IDA - Bay Area Events

IDA EVENTS
1. Thousands Enjoy World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco
2. World GO VEGAN Days Are Almost Here
3. Benefit Concert for IDA
4. Join IDA in SF's Union Square this Fur Free Friday

OTHER BAY AREA EVENTS TO HELP ANIMALS
1. Compassionate Cooks' October Cooking Class: "Comfort Food for
Chilly Autumn Nights"
2. Protest Animal Experimentation at UCSF
3. Theater Benefit for Romanian Animal Rescue
4. Have Fun at the 13th Annual Pet Pride Day
5. Meet & Greet Alley Cat Rescue
6. Vote NO on Proposition 90

IDA EVENTS

1. Thousands Enjoy World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco

The World Vegetarian Day celebration in San Francisco
(http://www.sfvs.org/wvd/WVDProgram2006.pdf) co-presented by the San
Francisco Vegetarian Society (SFVS) ( http://www.sfvs.org ) and IDA on
Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st brought
thousands of visitors to the San Francisco County Fair Building
in beautiful Golden Gate Park for two days of activities
promoting health and compassion for animals.

While perusing the many vendor and non-profit booths in the main
hall, visitors enjoyed enticing food samples ranging from Maggie
Mudd's ( http://www.maggiemudd.com ) dairy-free ice cream to Cavi.art
( http://caviart.dynamicweb.dk/Default.asp?ID=39 ), a vegan caviar
substitute. Many also attended the fascinating cooking demos
with some of the Bay Area's top vegan chefs.

There was also lots of great entertainment. The Eco Fashion Show
directed by Nzuri, professional cosmetologist and owner of Light
Touch Natural Hair Salon, featured models wearing a colorful
array of casual and elegant attire using natural material and
cosmetics. Wayne Huey, a vegan Chinese acrobat, astounded the
crowd with his incredible displays of agility. Dancers and
musicians also performed, including acclaimed recording artist
Nellie McKay ( http://www.nelliemckay.com ), who played a short set of
animal-themed songs on Saturday evening to thunderous applause.
Just before she got behind the piano, IDA founder and President
Dr. Elliot Katz presented Ms. McKay with a Distinguished
Guardian Award for using her notoriety to advocate for animals.

The OrganicAthlete ( http://www.organicathlete.org ) Conference on
Saturday afternoon included speakers and presentations from top
vegan athletes, proving to people that one can achieve peak
physical form on a purely plant-based diet. The highlight of the
weekend was the many world-renowned speakers who gave inspiring
and informative talks, including John Robbins
( http://www.foodrevolution.org ), Howard Lyman ( http://www.madcowboy.com ), Dr.
Alan Goldhamer
( http://www.healthpromoting.com/Articles/articles/meet.htm ), Dr. Joel
Fuhrman ( http://www.drfuhrman.com ), Dr. Doug Graham
( http://www.doctorgraham.cc ), Dr. Milton Mills
( http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm06winter/mills.html ) and many more. Go
Vegan Radio host Bob Linden ( http://www.goveganradio.com ) acted as the
emcee, introducing many of the speakers with his unique brand of
humor and insight.

At the IDA table, people learned how they could help animals
through adopting a vegan diet and pick up free literature on a
range of important issues. Our "Go Vegan and No Body Gets Hurt"
t-shirts were a particularly popular item for those wanting to
express their values by wearing a compassionate message. Many
people stopped by the table to thank IDA for co-sponsoring the
event and for being there to represent the animals. We are
grateful for these wonderful opportunities to talk with people
about respecting animals and living a cruelty-free lifestyle.

2. World GO VEGAN Days Are Almost Here

IDA's World GO VEGAN Days ( http://www.worldgovegandays.com ) -- October
27, 28 and 29 -- are just around the corner, so start making
your plans now. During this three-day celebration of health and
compassion, participating restaurants will offer meat eaters
discounted vegan meals when dining with a vegan. Restaurants
will also present World GO VEGAN Days Specials made without
meat, dairy, eggs or other animal products that highlight the
versatility of plant-based foods, from vegetables and grains to
mock meats and cheeses.

This is a great opportunity to share some of the benefits of
being vegan with family and friends by enjoying delicious food
together. If being vegan has changed your life for the better,
let others know about it so that they, the animals and the
planet can also benefit.

What You Can Do:

This World GO VEGAN Days, show good friends and favorite family
members that being kind to animals starts with not eating them.
There are many ways to get involved:

- Have a nice sit-down meal at a restaurant serving a World GO
VEGAN Days special. Find participating Bay Area restaurants and
learn how to get restaurants in your neighborhood to join
( http://www.idausa.org/vegandays/restaurant_specials.html ).

- If you prefer the comforts of home, host a dinner. Try a full
three days' worth of healthy and easy-to-prepare vegan recipes
courtesy of Compassionate Cooks
( http://www.idausa.org/vegandays/comp_cook.html ), from French
toast and fajitas to Magic Chocolate Cake.

- Send family and friends an eCard reminder that World GO VEGAN
Days is coming ( http://www.idausa.org/ecards )

Get more ideas for World GO VEGAN Days activities
( http://www.idausa.org/vegandays/action.html )

3. Benefit Concert for IDA

On Saturday, November 4th, flutist and composer Carol Alban,
IDA's Guardian of the Month for October
( http://www.guardiancampaign.com/guardianofmonth.htm ), will play her
second benefit concert to support IDA's campaigns for animals.
The performance will again take place at the Chapel of the
Chimes ( http://www.chapelofthechimes.com/oakland/index.html# ), a
beautiful building in Oakland's Piedmont neighborhood filled
with skylights, stone-carved archways and stained-glass windows.
The recital will also feature Dylan Snodgrass on piano, Suellen
Primost on cello, Nancy Tyler on flute and Ma Jie on pipa.

A classically trained musician, Alban began playing piano and
flute at the age of nine, and studied under many accomplished
classical musicians while pursuing her degree at San Francisco
State University. She has played flute on a variety of CDs and
recorded three albums featuring her own compositions. Visit
http://www.myspace.com/carolalban to hear some of her music, then join
us at her live performance.

What: IDA benefit concert featuring Carol Alban and friends
When: Saturday, November 4th at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Chapel of the Chimes ( http://tinyurl.com/ja3a3 ), 4499
Piedmont Avenue, Oakland

Admission is a suggested donation of $10 - $20 with all
proceeds donated towards IDA's campaigns to help animals.

4. Join IDA in SF's Union Square this Fur Free Friday

Every year on the day after Thanksgiving for the last two
decades, thousands of people around the U.S. have held
demonstrations, marches, vigils and other activities for Fur
Free Friday to protest a global multi-billion dollar industry
that kills over 40 million animals annually. Holding this
national day of action on the busiest shopping day of the year
allows activists to reach the greatest number of consumers,
including those who may be thinking about buying fur as a gift
or for their own use.

Purchasing and/or wearing products made with real animal fur
directly supports the suffering of animals caught in traps or
snares, confined in tiny cages and ultimately the brutal methods
of slaughter employed all over the world. Torturing animals for
fashion simply isn't right. By refusing to support and promote
the use of fur in fashion, we can reduce the suffering inflicted
upon millions of innocent animals every year.

What You Can Do:

- Join IDA and other anti-fur advocates this Fur Free Friday as
we urge shoppers to never buy fur or products with fur trim.

What: Fur Free Friday 2006 demonstration
When: Friday, November 24th, 2006, 11:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Where: Center of Union Square ( http://tinyurl.com/rotd2 ), San
Francisco

Please wear all black and dress business casual to the event. To
get more information on this and other events nationwide, visit
http://www.furkills.org/events.shtml or call Melissa Gonzalez at (415)
448-0078.

- Pick up a copy of the latest issue of Herbivore magazine
( http://www.herbivoremagazine.com ) to read "Those Meddling Kids:
Portland activists give furrier the what for" by IDA's Northwest
Coordinator Matt Rossell, who once worked undercover at an
Oregon fur farm.

- Learn more about the cruelty involved in fur production at
http://www.furkills.org and watch footage of fur farms in China from
IDA's Undercover TV ( http://www.undercovertv.org/WatchVideos.php )

OTHER BAY AREA EVENTS TO HELP ANIMALS

1. Compassionate Cooks' October Cooking Class: "Comfort Food for
Chilly Autumn Nights"

As the days begin to get shorter and the nights longer (and
cooler), join IDA-sponsored Compassionate Cooks
( http://www.compassionatecooks.com ) for their next vegan cooking class,
"Comfort Food for Chilly Autumn Nights," and learn to make five
delicious, nutritious dishes including Hearty Three-Bean Chili,
Mushroom Risotto, Peanut Pumpkin Soup, Grilled Polenta, and
Farm-Fresh Applesauce with Caramelized Pecans. This class will
also feature a special taste test of various farmers' market
apples and their uses in cooking, baking and eating. This is a
wonderful class for learning to make those foods that warm us
from the inside out.

Using local, in-season, mostly organic ingredients,
Compassionate Cooks features easy-to-prepare recipes and debunks
myths about plant-based diets. Join the class in October for
yummy food samples and a lot of fun!

What: Compassionate Cooks' October Cooking Class: "Comfort Food
for Chilly Autumn Nights"
When: Saturday, October 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: The First Unitarian Church of Oakland
( http://uuoakland.org/directions.htm ), 685 14th Street (at
Castro), Oakland

The cost of the class is $45, plus $5 food/materials fee due
on the day of class. Be sure to register in advance by October
13th either online ( http://www.compassionatecooks.com/reg.htm ) or by
calling (510) 531-COOK. You can also sign up for a cooking
series. Check out class packages at
http://www.compassionatecooks.com/deals.htm .

2. Protest Animal Experimentation at UCSF

IDA has long worked with other animal advocates to hold the
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) accountable for
the animal abuse taking place daily in their laboratories. In
2004, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) charged UCSF
with 75 violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Given UCSF's
long and sordid history
( http://www.vivisectioninfo.org/ucsf/index.html ) of abuse, secrecy and
deceit, it appears that the USDA's charges represent only the
tip of the iceberg. The animal research subjects at UCSF,
silenced and imprisoned inside their cages, desperately need us
to speak out for them.

What You Can Do:

- Attend the next demonstration against animal experimentation
at UCSF:

What: Demonstration against UCSF animal experimentation
When: Thursday, October 19th from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Where: UCSF's Parnassus Campus, 513 Parnassus Ave.
( http://tinyurl.com/rpyyc ), San Francisco

For more information, contact Vigil For Animals' Bob O'Brien at
vigilforanimals [at] yahoo.com or (415) 751-3756.

- Contact the USDA and urge them to start a formal investigation
of UCSF to ensure that they are in full compliance with the
AWA's Specifications for the Humane Handling, Care and Treatment
of Nonhuman Primates.

Dr. Robert Gibbens, Supervisor
USDA-Animal Care
2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, MS 3W11
Fort Collins, CO 80526

- Read the latest edition of Vigil For Animals' newsletter,
First Do No Harm. The August issue includes an eye-opening
article called "Life as a Monkey in a Research Lab" by Dr.
Viktor Reinhardt, who was an ethologist and clinical
veterinarian at the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center
from 1984 to 1994 and now works with the Animal Welfare
Institute ( http://www.awionline.org ). Contact Vigil For Animals
( vigilforanimals [at] yahoo.com ) to get a free copy mailed to your
address.

3. Theater Benefit for Romanian Animal Rescue

Romania Animal Rescue (RAR) ( http://www.romaniaanimalrescue.com )
presents an evening at the theater to raise money for homeless
animals in Eastern Europe. The performance, "Romania - Beyond
Dracula," is directed by Silvian Centiu, star of the hit play "A
Transylvanian in Silicon Valley" ( http://www.atransylvanian.com ), a
harrowing and hilarious tale of his emigration from Ceausescu's
Romania to seek a better life in California.

Funds raised from the performance will support RAR's ongoing
efforts to help homeless animals. Many shelters in Romania are
overcrowded with as many as ten dogs living in pens smaller than
15 square feet. Proceeds from this special performing arts event
will help establish comprehensive spay/neuter programs and
provide food and medical attention for homeless animals in
Romania.

What: RAR theater fundraiser: "Romania - Beyond Dracula"
When: Saturday, October 28th at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center
( http://www.fortmason.org/performingarts/cowell.shtml ), San Francisco

Tickets are $25 apiece advanced purchase, $30 at the door.
Order tickets
( http://www.romaniaanimalrescue.com/fundraising.htm#romfest )

4. Have Fun at the 13th Annual Pet Pride Day

Pet Pride Day is a festive and free event sponsored annually by
San Francisco Animal Care and Control (ACC)
( http://www.sfgov.org/site/acc_index.asp ). This year's celebration
features fun activities like the ever-popular Halloween pet
costume contest, animal talent competitions, kids' activities
and exciting raffle prizes. Awards will also be presented to the
dedicated animal rescue groups who work with ACC to help some of
San Francisco's neediest animals.

Guardians and their animal companions are welcome to join in the
celebration. In addition, potential guardians will be able to
meet some of ACC's most eligible/adoptable animals during the
"ACC Dating Game."

What: ACC's 13th annual Pet Pride Day
When: Sunday, October 29th (registration: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00
noon, events: 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m.)
Where: Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park
( http://www.parks.sfgov.org/site/recpark_page.asp?id=25945 )

This event is free to all, but donations will benefit the
Friends of San Francisco Animal Care and Control
( http://www.FSFACC.org ), a nonprofit organization that raises funds for
ACC's shelter projects and programs and nonprofit rescue
partners.

Learn more about Pet Pride Day
( http://www.sfgov.org/site/acc_index.asp?id=34793 )

5. Meet & Greet Alley Cat Rescue

Alley Cat Rescue (ACR) ( http://www.saveacat.org ), one of the
largest cat protection organizations in the nation, is hosting
an evening of socializing and snacks in the Bay Area. This group
has helped many local cat advocates in the ongoing effort to
save feral cats in San Francisco.

The president of ACR, Louise Holton, is a co-founder of Alley
Cat Allies, but decided to split off and start ACR. Ms. Holton
will talk about ACR and then the trap-neuter-return movement as
it has changed over the last 16 years.

What: An evening with Alley Cat Rescue
When: Thursday, November 16th from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1221 Chess Drive
( http://tinyurl.com/pkmfd ), Foster City

There will be vegan snacks and great opportunities to network
with other cat advocates. Please RSVP by contacting Alley Cat
Rescue at AlleyCatRescue [at] gmail.com or (301) 277-5595 if you plan
to attend.

6. Vote NO on Proposition 90

Proposition 90, backed by wealthy developers on the November 7th
California ballot, is a serious danger to the state's
environment and wildlife. By requiring the state to compensate
private property owners for ANY changes in land use, Proposition
90 would block environmental protection and health measures on
all private lands in California. This would make it far more
difficult to set aside land for wildlife, protect the habitat of
endangered species, and enforce clean air and water laws. It
would also likely force taxpayers to pay land speculators and
developers billions of dollars in settlements.

In 2004, a measure similar to Proposition 90 passed in Oregon.
In less than two years, wealthy developers in that state have
filed over 2,200 claims demanding more than $5 billion in
compensation from local taxpayers. Oregon communities can no
longer regulate growth and development in a way that protects
their way of life, and urban sprawl now threatens Oregon's
precious wildlife habitat and open spaces. We cannot allow these
out-of-state extremists to line their pockets by despoiling
California.

What You Can Do:

Protect California's natural areas and wildlife by voting NO on
Proposition 90.

Visit http://www.noprop90.com to learn more about Proposition 90 and
how you can help stop it.