IDA - Bay Area Events

Table of Contents:
1. Hunting Expo Protest
2. Effective Communication for Veg Advocacy
3. Gopher Gardening at Ocean Beach
4. Compassionate Cooks' Vegan Cooking Class
5. IDA-Africa Coming to San Francisco
6. ACT to Help Animals


1. Hunting Expo Protest

Help Silicon Valley IDA protest a hunting and shooting expo being hosted by Mel Cotton's Sporting Goods at their San Jose location.

What: Hunting expo protest
When: August 6 and 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: 1266 West San Carlos Street, San Jose (click http://www.melcottons.com/storedirect.html for directions)

Schools, teachers and students are welcome at this protest. Signs will be provided.

Contact Alfredo Kuba for more information at (650) 965-8705 or Bkind2animals [at] comcast.net .


2. Effective Communication for Veg Advocacy

Having trouble relating to meat eaters? Many vegans and vegetarians find dealing with the misunderstanding, fear and ridicule of their family, friends and co-workers to be the most difficult part of choosing a lifestyle centered on compassion for animals. Frustration, anger and burnout are inevitable unless one begins to understand why people perceive vegans and vegetarians the way they do and how to transform negative reactions into curiosity and insight.

As part of Bay Area Vegetarians' (BAVeg's) Compassionate Living series, longtime animal advocate and humane educator Nora Kramer will present "Effective Communication for Veg*n Advocacy, Family & Friends," a workshop exploring effective communication strategies and styles for everyday situations that vegans and vegetarians experience at work, at home, and in their role as animal advocates engaged in public outreach. Don't miss this opportunity to learn practical methods of defusing criticism, engaging people's interest and presenting the veg message persuasively.

What: Effective Communication for Veg*n Advocacy, Family & Friends workshop
When: Sunday, August 7, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Cellspace, 2050 Bryant Street (near 18th Street), San Francisco (click http://tinyurl.com/cz9o3 for directions)

Light refreshments will be served at the presentation. An optional dinner at a local vegan restaurant will take place afterwards. For more information on this event and to RSVP, visit http://www.bayareaveg.org/events.php?EID=776#776 . To learn more about BAVeg's Compassionate Living program, please visit http://www.bayareaveg.org/cl .


3. Gopher Gardening at Ocean Beach

Join the San Francisco Wildlife Protection Project, a joint effort by IDA and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, to create a wildlife "sanctuary" along the Great Highway. By landscaping the area according to the Parks Department's specifications, volunteers create a habitat for native gophers and prevent them from being trapped and killed. This is an ongoing monthly effort, and usually takes place on the first Saturday of each month.

What: Gopher Gardening
When: Saturday, August 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon (note that this event will take place on the 2nd Saturday of the month in August and September rather than the 1st Saturday of the month)
Where: Corner of the Great Highway and Wawona Street, San Francisco, at the small brick Recreation and Park maintenance building. Click here (http://tinyurl.com/4hnh2) for directions to this event.

For more information, please contact Kevin Connelly at (415) 388-9641, ext. 226 or kevin [at] idausa.org .


4. Compassionate Cooks' Vegan Cooking Class

Join the Compassionate Cooks in August for their most popular vegan cooking class, "Healthful Mediterranean." The cooks will demonstrate the preparation of five delicious and nutritious dishes, including Quinoa Tabouli Salad; Two Kinds of Pesto (Basic Basil & Sundried Tomato); Roasted Veggie Medley; Stuffed Bell Peppers with Grains, Herbs and Nuts; and Delightful Date Squares.

Compassionate Cooks' monthly hands-on classes give people a chance to learn about the health benefits of a plant-based diet, eat yummy food samples, and have a lot of fun!

What: Compassionate Cooks' vegan cooking class
When: Saturday, August 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St. (at Castro) - click http://tinyurl.com/d9cb7 for directions

The cost of the class is $35. Register in advance by August 11 at http://www.compassionatecooks.com or by calling (510) 531-COOK. If you can't attend the class, you can still learn how to make delicious vegan meals with the Compassionate Cooks DVD, which can be ordered from their website.


5. IDA-Africa Coming to San Francisco

This summer, IDA-Africa is hosting a series of fundraising receptions in cities across the U.S. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear firsthand about their amazing efforts to save the lives of orphaned chimpanzees in the jungles of Cameroon when IDA-Africa founder and director Dr. Sheri Speede holds a special event in San Francisco. As part of her presentation, Dr. Speede will describe life at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, where chimpanzees threatened by illegal poaching and habitat destruction live safely and peacefully in a naturalistic environment. She will also share a special DVD presentation that brings her stories to life.

What: IDA-Africa fundraising reception
When: Saturday, August 20, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Women's Building, 3543 18th Street (near Valencia), San Francisco (click http://womensbuilding.org/public/about/directions.html for directions)

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit http://www.ida-africa.org/events.html or call (503) 643-8302. If you are unable to attend a reception, you can donate to IDA-Africa or adopt/sponsor a chimpanzee at http://www.ida-africa.org/donations.html .


6. ACT to Help Animals

Activism & Campaign Training (ACT) is a series of workshops being sponsored by Viva!USA and Animal Place to begin the formation of California's first statewide network in support of farmed animals. These all-day workshops will help participants understand factory farming and vegetarianism, and are appropriate for anyone - from seasoned activists to beginners - who wants to make a difference in the lives of farmed animals.

Topics of discussion will include overviews of California's meat, dairy and egg factory farms; local grassroots activism; the State regulatory agencies responsible for overseeing industrial agriculture; taking effective political action; participating in campaigns; welfare concerns of the most common farmed animals in California; and much more. Speakers from a broad range of organizations are scheduled to present, including Lauren Ornelas (Viva!USA), Kim Sturla (Animal Place), Joyce Tischler (Animal Legal Defense Fund), Brent Newell (The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment) and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (Compassionate Cooks). Please join them and other animal advocates at this daylong educational event.

What: ACT workshop
When: Saturday, August 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (registration begins at 8:15 a.m.)
Where: New College of California - North Bay campus, 99 6th Street (Arlene Francis Theater), Santa Rosa (click http://tinyurl.com/c5gan for directions)

The cost for the workshop is just $10 for a full day of speakers, films and discussion. Pre-registration is required by August 20. Visit http://www.ACTforfarmedanimals.com to learn more and register. The Santa Rosa workshop is the first of three being offered in 2005, with subsequent workshops scheduled for Davis (October 22) and Berkeley (December 3). Six additional workshops are also planned for 2006, with dates, locations and speakers to be announced.