Meatout 2008 Events Report

Action Around the World!

Throughout March, a thousand communities in all 50 U.S. states and 27 other countries welcomed spring with colorful educational events, marking the 24th annual observance of the world’s largest annual grassroots diet education campaign. Activities included information tables, exhibits, lectures, video screenings, feed-ins, cooking demonstrations, elaborate festivals and more. Thanks to caring people getting active around the world, Meatout’s message of compassion reached millions!

The U.S. Meatout events were especially strong this year. In the wake of the USDA’s largest ever recall of ground beef because it came from sick, abused cows, the Great American Meatout demanded a recall of ALL animal products, as they ALL come from sick, abused animals. Dozens of Meatout supporters hosted video screenings of the undercover footage leading to the recall and distributed special “Total Recall” handouts. FARM staff and supporters congregated in front of the USDA Administrative building in the nation’s capital for a powerful protest (View the report with photos). Mercy for Animals spoke out in Chicago with an attention-grabbing demonstration outside the Chicago Public School central office, which included nearly 50 million pounds of meat that was sent to school lunch programs. Wearing white “biohazard” jump suits and face protection masks, the group distributed emergency Veg Starter Kits to school officials).

Lively festivals featuring entertainment, speakers, exhibits, videos, health screenings, food vendors, cooking demonstrations, vegan food samples and games were held across the U.S. The Black Vegetarian Society of Georgia hosted their annual Vegetarian Food & Wholistic Health Fair in Atlanta. Coordinator Chris Higgins and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation honored Meatout in Charleston, WV with food, music, and video screenings. In Dallas, the Black Vegetarian Society of Texas celebrated with speakers, food sampling, entertainment, and more. VegMichigan expects 1,200 visitors at the upcoming Detroit Meatout Festival, which will highlight national speakers, food, door prizes and more. Animal Outreach of Kansas expects hundreds of visitors for a free vegan BBQ with live music, games for kids, and more at their upcoming celebration in Lawrence. Vegans for Animal Advocacy and Cochehua invited others to take part in workshops featuring recipes from their online cookzine, shortcuts to cruelty-free meals and more in Portland.

The Vegetarians of Washington hosted the annual Washington State VegFest in Seattle, attracting thousands of visitors for 500 different foods samples, cooking demos by chefs from all over the country, and the latest information on nutrition from doctors and dieticians. Compassion for Animals, Respect for the Earth (CARE) hosted a Meatout VegFest in Ukiah, CA, drawing more than 300 people for an afternoon of festivities.

Feed-ins were a popular outreach activity. The Boston Vegan Association set up in downtown Boston to give away 100 free vegan brown bag lunches including Tofurky deli sandwiches, Tings, vegan candy bars, and soy ice cream. The Boston Vegetarian Society hosted a public vegan dinner with 80 guests. Lisa Shapiro and the Vegan Meetup set up tables with videos at a mall in Boulder, CO and gave away 130 samples of cruelty-free nice cream and 300 samples of cruelty-free “meat” samples. In Burnham, PA, the Juniata Valley Vegetarian Society distributed vegan snacks and information outside a popular retail store. Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Ohio Center gave out vegan BBQ shish kebab in the Over-the-Rhine area in Cincinnati. Activist Greg Lawson and the Vegetarian Society of El Paso served vegan sloppy joes to students at the University of Texas in El Paso, TX. The Erie Vegetarian Society set up at the Whole Foods co-op in Erie, PA.

The Vegetarians in Pitt County held a public dinner in Greenville, NC with videos and a discussion of meat-alternatives afterwards. Sharron Cordaro and the Ahimsa Hamakua, Organic, Vegan Peace Sanctuary offered food and prizes in downtown Hilo, HI. In Honolulu, coordinator Nicole Gose with the Vegetarian Club offered free vegan meals for an entire week for anyone who took a week-long Veg Pledge. In Houston, Society of P.E.A.C.E teamed up with Food Not Bombs, providing vegan food to Houston’s hungry. Throughout March, they hosted a string of Meatout activities, culminating with the “Meatout Picnic in the Park” where visitors ate free veggie dogs, received fun gifts and picked up information.

The Capital Area Animal Rights Society got active in Lansing, MI, offering vegan food samples in addition to setting up numerous library displays. In Memphis, TN coordinator Vaughan Dewar and the Food Awareness Resource Tools group distributed samples of meat-alternatives at a local Wild Oats marketplace, in addition to other activities throughout the month.  UFETA (Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) hosted a public vegan buffet and video screening in Morehead City, NC. Club Veg: Vegetarian Education Group offered food and information in Phoenixville, PA. The Peace Abbey Retreat Center in Sherborn, MA invited welcomed people to try delicious vegan delicacies from various vendors and gourmet chefs.

The First Unitarian-Universalist Society of San Francisco hosted a public vegan lunch with guest speakers. The St Louis Vegetarian Society held a vegan potluck open to the public in St. Louis. Supreme Master Ching Hai International Meditation in Waipahu, HI served home-cooked veg meals to homeless people. In Wasilla, AK, the Alaska Vegetarian Society welcomed the public for a veg meal and discussions. In Washington, DC, FARM staff and volunteers hosted a feed-in at a massive peace rally, encouraging a non-violent diet with vegan food and information (check out the report with photos). Compassion Over Killing also got active in the nation’s capital, distributing mock meat samples and Veg Guides at the DC St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Nearly 70 people hosted workplace feed-ins to introduce co-workers to the many benefits of a plant-based diet.

Some activists chose to spread the Meatout message with outstanding displays and/or exceptional creativity. The Boston Vegetarian Society arranged a captivating exhibit on animal agriculture and global warming in Harvard Square for two weeks. The Green Mountain Animal Defenders set up an exhibit in Burlington, VT. The Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition (MARC) hosted a Pro-Vegan Rally at Harvard Square in Cambridge. Activist David Olk organized a protest in front of the Ohio Meat Processors Association convention in Columbus, OH.  In Louisville, KY, PETA members in chicken costumes conducted a large banner drop over a busy overpass to sending a message about KFC Cruelty to the public.

Activist Dezeray Rubinchik in Philadelphia, PA coordinated a massive “die-in” at City Hall. Mobilization for Animals and Hugs for Puppies educated thousands in Philadelphia about the cruel realities of animal agriculture with 10 huge displays and large screen monitors along public sidewalks throughout the city. Angie Greico and Susan Hargreaves organized the “Eat Green Brigade” for St. Patrick’s Day, asking people to go green and distributing Tofurky samples in West Palm Beach, FL.

Walks carried the Meatout message to hundreds, spreading compassion and raising crucial funds. Ashley Carver and the Power of One group at Florida Gulf Coast University coordinated a walk in Ft Meyers, FL. Kira Vincent and In Solidarity With Animals (ISWA) rounded others in support of carry the message through downtown Houston, TX. Diana Allan and the Animal Angel Activists hosted a walk in Redondo Beach, FL.

Seventy-five universities and colleges participated in this year’s observance. In Albuquerque, Adriana Martin and the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) offered delicious vegan food, videos, and literature to students at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Activist Mark Crimaudo distributed vegan food and literature throughout Meatout week at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Kayla Worden with Mercy For Animals also conducted outreach on the UNC-Asheville campus with an information table, showing pro-veg videos and giving away food and literature. In Athens, GA, Speak Out for Species put on an all-day event at the University of Georgia. Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary set up at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Vasiliki Murray and students at the Montana State University in Bozer set up a table and leafleted on campus. Students Improving the Lives of Animals hosted Meatout at the University of Illinois in Champaign. In Cleveland, OH the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) organized a fundraising vegan bake sale at Case Western Reserve University Law School University.

Judith Babb arranged a vegan potluck and hosted Jon Camp of Vegan Outreach to speak at Iowa State University in Des Moines. The Students for Animal Defense hosted a table at a pre-spring break event held by the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL, collecting signatures for a cruelty-free alternative to the traditional “pig roast” held each year. Activist Jim Skirha also distributed info at the College of DuPage, in addition to conducting a radio interview and other outreach efforts throughout the month. The Vegetarian Club at Hawai`i Pacific University set up an exhibit at the mall and held a series of Meatout events on campus, encouraging students to sign up for a Meatout Challenge in Honolulu.

Students Promoting Awareness In Defense of Animals held an info table, video screening, and bake sale at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. Sam Houston State UniversityVeg for P.E.A.C.E. hosted a film showing, lecture and a public vegan meal on campus in Huntsville, TX. In Kalamazoo, TX, Students Promoting Animal Respect & Kindness (SPARK) handed out information in pig costumes on campus at Western Michigan University. The Fargo-Moorhead Vegetarians & Vegans (FMVeg) got active at Minnesota State University in Moorhead. In Peoria, AZ, the Animal Welfare Association leafleted, provided food, samples and more at Arizona State University West. Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (SETA) coordinated with food staff and providers at Ursuline College in Pepperpike, OH to ensure veg meals on for Meatout Day.

In Portland, OR, Vegans for Animal Advocacy hosted a festival at Portland State University. Brown AnimalRights Club coordinated a vegan dinner at Brown University in Providence, RI. Humanity for Animals and the Penn State Veg*n Club brought Meatout to Penn State, leading to a rebuttal event by agriculture students on campus. Animal Rights Coalition at Swarthmore College in PA educated many. Colleen Mulcahey and others partnered with Florida Voices for Animals to set up a display at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals got active on the University of North Carolina Wilmington campus. The UA Vegetarians, Vegans and their Allied Community hosted an info table, seminars and a potluck. The Environmental & Animal Rights Coalition played “Meet Your Meat” throughout the day on campus at Youngstown State University in OH.

Youth outreach has become increasingly popular, as educational events took place throughout 50 elementary, middle, and high schools. Student Advocates for the Protection of Animals gave out vegan food and info to students at Carlmont High in Belmont, CA. In Clearwater, FL, Student's Coalition for Animal Rights hosted a screening of Earthlings at Dunedin High. The Builder's Club at West Point Middle School in Lanexa, VA distributed info and encouraged the cafeteria to serve vegan options. Fala Givens with Concerned Students for Animals leafleted and distributed food to fellow high school students in Montgomery, AL. Andy Mars with KidsMakeADifference.org hosted an educational presentation to hundreds of high school students followed by vegan food samples during lunch hour. Teacher Josh Zalaski and senior Allie Petit organized a Meatout table outside the cafeteria at Plainville High School in South Windsor, CT. Jesse Miller got active at Leto High School in Tampa, FL. More schools across the U.S. took part.

PETA activists jumped on board with a dozen KFC protests. Nearly a hundred humane societies, animal sanctuaries, and yoga centers offered free Veg Starter Guides to visitors. Fifty health food stores, cafés and restaurants hosted activities displayed Meatout exhibits and offered special discounts. Participating stores include Komak's Café (Ashland, OR), Squeaker's Café & Health Food (Bowling Green, OH), Four Seasons Market (Branford, CT), Chicago Diner (Chicago, IL), Alice & Friends Vegetarian Café (Chicago, IL), Healthy Alternative! (Dayton, OH), The Whole Wheatery (Lancaster, CA), Sweet Melissa's (Laramie, WY), Lush! Tysons (McLean, VA), Riverwest Co-op Café (Milwaukee, WI), Jeny's Java Joint (Palmyra, NJ), Natural Goodness Market & Café (Philadelphia, PA), People's Organic Food Co-op (San Diego, CA), Java Green Organic Eco Café (Washington, DC), Nature's Express (Yuma, AZ). Vegan Etsy (www.etsy.com), a group of completely vegan shops, joined in to promote Meatout and offer discounts.

International representation made Meatout 2008 a worldwide success with participation from groups in 27 countries in addition to the U.S.. Canada was represented with a number of events, including Wild At Heart Canada ‘s 3rd annual Meatout celebration in Toronto featuring food, raffles and fun. Adriana De La Garza represented Chile with educational activities in downtown Santiago. Animal Friends Croatia made a big impact in Zagreb with a large public feed-in. France and Germany (www.meatout.de) participated with their own Meatout websites with dozens of posted events on each site. Nearly 20 events took place throughout India including, info tables, leafleting, rallies, demos and festivals.

Netherlands activist Carin Galstaun dressed up in a chicken costume and posted Meatout signs throughout the cities of Haque, Utrecht, Arnhem and Nijmegen. Karen Johnson with ELATED (Enhancing the Lives of Animals Through Ethical Decisions) conducted outreach in Cape Town, South Africa. Exciting events took place throughout the UK. Viva! organizedThe Incredible Veggie Roadshow in Northampton, England offering food tastings, cooking demos, talks, free diet and health advice and much more. The Vegetarian Society of Bermuda got active in Hamilton, educating others and serving food.

AnimaNaturalis held creative events in Argentina, Mexico and Spain. In Buenos Aires, activists displayed themselves as “meat” in large trays. In Mexico City Leonora Esquivel and others hosted a Meatout celebration with music and “Vegetable Girls” educating others. In Cuernavaca, Mexico, independent activist Jan Paul Mosterd Ibarr organized a public recreation of a murder scene with activists holding "meat is murder" signs and handing out leaflets. AnimaNaturalis  activities in Barcelona received significant press, with ladies in vegetable costumes distributing leaflets and food, followed by 40 activists carrying signs in support.

Other participating countries include Australia, China, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Singapore and Uganda.

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Meatout 2008 is sponsored by:

 

 

Supporting Meatout Manufacturers donated their delicious products to demonstrate that great health can also have great taste! Special thanks our Supporting Manufacturers: