WMARA March Meeting - 3/21, 6:00-7:30 @ Cafe Evolution!

[Sheryl Becker]

Hello WMARA Members,

Sorry I didn't send this sooner (things have been hectic!). So our March meeting will be Thursday, March 21st, 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! Remember....the cafe closes at 6:00.

Agenda topics/events (so far):

* Film Screening (film to be announced very soon!) - April 6th, 1:00 @ Forbes Library, Northampton!

* AASC (Animal Advocates of Smith College) - events and collaboration plans
* Leafleting on campuses - April 10th-12th

* Valley VegFest - March 2014!

* New website for vegetarians/vegans in Western MA - http://www.valleyveg.org/!

* Legislation (w/ Linda Huebner, MSPCA Deputy Director of Advocacy)

* Other Items

* Discussion

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

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NEWS/EVENTS:

Unfortunately we have been having trouble finding a film for the 4/6 screening, but will confirm one very soon! The originally planned film, "Beyond The Myth", has a very expensive screening rights fee, so we had to cancel that one. But we'll be working with the MSPCA (Linda Huebner) and Dakin Humane Society (Liz Collins) to show it at Dakin in the fall sometime. So the second film we tried for, "Lion Ark", is not even done yet! (They didn't return calls or emails so I was in limbo for a while). Now we're going for "One Lucky Elephant" or "How I Became an Elephant"...whichever we can get soonest! So sorry about this, but I'll let you all know ASAP which film we'll show, along with flyers to post/send.

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, on Chapin Lawn.

The MSPCA will hold Lobby 101 Animal Advocacy Workshops throughout Western MA this month: Northampton - 3/14; Barre - 3/20; Pittsfield - 3/28. See more at http://support.mspca.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=25101.0&dlv_id=50981.

This Sunday, March 10th, 5:30-7:30, is the March Valley Vegan Society Potluck! See https://www.bigtent.com/groups/valleyvegan for more details.

The Valley Ana Wolf, a WMARA member, would like to invite you to a "Vegan Potluck for Vegans and Veg-Curious (With Lots of Raw!)" at her home in Worthington on March 30th @ 5:00pm. More info. is at https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/422568447831462/. Please feel free to invite anyone who may be on the fence.

Worcester VegFest - April 14th, 11:00-5:00 at Worcester Regional Airport. See http://worcestervegfest.com/ for more info. WMARA will have a table there! If you'd like to help, please let me know.

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 Amherst Sustainability Festival - April 27th, 10:00-4:00 on Amherst Town Common. More info. at http://www.amherstma.gov/index.aspx?NID=683

Hope to see you on the 21st!

For the Animals,

Sheryl
(413) 374-1921