WMARA APRIL MEETING - 4/18, 6:00-7:30 @ Cafe Evolution.​..& UPCOMING EVENTS!

[Sheryl Becker]

Hello Everyone,

Happy spring! :) Now that it's finally warming up, we can do more outside for the animals!

Mark your calendars for our April meeting will be Thursday, April 18th, 6:00-7:30 (optional social dinner 5:00-6:00) @ Cafe Evolution (directions at http://cafe-evolution.com/directions/). Remember to bring your appetite for some delicious vegan food! (Cafe closes at 6:00).

Agenda topics (so far) & upcoming events:

• New WMARA site & cards! http://wmaraweb.org/. Still incomplete, but should be done soon! Cards will be in by April 14th.
• New website for vegetarians/vegans in Western MA - http://www.valleyveg.org/!
• Help needed for Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale - April 21st, 1-4, Pulaski Park (Noho) (More info. below) http://www.veganbakesale.org/veganbakesale/index.html
• Valley VegFest - March 2014! Next planning meeting - April 7th, 6:00 @ Cafe Evolution. Join https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/valleyvegfest!
• Film Screening - June or July? Please share your suggestions! (More info. below)
• Legislation (w/ Linda Huebner, MSPCA Deputy Director of Advocacy) - http://www.mspca.org/programs/animal-protection-legislation/government-affairs/current-legislation/
• Leafleting on campuses (with Vegan Outreach) - April 10th & 11th. (More info. below)
• Worcester VegFest - April 14th, 11-5, Worcester Regional Airport - http://worcestervegfest.com/
• AASC (Animal Advocates of Smith College) - see events on their Facebook page. AASC Earth Week table @ Smith College, April 15-19th - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UN2F1aMxFeDpZVA5z3tvZq6kFuEeb6bory24dnQXQlQ/viewform.
• Humane Lobby Day - April 25th, 11:00-?, Beacon Hill (More info. below)
• Animal Systems Conference - April 20-21; Marlborough, MA; http://www.animalsinthesystem.com/
• Amherst Sustainability Fair - April 27th, 10-4. CANOPY NEEDED!!! Please let me know if you can loan one. Thanks!
• Melha Shrine Circus protests - May 2-5, West Springfield
• The Puppy Place protests - May 5th, 1-3 & June 14th, 12-2. Directions at http://www.thepuppyplacema.com/location-directions-contact-us.html
• Other Items
• Discussion

Please let me know if you would like to add anything.

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NEWS/EVENTS:

Leafleting with Vegan Outreach at local colleges will be:

• April 10th - 9-12, Holyoke Community College & 12:30-3:30, Westfield State University
• April 11th - 9-12, Western New England Univ. & 12:30-3:30, Springfield College

Contact Karen James at karen...@charter.net for more info.

Check out Animal Advocates of Smith College (AASC) at https://www.facebook.com/aadvocates?fref=ts! They have some great events planned and are working with RAVE and WMARA on projects too. Check them out at Smith College Earth Week, April 15-19, 12:00-1:00 on Chapin Lawn. "Will include a trivia game, educational handouts, a short film, and veggie sushi making." You go, girls! :)

Help is still needed with the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale (http://www.veganbakesale.org/veganbakesale/index.html) on Sunday, April 21, 12-4 at Pulaski Park! Please let Jennifer know at jenn...@bravebirds.org ASAP if you can help, especially with the baked goods! The VINE Sanctuary, in Springfield, VT, is participating in the Bake Sale this year. They have a couple of venues in Vermont too, but decided to extend down into Western Mass this year.
They need help in 3 areas:
(1) People to help with tabling, esp. at the beginning and the end, with set-up and dismantling;
(2) Portable tables (1 or 2), and transporting them to & from the bake sale, plus, if you're tabling, your own chair; and...
(3) Baked goods, of course!!

Humane Lobby Day (Beacon Hill) is April 25th...save the date! More info. can be found at http://www.mspca.org/programs/animal-protection-legislation/government-affairs/animal-action-team/lobby-day-2013-1.html or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/109134935923270/?fref=ts.

WMARA will have a table again at the Amherst Sustainability Festival on April 27th, 10:00-4:00 on Amherst Town Common - http://www.amherstma.gov/index.aspx?NID=683. If anyone has a canopy that we can borrow for this event, please let me know ASAP. I'd GREATLY appreciate it!

Sorry to say the spring film screening is still on hold, as I've been bogged down with the new WMARA website and all the upcoming events. But I'd still like to do it early June...if enough people can help organize it. I'd love the next one to be about either animals in entertainment or the environmental impacts of non-vegan food. I have a few free ones in mind: "River of Waste", "Planeat", "Saving America's Horses" "A Delicate Balance", and "Meat the Truth". Even if you can't help organize, please share your ideas and input. Thanks!

Hope to see you soon!

For the Animals,

Sheryl
(413) 374-1921