60 seconds of silence needed

[Guest guest]

In appreciation of Chris and Tammy, fearless leaders and founders of Bay

Area Vegetarians.

 

Tammy just sent a very nice thank you e-mail to Pride volunteers (everyone

who helped with the BAV booth at SF Pride 2007). However, it is SHE who

needs to be thanked!

 

Tammy Lee and Chris James work tirelessly to reduce animal suffering.

They both have full-time jobs, yet they are the only two people running

BAV. Tammy had to plan months in advance to reserve and pay for the booth

space at Pride, order literature, motivate and organize volunteers, figure

out transportation, etc. This all happened while they were organizing all

the other summer outreach events, working their regular jobs, and caring

for 4 sweet kitties (I love you Moo!).

 

It was great to be a part of Pride. Thanks to Chris and Tammy the booth

had everything necessary for a great event, we reached thousands of people

with the message of compassion to animals, and...we had a really fun time!

I'm constantly impressed that C and T can be such fun to be around, while

being so busy and working so hard.

 

BAV has surely created hundreds of new vegetarians--at a minimum. They

have also created a vibrant social group with fun events, an incredibly

useful website packed with resources, and they make delicious PB & J's for

busy festivals. We're all very lucky to have such a dynamic couple here

in the Bay Area. Thanks you two!

 

http://www.bayareaveg.org/gallery2/v/pride03/dscn7213a.jpg.html

 

 

Alex

 

(and by the way, I'm sorry I drank all your coffee)(it was really good,

thanks)

[Guest guest]

Alex wrote: " In appreciation of Chris and Tammy, fearless leaders and

founders of Bay Area Vegetarians. "

 

I would like to second what Alex wrote.

 

I wanted to be vegetarian for a long time but didn't know how to go

about it. I didn't know any vegetarians, and I hadn't ever heard of

such a thing as vegans, but I wanted to meet some veg folks and find

out what to eat. Back in the summer 2003, I did an internet search

and found BAV. I went to my first vegan pot luck that summer at Lake

Temescal and then my first vegan camping trip with BAV at Butano

State Park. Since then, I've been so thankful to participate in pot

lucks, dinner outings, more camping trips, educational programs like

the compassionate living series, the vegan book club (in which I read

my first books on animal rights), trip to Animal Place, leafletting

and tabling to raise other people's awareness, etc. Bay Area Veg

opened up all sorts of doors for me and made my transition to

veganism so much easier!

 

The funny thing is, now I'm an ambassador for veganism in all the

usual areas of my life which had previously had a vegan/veg

population of zero. Now with a population of one vegan in each of

these zones, people who knew nothing about veganism are suddenly

finding out. So by influencing me, Chris and Tammy are also reaching

the 100s of people that I interact with on a weekly basis! I'm sure

my story is quite common. Now multiply my story times the 1000s of

members of Bay Area Vegetarians, and you'll begin to see how many

people Chris and Tammy are influencing every day.

 

Another incredible thing is that Chris and Tammy haven't been

satisfied just to help us coordinate great social and educational

activities. They also work tirelessly in their free time to provide

innovative and effective community resources like the Ultimate Guide

to Veg Restaurants. What a labor of love that is! I thought Chris

and Tammy were phenomenal back in 2003, but over the past four years,

I have seen the depth and scope of BAV's activities and services

continue to expand and continue to reach more people. It feels like

the sky's the limit for Bay Area Veg.

 

What it all comes down to is, this fantastic, ever-growing community

network and online resource known as Bay Area Vegetarians wouldn't be

happening at all if it weren't for Chris and Tammy. Alex, you are

right on the money in asking for a 60 seconds of silence or something

special to laud their efforts.

 

I hope this doesn't sound like hyperbole, but honestly, with all the

lives Tammy and Chris are saving, and with all the peace they are

generating in the world, I hope the Nobel Prize Committee starts

taking notice!

 

Three cheers to Chris and Tammy for all your efforts!

-Rachel