Florida Voices for Animals, Inc. PO Box 17523 Tampa FL 33682 www.FloridaVoicesForAnimals.org fvaonline@yahoo.com

727-656-8368 Jan/Feb/Mar 2016

FVA’s Have-A-Heart Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction

FVA is delighted to have Victoria Moran from New York City as our guest speaker for our annual Have-A-Heart Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction. Victoria Moran has been a Main Street Vegan for 31 years and is an obesity survivor, maintaining a 60+-pound weight loss for all this time. She’s the bestselling author of twelve books, including Creating a

Charmed Life (in 30 languages around the world) and the plant-based weight loss classic, The Love-Powered

Diet, and the iconic Main Street Vegan. Her latest book is The Good Karma Diet: Eat Gently, Feel Amazing,

Age in Slow Motion Her topic will be The Heart of the Matter where she talks about animals and the heart connection and also the vegan lifestyle.

Trang Viet Cuisine, Sunday, Feb 28th, 2016

NOTE NEW TIME ===> 2:30p-6p <=== NOTE NEW TIME 1524 E Fowler Ave

Tampa, FL Suggested donations: $26 (RSVP before Feb 27th) and $36 at the door. Students $16 Donations for the Silent Auction accepted. Please contact FVA to arranged when they can be picked up since we need time to fill out the auction sheet for them.

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FVA’s BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Myriam Parham—President

Diane Koon—Vice President/Secretary Marie Galbraith —Treasurer

Trevor Chin

Suzanne House

Isabelle Tassi

Kim Gronemeyer

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Trevor Chin—Publisher Myriam Parham— Editor

Brenda McGehee—Editor

BOARD ADVISORS

Hussein Mourtada

Susannah Sherman

Bob Shepherd

Tom Bird

Ellen Jaffe Jones

Mindi Lasley—Legal Counsel

Thanks to the FVA Volunteers!

Circus McGurkis Tabling:

Marie Galbraith Tom Girouard Vicky Halley

Diane Koon Pat Montgomery Pamela Swaim

Fur-Free Friday Demo:

Selma Algur Denise Anderson Diane Bonuiso Trevor Chin Donna Grace Linda Harsin Suzanne House

Ellen Jaffe Jones Sadie Katz Hussein Mourtada Myriam Parham Hili Puro Debbie White

Puppy-Mill Demo:

Denise Anderson Gilli Bekhor Hadar Bekhor Trevor Chin Marie Galbraith Donna Grace Linda Harsin Lin Kay

Diane Koon Ellen Jaffe Jones Monnie Levin Annette McMahon Hussein Mourtada Spencer Sherman Susannah Sherman

Tampa Bay Veg Fest Special Thanks:

11/4 - Mark Reinfeld & Jo-Ann McArthur on WMNF Talking Animals with Duncan Strauss 11/3 - Evelisse Capo & Suzanne House on Ch 10 Live(Lisa Rau) - cooking demo promoting TBVF Justin Randolph & Evelisse Capo on Hawk Radio

with Joel Chudnow 11/7 - Jo-Ann McArthur - Ch 13 TBVF interview 11/7 - Diane Koon - Ch 8 interview at VF Kim Gronemeyer - PSA on WMNF promoting TBVF Paige Butterfield—2 Creative Loafing articles on TBVF Vegan Mermaid - article on TBVF

The Unwanted By Hussein Mourtada

I exist but you do not want me to I did not ask to be born Yet here I am Every moment of my life is dangerous When I sleep When I look for food or eat When I look for water or drink I am usually attacked by predators I try to build a nest/home But you knock it down You destroy my habitat in the name of progress But when I try to settle or rebuild somewhere else You do not let me And you call me a pest I try to perch, climb or hide But you scare me off I talk to you But you do not understand I forage because I'm hungry or thirsty You offer me food and water But you are just trying to get rid of me Because you poison me And you hunt me You use many colorful words To describe what you do to me Manage, Cull, Harvest, Take These are only a few of them But the truth is Those words only mean one thing Murder: Premeditated Killing You show no compassion to me You do not tolerate me You call me a pest And you do not want me to exist I am a bear I am a bird I am a rodent I am an animal, bird or reptile I am a sentient being But you cannot tolerate me I did not ask to exist Yet here I am And you do not want me to exist You call yourself Human And say you are Humane Does that mean to be: Intolerant Hateful Selfish Murderer If someone else did this to you Would you call it Humane?

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Thanks from ThanksVegan

Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors and donors who made FVA’s 10th Annual ThanksVegan Feast possible! This year, 261 people came together on Thanksgiving Day at the Unitarian Universalist Church of

Tampa to feast on gravy-smothered vegan meats and roasts donated by Gardein, Field Roast and Tofurky, smashed potatoes and apple-walnut stuffing from Nature’s Food Patch, rolls from Sami’s Bakery, organic coffee from Java Planet, juices from Publix, divine little cupcakes from New Leaf Elementals, So Delicious ice cream and Coco Whip, Go Macro Bars, and a cornucopia of home-cooked fall dishes and desserts, including Trevor

Chin’s famous chocolate pies. We also thank the following donors for contributing door prizes: Borda Salon, Duncan Strauss, Talking

Animals (WMNF 88.5 FM), Dustin Rudolph (plantbasedpharmacist.com), Nutrition S’Mart-Wesley Chapel and Stasia’s Organic Salon. Finally, hats off to the tireless volunteers and the strength of FVA for continuing to offer Tampa’s only community all-vegan Thanskgiving dinner! If we have inadvertently forgotten to include someone on this list, will you please let us know?

Barbara Acosta Lori Alvarez Ted Andresen Kristen Baker Maria Bott Cherie Boyd Chris Cargo Nick Cerlan Trevor Chin Michelle Compton Deb Del Sole Lady Di Holly DiDomenico Heather Doherty Shawn Dworkin Anna Egelfeld Jacqueline Egelfeld Jennifer Egelfeld Jerry Egelfeld Marie Galbraith Joe Gerardi Chris Heil Michelle Heil-LaFleur

Amanda Hill Jessi Hill Tyler Hill Susan Holl Suzanne House Jim Janolek Ellen Jones Loukas Kamelaris Garett Lentz Tom Lyons Susan McClung Brooke Monakey Jessica Moreira Jim Murphy Melissa Murphy Dan Murren Holly Murren Liam Murren Natalie Murren Remy Murren Robert Nye Leslie Pandolfo Maxine Ross Steve Scharmer

Cindy Schneider Sam Sherman Sarah Sherman Spencer Sherman Susannah Sherman Claire Shirilla Amber Simpson Adrian Spencer Brad Stager, Tribune Reporter John Stocksdale Julie Stocksdale Aysha Tenouri Meredith Tenouri Nadia Tenouri Tom Thompson Josh Tirotta Dave Urschel Jake Valdes Jackie Valenzuela Samantha Wabi Vinnie Wabi Michelle Winarsky Joan Zacharias

***Thinking about volunteering for the 11th Annual ThanksVegan Feast? Contact thanksvegan@gmail.com.*** Joan Zacharias

The Tenouri family, Trevor Chin and Lori Alvarez, DVM

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Going Vegan for the Holidays

Most weight gain, studies show, happens during the holidays. But you can stuff your face, not stuff a turkey that had to die for stuffing (Google it) and eat to your healthy heart’s content. Starting with the day before Thanksgiving, the phone rang with a request from a Tampa TV station to do a story about what to make for vegans who come for dinner. I had come back 12 hours before from speaking at the Miami Seed

Food and Wine Festival, their VegFest. It was a bad hair day, but I clipped it back, remembered that from 18 years in TV news, nobody remembers what you look like in a potent 10 second interview, and within an hour the crew was there. To my surprise, the story that aired at different times on two different newscasts were long and full of multiple sound bites. No money in broccoli, but I definitely see signs that the interest in getting off animal agriculture is snowballing. The recent United Nations Climate Change Conference is the umpteenth time the world has tried to figure out how to address the growing body of scientific evidence that climate change is human-caused. An even larger snowballing movement is trying to get the world to sign on to what the United Nations has said for almost a decade: giving up animal agriculture will do more to reduce greenhouse gasses than giving up driving altogether. As a result, vegetarian, vegan or not, the interest in trying to reduce dependence on meat for protein is almost overwhelming. On Thanksgiving Day, I had the great pleasure of beginning the morning prepping a Quinoa Veggie

Stir-fry and then driving an hour to Tampa to a vegan potluck dinner where more than 260 others brought beautiful main courses, sides and desserts. One of my friends made 15 chocolate pies. Although I had been asked to give a short talk on my work, I jumped at the opportunity to serve vegan faux meats or meat analogues, as they are called. I had the extreme pleasure of volunteering to serve people, for the very first time, an alternative to turkey. One of the greatest paychecks of all time was watching their delight as they came through the line realizing that this deliciously prepared fake meat could actually work for them. We served three varieties: Gardein Chicken Scaloppini, Field Roast and Tofurkey. The latter two were stuffed. All of these companies donated huge amounts to the Tampa event, which was the 10th year at the Unitarian

Universalist church. My closest animal rights and environmental friends, who are also national speakers and authors are often very impatient with programs like “Meatless Mondays.” They say it encourages people to believe one day a week is fine to dump animals, but the rest of the week it’s OK. Over the weekend, organizers in local chapters of Direct Action

Everywhere staged peaceful protests at Whole Foods around the country protesting recent investigations which found that animals kept at supposedly “humane raised” farms were no different than the gruesome conditions found at conventional farms. As a former consumer reporter, I can say that charging more for humanely raised animals may be problematic if the conditions are not as advertised. Even at “humane farms,” beaks are trimmed without anesthesia so that the animals don’t peck themselves to death. These videos are so prolific on social media that mainstream consumers are reconnecting and reassessing food choices. Not long after my book, “Paleo Vegan” came out, National Geographic last year had a cover story, “The

Real Paleo Diet,” and practically quoting out of my book in a dozen places said, “The world can’t sustain a diet based on meat and dairy.” For athletes, getting enough protein is easy on a vegan diet. Even though I placed first in my age group last year in Florida in the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 meters, I don’t view myself as a great runner. I started competing to show that you can do fine “just” on plants. If you put on a few extra holiday pounds, know that a plant-based vegan diet can get you results. You can easily lose or gain weight on it. And everything in between. More importantly, you can sleep at night knowing that even indirectly, you are doing something to help the planet. As I am fond of saying, along with longtime activist “Mad Cowbody,” Howard Lyman in the spectacular movie “Cowspiracy,” “Don’t even begin to call yourself an environmentalist if you aren’t vegan.” Ellen Jaffe Jones

Illustration by Jennifer Egelfeld

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Ringling Circus Demo

In the first week of January, Ringling Brothers Circus comes to Tampa. FVA, Sarasota in

Defense of Animals (SDA), Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) and People for the Ethical

Treatment of Animals (PETA) members will be there at the Amalie Arena to protest. For every city that Ringling visits, there will be a dedicated group of animal rights activists protesting their use of wild animals in the name of entertainment.

Circus animals are born into captivity or kidnapped from their natural habitat and transported to the United States to service the entertainment industry. Many are baby elephants who were forced to watch as their mothers were slaughtered while trying to protect their young. Baby elephants bear that as their first trauma encountering the human species. They are then transported by ship to the U.S. Once they arrive, they then have to endure months of torture/training with a bullhook and/or electric prod to perform stupid tricks. All of this so that Ringling can make money.

Despite Ringling’s claims of treating the animals humanely, many former circus employees have revealed that there is continued abuse of the wild animals. Despite Ringling’s claims that they are educating the public, no one can learn anything watching an elephant pirouetting around a stool on one front leg while wearing a pink tutu. Despite Ringling’s claims of caring for people, they don’t let the public know that elephants are carriers of mycobacterium tuberculosis (M-TB), which is air-borne.

In 1994, Tyke the Elephant could no longer put up with the many years of abuse at the hands of her trainers. During her performance in Hawaii for Hawthorne Circus, she stopped her routine, crushed her trainer, Allen Campbell, and attacked two others. She ran into the streets during rush hour seeking freedom. She had already gotten her revenge on her trainer and the desire to get away from this torturous life was very strong. In her last day on this earth, the police shot her 87 times to stop her. She took nearly two hours to die, lonely and afraid...

In March 2015, Ringling announced they were retiring elephant acts in 2018. While we applaud this action, animal rights activists have been asking the question: Why not just do it now? We want all wild animal acts eliminated from the circus now. If you want to be a voice for these wild animals who cannot speak for or defend themselves, you’ll join us at our many protests when Ringling comes to town. Please make sure you join the FVA Meetup online so that you’ll get automatic email reminders of the demonstrations we’ll schedule. Trevor Chin

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Thanks to our Veg Fest Volunteers

We love our Veg Fest

Volunteers! Karen Almeida Lori Alvarez Isabelle Atchic Susan Bass Emma Becker Kyle Becker Jennifer Becker Rachel Berggren Tom Bird Danielle Blazier Dagny Boch Edward Brockhuizen Brian Brown Sharbett Burkett David Campbell Teresa Carlton Randy Carter Trevor Chin Joel Chudnow Joseph Cicolini Art Cordova Kevin Cullen Diana Daoud Damian Demogines Heather Doherty Pam Driggs Victoria Duke Anna Egelfeld Jacqueline Egelfeld Jennifer Egelfeld Jessi Eunheon Jason Fields Simone Ford Kira Foss Fran Frere Cintia Gahles Marie Galbraith Jackie Grimes Kim Gronemeyer Jarrett Guzman Christina Hargest Margaret Harris Steven Hatcher Catherine Heim Mark Hines-Cobb Suzanne House Angela Huether Karen James John Kahyaoglu Loukas Kamelaris Charlie Kelly Sue Kelly Diane Koon Tyler Knighton Johanna Lane Demetria Laousis

Amanda Triscritti Cathy Unruh Justine Villarreal Jenniffer Viracacha Julie Voye Curtis Whitman Molly Williford Tara Woodard Jessica Young Joan Zacharias Maria Zoledziewski

Amabel Latorre-Rodriguez Chris Lichfoldt Santos Lozada Tom Lyons Joyce McCarthy Kinsley McEachern Brenda McGehee Josh Makar Regina Marsh Florence Marsan Chai Masala Canaglia Kari Marsland-Petit Brittaney Martinez Patricia Massari Isabelle Mendez Eva Menendez Joseph Menendez Parker Middlebrook Mark Mirabella Patti Montgomery Jenny Morales Colleen Mulcahey Jessica Moreira Julia Murzynski Alec Muscat Rhonda Muscat Sabrina Naomi Bob Nye Leslie Pandolfo Paloma Paquiella Amber Parham Bill Parham Myriam Parham Hili Puro Kelli Register Marc Retzlaff Toni Rinicella Lisa Robinton Isabella Ruffino Merit Saad Serra Saad Bob Sanders Caitlin Schmedeke Kassie Schuler Sadie Schulte Samantha Sherman Spencer Sherman Susannah Sherman Teodora Siderova Amber Simpson Hannah Smith Shelby Smith Teri Smith Pamela Swaim Frank Tedesco Tiffany Thapar Avalon Theisen Lib Triplett

The goal of the website is to spotlight black vegans who are doing incredible work everyday. This project was inspired after Aph

Ko wrote the first list that spotlighted 100

Black Vegans. The project is officially launching in January, however, Aph is trying to spread the word now because black vegans can check it out so that they submit their information for a feature. The URL is www.blackvegansrock.com Here's the Twitter page for Black Vegans Rock: https://twitter.com/blackvegansrock and the Facebook page is https://

www.facebook.com/Black-Vegans-Rock-

835697926527739/

We are getting some AWESOME submissions in from Black vegans all around the world! If you want to be featured on the site, please send an email to blackvegansrock@gmail.com and include: 1. an HD photo or video 2. 500 words describing who you are and/or the work you do 3. relevant links to your website or your work

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A FIRST IN TAMPA BAY

By: Maria Bott

New Leaf Elementals is Tampa Bay’s first 100% vegan coffee, tea, and gift shop. From the moment you walk through the door, the unique ambience of the shop invites you in. The owner, Cherie Boyd, has spared no time or money to provide the best quality of organic beverages and baked goods. In the gift shop you’ll find a delightful array of choices, from crystal candle holders to vegan soaps.

Tucked away in a strip mall in Forest Hills, New Leaf Elementals at 11813 N. Armenia Ave, Tampa, is in itself a precious gem. I sat down with Cherie to talk to her about how the shop came into fruition.

Maria: How did you come up with the name, ‘New Leaf Elementals?’ Cherie: When I first opened a couple of years ago, my vision was only for a crystal and gem gift shop. I’ve always been drawn to the beautiful gifts from the earth. Searching for products made out of the natural elements was such a pleasure for me. I wanted to be able to share my passion with as many people as I can. Opening the shop was like turning over a new leaf. The name ‘New Leaf Elementals’ just felt appropriate at the time. Maria: Why did you expand into a coffee and tea shop? Cherie: At first I put in a table and a couple of chairs, and began offering free coffee and tea. As a dedicated vegan, I was only providing soy or almond milk. The coffee shop just blossomed from that point. Maria: The coffee, tea, and baked goods are not only vegan, they’re organic, is that correct? Cherie: Yes. I did some research and discovered Coffee Roasters Alliance LLC, offering fair trade organic coffee right here in Florida! Then I found the Blackberry Pond Organic Tea Company. They offer a wide variety of delectable healing teas. The baked goods are also made with organic ingredients. Maria: My favorite drink is decaffeinated cappuccino with soy milk; can you handle that request at New Leaf Elementals? Cherie: Absolutely! We have a full service coffee shop, including decaf cappuccino. We also now offer coconut milk, along with the soy and almond milks. Maria: I’m a chocaholic. What do you have to satisfy my sweet tooth? Cherie: The chocolate cupcake would be perfect for you. We also offer chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter cookies with chocolate icing. For those that are not into chocolate, there’s always the popular vanilla cupcake. Maria: Are your vegan and organic baked goods from a local baker? Cherie: Yes, New Leaf Elementals! I have loved to bake since I was a little girl. Maria: Does the shop offer any savory items, along with the cupcakes and cookies? Cherie: We do indeed. You can check out the sandwich menu for a delicious lunch or light dinner. We also offer kettle chips, hummus, and white bean chips. Maria: Thank you Cherie for taking the time to talk with me today. I wish you the best of success for the future. Cherie: It was my pleasure.

New Leaf Elementals hosts a variety of workshops, seminars, and social gatherings. Keep this unique space in mind

for your next event. Visit: www.facebook.com/new-leaf-elementals, or visit the website for hours of operation and further information: www.newleafelementals.com. Contact the shop at: 813-932-6101.

Vegan Cappucino & Cupcake

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Florida Voices for Animals (FVA) is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit(s) who cut hit and dragged by a car in Hernando County and was also shot TWICE. This was reported on December 2nd, 2015 by NBC Channel 8 News, http://wfla.com/2015/12/02/

rescue-group-fundraising-for-dog-that-was-hit-by-car-previously-shot/ FVA is a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the abuses that animals go through and what the public can do to help. FVA also promotes veganism because it helps the people, animals and the environment. SPCA Suncoast has created a GoFundMe to raise funds for his surgery which costs over $5000. You can donate here. https://www.gofundme.com/6bczhtz8 Here’s a link to the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/spcasuncoast To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-8477 or FVA at 727-656-8368 or fvaonline@yahoo.com

FVA Offers Reward and Raises Funds to help Niko

FVA’s new T-Shirt available through BonFire Funds

You can now order your FVA T-Shirt from https://

www.bonfirefunds.com/florida-

voices-for-animals Female T-Shirt is $19.99 Unisex T-Shirt is $17.99 Shipping is a flat $5

Wear your Tahiti Blue FVA T-shirt around town, at FVA tabling events, demos and be noticed!

Female T-Shirt

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You can receive this newsletter via e-mail or download it from the FVA website. To go paperless please email fvaonline@yahoo.com and let us know. You will not only help the environment, but will allow FVA more financial resources to help animals.

YES, I want to support Florida Voices for Animals, Inc. Enclosed is my annual membership fee or donation:

□ $300 Lifetime □ $100 Patron □ $50 Family □ $30 Individual □ $15 Student □_____ Other NAME: _________________________________ PHONE: _____________ FAX: _____________ ADDRESS: _____________________________ CITY: ______________ST: ___ ZIP: _________ E-mail: __________________________________________________________________________ I would like to volunteer for: □ Phone Tree □ Attending Demonstrations □ Staffing Outreach Tables □ Website □ Newsletter

□ Investigations □ Other:____________________________________________ I prefer to receive my Newsletters: □ Electronically via e-mail □ Regular Mail

GOOD NEWS ☺ Nov 2015: Taco Bell is going cage-free Dec 2016. Taco Bell is the latest chain to plan a switch to cage-free eggs and may ultimately be the first big player to go fully cage-free, as it aims to use them in all of its U.S. restaurants by the end of 2016. ☺ Nov 2015: National Institutes of Health (NIH) to release all federally owned chimpanzees to

sanctuary! This is an important and heart warming reversal of NIH's previous decision to retire its chimpanzees but to keep "50 in reserve" for possible future need. ☺ Dec 2015: Mercy For Animals Investigation Shuts Down Factory Farm. Since the owners lost their longtime contract with Tyson Foods, McDonald’s biggest supplier, they have quit the chicken factory farming business for good! ============================================================================

Eat, Drink...But Be VERY Wary! Food & Water Watch is exposing the secret use by California agricultural companies of poisonous fracking wastewater on what you may eat or drink. Numerous toxic chemicals, including acetone & methylene chloride have been identified in toxic wastewater sold by oil giant Chevron to irrigate crops grown in California's Central Valley. Be especially careful if you eat or drink: * Halos Mandarins (previously known as Cuties) * Sunview Raisins & Grapes, some of which are certified organic * Wines from Trinchero Family Estates, like Sutter Home Wines Your family should not have to eat or drink beverages that may be contaminated with harmful fracking chemicals. The best way to be sure is to stop fracking entirely.

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE." REGISTRATION #: CH4327

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Our mission is to educate the public about animal abuse and exploitation. Please renew your membership if it has expired. Check your label. M Paid membership and renewal date L Lifetime member

X Newsletter exchange C Courtesy

FLORIDA VOICES FOR ANIMALS, INC.

P.O. BOX 17523

TAMPA, FL 33682

A NON-PROFIT, TAX-EXEMPT,

GRASSROOTS, ANIMAL ADVOCACY

ORGANIZATION

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID

TAMPA FL PERMIT NO. 2538

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

Every Tue & Thu at 10:30am –WUSF Ch 16.3, Christina Cooks cooking show with Christina Pirello Every Wed at 10am –WMNF 88.5FM, Talking Animals radio show with Duncan Strauss Every Fri at 11am—WUSF Ch 16.1, Jazzy Vegetarian cooking show with Laura Theodore

1/2, 2/6, 3/5 (Sat) - Loving Hut Vegan Buffet 11:30am-9pm (Meetup at 6:30pm), 1905 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa FL 33612, 813-977-7888 This is posted on our Meetup Calendar, so if you haven’t signed up for our meetup, go to www.meetup.com, search for Florida Voices for Animals, then sign up. Loving Hut’s website is http://www.lovinghut.us/

tampa_01/

1/16, 2/6, 2/27, 3/19 (Sat) - Lotus Vegetarian Vegan Meetup Buffet, 5pm-9pm, 6575 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL Enjoy an all-vegan buffet at Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant (beverage not included.) This buffet takes place every 3 weeks. You can even take a survey to help choose the menu! http://www.lotusvegetarianrestaurant.com/ 1/9, 2/13, 3/12 (Sat) - Trang Vegan Meetup Buffet, 5:30pm-7pm, Trang Viet Cuisine, 1524 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612 Multi-entrée, soup appetizer, carrot cake dessert and iced tea. 1/23, 2/27, 3/26 (Sat) - NLE Vegan Dessert Social, 7pm-9pm, New Leaf Elementals, 11813 N Armenia Ave, Tampa, FL 33612 Save room after dinner for Vegan Dessert, Gourmet Coffee, Tea, and Gift Shop! Come along with your friends, or to make new ones. Ringling Circus Demos: 1/6 6pm-7:30pm; 1/7 6pm-7:30pm; 1/8 6pm-7:30pm; 1/9 4:30pm-7:30pm; 1/10 1pm-3pm, Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr. Tampa, FL 33602 Please join FVA to speak up for all the wild animals forced into slavery to make money for Feld Entertainment. Signs will be provided. Costumes recommended if you can swing it. 1/17 (Sun) - FVA Park Cleanup 10a-1p, Al Lopez Park, 4900 N Himes Ave, Tampa. Volunteers needed. By keeping the park clean, the animals there will benefit greatly by our efforts. All vegans are environmentalists. See you there! 1/24 (Sun) - FVA Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon for all 2015 VegFest and ThanksVegan volunteers, 1:00-3:00pm, New Leaf Elementals, 11813 N. Armenia Avenue, Tampa. One free sandwich per person. RSVP required by 1/20: thanksvegan@gmail.com or (727) 656-8368. 2/28 (Sun) - FVA’s Annual Have-A-Heart Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction, 2:30pm-6pm, Trang Viet Cuisine, 1524 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612 Special Guest Speaker: Victoria Moran. Wonderful vegan buffet & chance to outbid your friends for great auction items. $26 in advance, $36 at the door. Students $16