterias, one faculty member
who took a leaflet, glanced at it, and said
to me with a smile, “I guess I’ll get the
vegetarian chili today!” It was great to
get such an immediate response and know that
I was definitely making a difference. Loads
of good feedback at Cape Fear
Community College, where I reached over 500
students. I leafleted a student as he sat down
on the bench. Staring at the Even If You
Like Meat booklet, he said to me, “See,
the trick here is to stop eating meat.”
It was amazing to see the lights go on in his
head. One person came up to me and said, “You
are a great man! Thanks for coming here. I was
a vegetarian for years and now I’m going to
return to it.” Another student came up
to me stating that she is writing a paper on
factory farming and is now going vegan.
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