September 2023 news, events, & more  If any events are cut off at the end, or there are any other problems viewing this email, click here to view the full newsletter.

In this issue: ANIMALS: LEAP: A Humane Alternative to 4‑H and FFA SURVIVAL: VegFest and More RECIPE: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos SURVEY: Tofurky Trot Survey EVENT SECTION Animal Treatment Protest, Sept 7 Orenco Potluck, Sept 10 Eastside Potluck: No Bones Beach Club Demo, Sept 17 Dineout at Veggie Grill, Sept 24 Vancouver Potluck, Sept 28

LEAPers like Jason with rescued cow Maple learn hands-on animal care at sanctuaries.

LEAP: A Humane Alternative to 4‑H and FFA By Beth Lily Redwood LEAP (Leaders for Ethics, Animals, and the Planet) is a revolutionary, first-of-its-kind, humane education program providing high school students with a compassionate alternative to traditional agriculture programs like FFA and 4-H. Two Oregon vegan animal sanctuaries—Veganville Animal Sanctuary in Elsie (Seaside) and Wildwood Farm Sanctuary & Preserve in Newberg—are participating in the program.  On Sunday, September 10, Michelle Blake, Board VP of Wildwood, is the guest speaker at the NW VEG Orenco potluck, and she will share Wildwood’s hopeful vision for their future, which includes participating in LEAP.  How LEAP Began   It started in 2017 with the courage and compassion of Audori, a California high schooler enrolled in an FFA class, who did not want to send Sebastian, the pig she raised, to slaughter. Determined to save her young friend’s life…  Audori’s commitment to save her pig friend Sebastian’s life was the inspiration for Blackberry Creek to create the LEAP program. Read more

VegFest and More Many businesses closed during the pandemic, and that was the case for many nonprofits as well. Northwest VEG has made it through the past four years, but our financial resources are sorely depleted. To put it bluntly, we need money. We need money to put on events like VegFest and Tofurky Trot. We need money to pay our employees. Other than any potential profit from VegFest and Tofurky Trot—which is not guaranteed!—we will be nearly out of money by this time next year. We promote veganism for a healthier, more sustainable, and more compassionate world. If you want VegFest, Tofurky Trot, Compassionate Thanksgiving, potlucks, dineouts, special events, a family program, this newsletter itself, and a host of other activities and resources to continue, please consider investing in this nonprofit organization. If everyone reading this newsletter were to donate $10 (which is tax deductible), we would be better able to make it through 2024 and continue into 2025. Thank you for any help you can give us in this regard. To donate, click here. To join, click here.  Thank you for your support!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos By Linda Tyler the Gracious Vegan These are a quick, tasty meal, and you don’t have to turn on the oven. The flavor of chipotle chilies goes so well with sweet potatoes and black beans. If you use only a little bit of chipotle chili powder, you’ll get the flavor without too much spicy heat. You can customize the other fillings—cooked grains, guacamole or avocado, and salsa. Makes 5 burritos Water-sauté the following ingredients in a large (12”) skillet or a Dutch oven until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. 12–13 ounces uncooked sweet potato, peeled and grated (about 3 cups grated) 1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

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Tofurky Trot 2023! Time to dust off those sneakers as the Tofurky Trot is coming on November 23, 2023! We’re still finalizing the details of the event, but if you’re interested in the Trot—whether as a runner or volunteer—it would be great if you could fill out this short pre-race survey. Thanks for your help, and see you at the Trot! (Thanks to Ryan and Tia from St. Laurent Photography)

EVENT SECTION

Animal Treatment Protest at OHSU By Donna Reynolds Thursday, Sept. 7 10:45 AM to noon Elizabeth Caruthers Park 3551 S. Bond Ave. Portland, OR (map) Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is the only surgery training program in both Oregon and Washington that still uses pigs instead of highly realistic simulators, to train its general surgery residents. The OHSU residents cut into the anesthetized pigs and practice invasive procedures on them before finally killing them. PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) will be protesting this method of training on Sept. 7 and invites you to join them to tell OHSU to end this cruel practice immediately. The demonstration will be held at Elizabeth Caruthers Park on the sidewalk along S. Bond Avenue (near where it intersects with S. Pennoyer Street). Public parking is nearby. Signs will be provided and the protest will occur, rain or shine. If you have any questions, please contact Christine Kauffman at ckauffman@pcrm.org or (202) 527-7307. For more information about pigs being used by residents-in-training, see our January 2023 newsletter article, OHSU Trains Surgeons on Pigs.

Orenco Potluck Sunday, September 10 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Orenco Unitarian Universalist Church 6815 Northeast Birch Street Hillsboro, OR (map) Michelle Blake, Board VP of Wildwood Farm Sanctuary & Preserve, is the guest speaker at this potluck, and she will share Wildwood’s hopeful vision for their future, which includes participating in LEAP (Leaders for Ethics, Animals, and the Planet) (see article above). For the potluck, please bring a plant-based (no animal products, including honey) main dish, salad, or dessert; a card listing its ingredients; and plates and utensils for your use. If you come alone, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family.

Eastside Potluck Sunday, September 17 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM Stone Tower SDA Church  3010 Northeast Holladay Street  Portland, OR (map)  Join us at 5:00 pm for our Eastside potluck and/or at 6:15 pm watch a food prep demo by MacKenzie DeVito, CEO and founder of the No Bones Beach Club, assisted by our own Roz McCallard. Mackenzie will show us how to prepare three fun sauces that are good for dipping. She will join us via video from Chicago, while Roz will show us the steps and prepare the sample live here at the potluck presentation. For the potluck, please bring a plant-based (no animal products, including honey) main dish, salad, or dessert; a card listing its ingredients; and plates and utensils for your use. If you come alone, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family. For more info on location, parking, etc., click here. 

Veggie Grill Dineout By Susan Hanson Sunday, September 24 5:00 PM 508 SW Taylor St. Portland, OR (map) Our September dineout will be at Veggie Grill in downtown Portland. Veggie Grill is the largest 100% plant-based restaurant company in the U.S. They believe that great vegan restaurants will change our food culture for the better—for the people, the animals, and the planet. They have an extensive menu with burgers, sandwiches, wraps, bowls, salads, and more. We cannot make reservations, but there is a large upper level (with a ramp), which we will use, as they are usually not as busy Sunday evenings. It’s a casual restaurant, and you will need to order at the counter, which you can do after we all gather.  MAX is a transportation option, as it stops just a few blocks from Veggie Grill.  Pre-registration is required. If you need to cancel, please contact the host listed in your registration confirmation. Click the button below to register.

Register for the Dineout

Vancouver Potluck Thursday, September 28 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 16001 NE 34th St. Vancouver, WA (map) Come for the potluck at 5:00 or the program at 6:15, or both. Our new coordinators, Roz McCallard and Jesse Miller, will talk about how they came to Northwest VEG, and plans for Northwest VEG in the future. This event will double as a Planning Meeting, giving you a chance to talk about where we as an organization should be going.  For the potluck, please bring a plant-based (no animal products, including honey) main dish, salad, or dessert; a card listing its ingredients; and plates and utensils for your use. If you come alone, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family. Please RSVP on Meetup (optional)

Northwest VEG Enjoy our supportive and friendly community of people interested in vegan, plant-based food and lifestyles. Click here to join or renew. ~ Click here to donate. We appreciate your support!

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