Walkers Wanted to Join in Sept. 30 Walk For Farm Animals
By Charley Korns, Walk Coordinator

Northwest VEG is organizing a Walk for Farm Animals to benefit Farm Sanctuary, a national, nonprofit animal protection organization. We want to have more walkers than anywhere in the country! Last year New York City led the pack with 90 walkers.

Each year Farm Sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates and provides lifelong care for hundreds of animals rescued from factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. In addition to operating the shelters, they work to gain legal protection for animals used in food production and to raise public awareness about factory farm cruelty and more compassionate alternatives. Farm Sanctuary also promotes a diet free of animal products. The Walk helps fund Farm Sanctuary’s rescue and protection campaigns.

The Portland Walk is scheduled for the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30, just a few days before World Farm Animals Day on Oct. 2. Pre-registered walkers will meet at Blossoming Lotus Café, 925 NW Davis St. at 9:30 am for refreshments and to receive their Walk for Farm Animals T-shirts. [Thanks to Blossoming Lotus for accommodating our Walk start/finish!] At 10 am, we will begin a route of approximately 3 miles, passing Whole Foods Market, Powell’s Bookstore, the Central Library, the Portland Farmers’ Market, Pioneer Square, Veganopolis, the Portland Saturday Market, Old Town, and back to Blossoming Lotus. Walkers who raise over $100 in pledges receive Farm Sanctuary prizes. It's easy to register on-line at www.firstgiving.com/farmsanctuary. For more information, see www.nwveg.org/Portland_Walk.htm. You can assure your friends and family that Farm Sanctuary is an efficient nonprofit with a four-star rating by Charity Navigator.

VegNews Magazine Teams up with Northwest VEG

Enroll as a new member of Northwest VEG and, if you’re not already a VegNews Magazine subscriber, upon request receive a free 1-year subscription to this inspiring, resourceful and information-filled magazine. Each edition is filled with vegetarian news, events, recipes, book reviews, the best veg products, travel tales, interviews, celebrity buzz and much more—a $20 value. NW VEG memberships start at $20 for individuals, $35 for families; download forms or join through Paypal from our website http://nwveg.org/Membership.html.

Generosity Marks July Dine-out Success at Kinta Restaurant
By Ardis Karr-Robak, Northwest VEG Dine-out Coordinator

Thanks to Kinta Restaurant who graciously hosted our July dine out, only 3 weeks after opening! Owners (and Northwest VEG members) Dennis and Phan were very generous to our group, providing delicious complimentary appetizers and desserts to accompany our entrees. Check out Kinta’s Malaysian cuisine at 3450 SE Belmont Street in Portland. See the Dine Out page for hours.

Don’t miss the August 12 dine-out, scheduled for the Ethiopian Dalo’s Kitchen. The September 9 dine-out will take place at Vegetarian House, serving traditional Chinese dishes with various mock meat options. See calendar for info on signing up for either dine-out.

New Dining Group Offers Mid-Week Veg Camaraderie

If you’re interested in a casual dining outing with a small and friendly group, please contact Margot Jordon at (503) 649-3866. The next evening out is scheduled for Wednesday, August 16, tentatively at VegeThai, but other vegetarian or vegan restaurant suggestions are welcome.

Tout Your Culinary Creation at August 20 Vegetarian Potluck

Join Northwest VEG for our monthly vegetarian potluck on Sunday, Aug. 20, at the West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 8470 SW Oleson Road, starting at 5:00 pm. Following the meal, we will ask participants to describe the dish they brought for the potluck or another favorite dish they especially like. Anyone can decline to talk, but we encourage everyone to bring a favorite dish and recipes, and tell others why their dish is a favorite.

Please bring a vegan or vegetarian main dish, salad or dessert, a card listing its ingredients, and plates and utensils for your use. If you come by yourself, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family. A donation of $2 – $5 is suggested to help cover the cost of the venue rental. If you can volunteer to help at the potluck, contact Maggie: volunteer@nwveg.org.

Potluck Extra
Don’t know many (or any) of us in NW VEG? Consider coming at 4:30 pm for a get-acquainted ½ hour social with NW VEG volunteers, members and friends; hosted by board member Cindy Koczy. We’ll share good conversation, information and door prizes.

Take a Vegan Vacation in August Without Leaving Portland

Vegans from around the world will be meeting in Portland for a vegan vacation, and we’re all invited! The Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Forum is hosting the week-long bash, with activities including picnics, potlucks, movies, nutrition talks, running, cycling, tours, cooking demos, discussions, and more. You don't have to be vegan or into bodybuilding & fitness—just come out for good times and to see what this is all about!

Why have a Vegan Vacation? To gather vegans from around the world to have an impact on the community, have fun, network, and meet in person to spend time with like-minded people.
Why Portland, Oregon? Portland has been rated the #1 vegan-friendly city in America by PETA and GoVeg.com, and the #2 vegan-friendly city in America by VegNews Magazine.
Who is going to be there? The majority will be residents of the Portland metro area, but vegans will be coming from all across the United States and as far away as Germany.

Check out http://veganvacations.net/ for more information. See the schedule.

What Are Your Veg Favorites in Portland/Vancouver?

Among the many Portland-area veg options, we each have our favorites. Here we are going to find out the favorites of Northwest VEG members and friends so that others may perhaps discover what they are missing. The survey results will be announced in the Sept/Oct NW VEG Thymes. Please send your favorites to Charley Korns by Aug. 20, 2006. Email charley@nwveg.org or snail mail to 1323 NE 77th Ave., Portland, OR 97213. If you have a burning favorite that doesn’t fit under any of the following categories, feel free to write it in.
Please note your favorite for all or any number of the following categories ("restaurants" may include food carts):

1. Restaurant ____________________________________
2. Thai Restaurant ________________________________
3. Other East Asian Restaurant _____________________
4. Indian ________________________________________
5. Mexican Restaurant ____________________________
6. African Restaurant ______________________________
7. Lebanese Restaurant ____________________________
8. Restaurant for breakfast __________________________
9. Restaurant for lunch _____________________________
10. Restaurant for dinner ___________________________
11. Restaurant for salads ___________________________
12. Restaurant for comfort food ______________________
13. Vegan burger _________________________________
14. Tofu scramble ________________________________
15. Vegan French Toast ___________________________
16. Vegan pancakes ______________________________
17. Non-dairy latte ________________________________
18. Locally made vegan dessert _____________________
19. Vegan dessert establishment ____________________
20. Grocery store _________________________________
21. Food Co-op ___________________________________
22. Cookbook ____________________________________
23. Website ______________________________________
24. Other favorite(s) ________________________________

July Potluck Program Discusses Genetically Engineered Plant Production
By Don Merrick, Vice President, Northwest VEG

Those that were unable to attend our July 16 potluck and program with Northwest Resistance Against Genetic Engineering can learn more at www.nwrage.org. We thank Jennifer Polis, Lori Ann Burd, and Mark DeMarets, all leaders with NW RAGE, for their presentations and time.
Although there may be societal benefits to genetically engineered (GE) crops, this altruistic outcome is not what drives biotechnology companies to research and market GE crops. Their interest is sustained and unregulated profit through patent rights, product licensing favoring the company as opposed to farmers, and intellectual property agreements. Most of the rest of the world has shown its strong resistance to biotech bullying while the U.S. government, at every level, bows to their legal tactics, strong lobbying in Washington and every statehouse, and generous contributions to political campaigns.

NW RAGE is dedicated to promoting responsible, sustainable, and just agricultural practices and the science that leads to it. Some current concerns include GE trees, which are a threat to Canadian forests, terminator seeds, and subsidized crop production for biofuels. On the second Wednesday of each month, NW RAGE shows a free movie at its offices at SE 35th Ave. and Belmont St. in Portland. Please visit their website, become aware of the issues threatening our food security, and take actions to eliminate the threat. Demand GE-free foods.

There’s a New Kid on the Portland Web Block

Portland’s web space just got more crowded! We warmly welcome a new veg community resource site, sponsored by Compassion over Killing, http://vegportland.com. On the restaurant page, you can sort by section of town, “all vegetarian,” “mock meats served,” or “vegan cheese pizza served.” How cool is that?

You may find a few surprises, such as the vegetarian Milky Way Tea & Pastry, 9895 SE Sunnyside Rd., (503) 652-7875. Milky Way offers a variety of mock-meat bagel sandwiches, bubble tea and an assortment of baked goods. One coffee shop that stands out is Fat Straw, 4258 S.E. Hawthorne, (503) 233-3369. This cute bubble tea stand offers 50 different varieties of tea made with coconut milk. Light food options include bagel sandwiches with mock turkey, mock ham or tofu pate, and all vegan orders are prepared with separate knives and utensils.

Eating a low-fat vegan diet may be better at managing type 2 diabetes than traditional diets, according to a new study. Researchers found 43 percent of people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-fat vegan diet for 22 weeks reduced their need to take medications to manage their disease compared with 26 percent of those who followed the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).In addition, participants who followed the vegan diet experienced greater reductions in cholesterol levels and weight loss than those on the other diet.

"The diet appears remarkably effective, and all the side effects are good ones — especially weight loss and lower cholesterol," says researcher Neal D. Barnard, M.D., adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University, in a news release. "I hope this study will rekindle interest in using diet changes first, rather than prescription drugs."
Read more>>

Vegan HomeSchooling Offers Compassionate Learning Alternative
By Molly Stanley, HNC, Contributing Writer

HomeSchool, not Cruel offers the vegan child an "Ivy-League"-caliber alternative education promoting vegan, environmentalist, holistically healthy, pro-individual, anti-cruelty, anti-speciesist values. Each program is custom-designed for the individual student, reflecting his/her special areas of interests and needs.

The program offers in-home vegan childcare/schooling where applicable, as well as field trips; networking with other vegan kids when possible; plus an outstanding DistanceLearning program, with teaching through phone, email, and weekly fun-packets in the mail. Vegan Homeschooling fosters self-esteem, creativity, independent thinking, and kindness and compassion to all living beings, even the inanimate! Part of the family's tuition money goes towards excellent vegan and animal rights organizations like Farm Sanctuary and Last Chance for Animals.

All subjects for all ages are taught with anti-cruelty, anti-speciesist customized material - including such areas as English, writing and reading; math; sciences; languages ancient and modern; art; music; drama, acting, and poetry; geography; earth and animal studies; holistic health and nutrition; nature and natural history; philosophy and ethics; linguistics; film and media studies; architecture/design and place/space studies; physical and emotional intelligence; yoga/meditation; dance/movement; critical thinking; and more! Plus, it's FUN, with lots of puzzles and games — your child will have a BLAST! Rates are negotiable.

If interested in Vegan HomeSchooling, either for a full curriculum or for one or a few subjects, please visit contact HomeSchool, not Cruel at http://community.webtv.net/VeganHomeSchooling/AtlastVegan or email VeganHomeSchooling@webtv.net.

Raw Spirit Retreat Offers Three Days of Living Foods and Learning

The Raw Spirit retreat at Camp Adams Aug. 30 – Sept. 2 will provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in all aspects of a successful raw food lifestyle. Enjoy some of the most delectable living food, become inspired by the best raw food chefs and teachers, share knowledge and resource information among an exciting and diverse group of raw food enthusiasts. Camp Adams is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains between Mollala, Oregon, and the western boundary of the Mt. Hood National Forest.
Speakers include Gabriel Cousens, M.D., founder of the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, Arizona. Dr. Cousens’ books include Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine (North Atlantic, 2003), Spiritual Nutrition (North Atlantic, 2005), and Depression-Free for Life (Morrow, 2003).

Co-sponsored by Blossoming Lotus, this retreat promises to introduce concepts and techniques to inspire and enrich all who attend. See http://www.rawspirit.net or call (800) 910-4877 for more information.

The Northwest VEG E-Bits is published via email around the first of every even-numbered month. If you would like to contribute to E-bits, or if you have any feedback, please contact Charley Korns, Editor, at charley@nwveg.org.