1. Turkey Farm Investigation
2. Vegan Breakfast on Monday
3. Last BARC Meeting Tuesday
4. Fast Food Nation (The Movie!)
5. AETA Recap…

1. Breaking News: Compassion Over Killing Sheds New Light on Turkey Farming

This past June and July, a COK investigator was employed at a North Carolina turkey hatchery for several weeks. This hatchery is actually owned by one of the leading suppliers for the well-known company, Butterball, which is why it was chosen for the investigation. Interestingly, the newly-hatched chicks videotaped at this hatchery are the SAME turkeys that grew up the last few months and were recently slaughtered for Thanksgiving dinners across the United States. These are the very Butterball turkeys that families consumed yesterday and are currently eating leftovers of…

So click HERE for the investigation video and to read more about this eye-opening expose that couldn’t have come at a better time!

Please forward this video to all family and friends who eat turkey for the holidays and discuss with them the benefits of leaving cruelty off their plates.

2. Vegan Breakfast at the Honors College!

What? All vegan breakfast
When? Monday, November 27, 2006
8:00 am - 10:00am
Where?
Inside the Honers College

Gearing up for finals week, BARC will be preparing and serving an all-vegan breakfast at the Honors College on campus since it’s one of the most important meals of the day. Like last semester, there will be pancakes, juice, and other yummy goodies. Bring a friend (or two, or three!) and help us give out information on animal-free eating before the semester is over.

If you are available to help out on this day, please email copresidents@barcdontbite.org

3. *LAST* BARC Meeting of the Semester!!!

What? Wrap-up BARC Meeting
When? Tuesday, November 28th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where? Computer Science Bldg. Room109
Well, it’s finally here. Another semester has come and gone, and BARC wants to celebrate by having a mini-potluck for our last meeting. As usual, it’s in the same place at the same time, so bring a snack or dish (preferably vegan) with a copy of the recipe for everyone to share.

At this meeting we will be re-capping the successful events of this semester, and discussing new ways to continually improve our group. We will also be planning key events for Spring and focusing on removing the Shrine circus from campus which comes to the UCF arena every April. If you have any feedback or input on this semester or next semester, we would LOVE to hear from you, so please make it out. If you only attend one BARC meeting all semester, make it this one…

4. New Movie Exposes Animal Slaughter

If you’ve heard about the breakthrough book, Fast Food Nation, well now there is a movie of the same name… and it’s creating quite a buzz! Written as an expose on American fast food corporations, the movie follows this same theme by focusing on the corruption of the agricultural industry which makes for poor quality meat, inhumane slaughter practices, and hazardous working conditions.

While not touted as a “documentary,” the subject matter of the film itself is very real. Parts of the movie were filmed in an actual slaughterhouse/meat-packing plant — which is something everyone should have to see before ever chowing down on a hamburger again. Seeing these standard slaughter and handling practices played out on the big screen is quite powerful to watch. I urge everyone to pay close attention to these scenes and really take them to heart. Most of the movie is not this gruesome, and the overall message is quite profound.

Orlando may only be showing it for a limited time, so if your interested in seeing one of the most thought-provoking movies currently out in theaters, make plans to see it soon.

5. Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Update

As you are well aware, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA, S. 3880) passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent back in September. Then it passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 13th because we were outmaneuvered by the Republican leadership of the House Judiciary Committee. There was a massive outpouring of e-mails and phone calls to Congress from all over the US, but nonetheless, it passed. Yet this is not the end of the road - it’s a new beginning.

Here is a quick summary of the key flaws of AETA, with more details on our website:
* It was passed by a voice vote of only five Representatives as a non-controversial bill.
* It is excessively broad and vague.
* It imposes disproportionately harsh penalties.
* It effectively brands animal advocates as ‘terrorists’ and denies them equal protection.
* It effectively brands civil disobedience as ‘terrorism’ and imposes severe penalties.
* It has a chilling effect on all forms of protest by endangering free speech and assembly.
* It interferes with investigation of animal enterprises that violate federal laws.
* It detracts from prosecution of real terrorism against the American people.

What you can do…
Clearly, we can not take on this ambitious challenge without your active and continuing support. We need your help in two specific areas:
* Keep the issue alive among Members of Congress by contacting your two senators and representative periodically, using the arguments on our website, which expand on the talking points listed above.
* Report to us any cases of prosecution of social justice groups. This will help us to demonstrate that AETA enforcement discriminates against animal activists.

____________________________________

One BARC member had these encouraging words to say about the outcome of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act shortly after it was voted on, which we felt should be included in this email for all to read…

Hello Everyone,

I have been on your mailing list for quite sometime now. Recently I have been particularly interested in the AETA bill S1936. Though my schedule has prohibited me to more actively participate in several of the BARC programs including many of the meetings I truly believe that this continuing stream information has provided many with an opportunity to make change. I have followed through with an email to Tom Feeney like most of you and am currently watching C-SPAN to discover the result. In particular, I believe that congratulatory emails should be sent to our democratic advocate Dennis Kucinich’s (Ohio’s 10th district) for his efforts to prevent a seemingly pointless filibuster style of explanation from republican representative Sensenbrenner (Wisconsin) despite the ignorant outcome of the discussion.

In light of the result I can now say with pride that we are all considered “terrorists” or at least now have a predisposition to terrorism in the eyes of congress. This is an unfortunate passing however should in no way hinder but rather incite our peaceful efforts to bring about animal liberation and rights education. I thank everyone for doing what they can in regards to this movement and hope that the effects of S-1936 fail to dampen our spirits.

Best wishes to all.

Sincerely,
Karis Tindell

Well that’s all the news for now. Hope you all had a very happy and cruelty-free Thanksgiving. See you at the final events of the Semester!

If you have a question about anything, email copresidents@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.

1. Next BARC Meeting

What? BARC General Meeting
When? Tuesday, November 14th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where? Computer Science Bldg. Room109
After rescheduling 2 meetings for Halloween and then for Election day, we are finally back on track for another BARC meeting! We will be planning a couple of upcoming campus events before the semester is over, so we would like everybody’s input. See you there!

2. URGENT: Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act

What? AETA House Vote
When? Monday, November 13th
Call by 6pm!
Perhaps the single greatest legislative threat to the animal rights movement is decided on Monday evening. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) would make it so that *non-violent* animal activists would be classified as “domestic terrorists.” Obviously, this is absurd! Our government is trying to fast-track this bill through, and it was already passed through the Senate unchallenged. PLEASE call your local representatives immediately after you read this email because if it passes through the House as it did in the Senate, it could severely hinder our actions to help animals. Click on the link below, find your representative and take the next 5 mins to send a quick email, leave a message on their phone, fax a letter, or do all three! If you do only one thing today, let it be this.

BREAKING NEWS
Action Alert — House Vote on AETA this Monday!

This is your ONLY chance to defeat the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (HR 4239, S3880)!

In a late night move on Friday, AETA was added to the House Suspension Calendar for THIS Monday! This underhanded fast-track maneuver, like the one in the Senate, means that AETA will not have any debate… only an up/down vote.

Contact your Representative this weekend and Monday morning!

Identify your House Rep: name, fax, e-mail, and phone number at http://www.house.gov
Then, use our sample letter and/or the talking points below to…

Be a triple hitter for the animals:

1. Call direct or use the switchboard 202-225-3121
2. Fax
3. E-mail

Remember, all contact info is at www.house.gov.

Talking Points!

“As your constituent, I strongly urge you to: (1) vote NO on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (HR4239, S 3880), which is currently on the suspension calendar for 11/13 to be voted on Monday after 6:30pm, and (2) to contact Rep. Sensenbrenner to remove the bill from the suspension calendar. The measure is much too important to pass without discussion.”

The bill must be opposed for the following reasons:

* AETA is opposed by more than 150 animal protection, social justice, and civil liberty organizations including: National Lawyers Guild, Humane Society of the U.S., ASPCA, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the League of Humane Voters. Click here for opposition list.
* AETA deserves a hearing to afford its many opponents a voice.
* AETA denies equal protection under the law and limits freedom of speech and assembly.
* AETA unfairly brands as ‘terrorists’ nonviolent animal protection advocates.
* AETA unfairly brands as ‘terrorism’ nonviolent civil disobedience and undercover investigations.
* AETA invokes excessively harsh penalties for comparable offenses.
* AETA is excessively broad and vague by covering innocent parties.
* AETA may authorize unwarranted wiretapping of animal protection advocates.
* AETA has a chilling effect on all forms of social justice and life affirming advocacy.
* AETA interferes with prosecution of real terrorism against the American people.

3. Amendment 3 Recap and Some Election Wins for the Animals

As you probably know, Amendment 3 passed with 57.7% of the vote (unfortunately!). Many individuals and organizations worked together, some for the very first time, to defeat this harmful amendment. I want to thank everyone who participated in our campaign against Amendment 3. Many of you leafleted at festivals and early voting. Many of you wrote letters to the editors of Florida newspapers and several were published. Many of you took off on Election day to work the polls and hold signs. Thank you.

Laura Goodhue from ACORN pointed out these positive results from our efforts:

* Voters from across the political spectrum worked together on this campaign to defend a foundation of our democracy. We should continue to work together against similar attacks on the citizen initiative process.
* We ran an excellent voter education campaign, and in the process gained the support of most editorial boards and papers across the state
* Throughout this campaign, voters sent a strong message to the legislature that there is vast opposition against restrictions on citizen initiatives.
* The amendment did not pass with 60%!

Amendment 3 DID NOT pass in two counties. Pinellas and Volusia. If you are interested, you can visit the Division of Elections website and this link to check on how your county did in the election: http://enight.dos.state.fl.us/ Just click on Constitutional Amendments and then on the name of the ballot title to see county results.

Of course, we will not give up the fight for the animals. They need our voices, perhaps even more now. On the positive side, if you have not already heard, the animals won in Michigan and Arizona. Michigan voters restored the 100-year tradition of protecting the state’s official bird of peace, the mourning dove, from target shooting. The vote was 68 percent to 32 percent. And in Arizona, voters cast their ballot in favor of Proposition 204, which bans gestation crates for breeding pigs and veal crates for young calves. The vote was 61 percent in favor and only 39 percent opposed.

4. Compassion for Animals Action Symposium In Orlando…

What? Animal Rights Conference
When? January 26 - 28, 2007
Where? Regal Palms Resort
2700 Sand Mine Road, Davenport, Florida (around 30 miles SW of downtown Orlando)
** NOTE** BARC is looking into getting funding from SGA to cover the registration costs for some of our members to attend this conference. Obviously, January is a little while off, but if you are genuinely interested in attending, please email the co-presidents so we can get a rough estimate of how many will be going. The sooner you respond, the better your chances will be of getting funding if we are approved. This conference is seriously one of the best ones out there, and it’s practically in our backyard…

6th ANNUAL COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS ACTION SYMPOSIUM:
Presented By: VegEvents

*Join us and representatives from Florida and national organizations in brainstorming sessions
*Share ideas and mingle with long-time activists and newcomers in Animal Ethics and Environmental Issues
*Participate in Lively Group Discussions and Project Planning
*Network with Like-Minded Individuals and Form Friendships that will last a Lifetime!

Symposium Schedule:
Fri. 1/26; Registration, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Festive Reception, 7 pm - ?
Sat. 1/27; 9 a.m - 6 p.m. Group Discussions, Panels, Planning
Sun. 1/28; 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Group Discussions, Panels, Planning

SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION
$50.00 by Nov. 10, $65.00 by Nov. 30, $75.00 by Dec. 31
PLEASE register early . There is “limited” seating.

For more information, and to see the registration form, click on the VegEvents link above.

Now that you’re done reading this email, contact your Rep. about the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act! Then we’ll see you at the meeting on Tuesday!

If you have a question about anything, email copresidents@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.

1. Saturday: Benefit Show to Help Pro-Veg Group

What? Food Not Bombs Benefit Show
When? Saturday, October 14th
4 :00 pm
Where?
“The House on Rouse”
2651 Rouse Rd, Orlando, FL 32817

Food Not Bombs is a national group that, among other things, works to end hunger and the exploitation and the destruction of the earth. Orlando is lucky to have TWO local chapters of FNB which regularly feed vegan and vegetarian meals to the homeless in our area. This Saturday, FNB is hosting a benefit concert event in honor of both local chapters in the Orlando area in hopes of gathering supplies and donations to keep their efforts going and to raise awareness about hunger in Orlando and other issues our city is facing.

The fun starts at 4pm at the “House on Rouse.” A $5 donation is requested, and if you can also bring any canned veggies, rice, beans, soy milk, spices, or other various vegetarian cooking supplies, they could really use it!

There will be TONS of local bands performing and free vegan food for anyone who attends. Bands include: The Folk-a-Dots, Jen Whalen, Gomek, The F-Pipes, Deaf Gordon, Recycled Ruins, First Amendment Funeral, Racin’ For Pinks, the Lepracy, BTH, and more…

See you there!

2. Saturday: Environmental Documentary Screening!

What? Kilowatt Ours: A Plan For Re-Energizing America
When? Saturday, October 14th
6 :00 pm
Where? Dandelion Communitea Cafe
618 N. Thornton Ave, Orlando, FL 32823

This documentary concerns anyone in the United States using electricity from coal-powered plants (which is nearly all of us in Orlando!) While not widely-publicized, the process of acquiring coal for these power plants–to fuel our televisions, lights, computers, etc– is called “mountaintop removal” and is highly damaging to our environment in so many ways. To learn more about the film, click HERE, and also read the description below…

Kilowatt Ours is the story of filmmaker and conservationist Jeff Barrie’s 18 month journey across the U.S. to document our energy related problems and present practical, cost-saving solutions for consumers. Widespread problems revealed in Kilowatt Ours include: mountaintop removal coal mining, air pollution, global warming, child-hood asthma and mercury contamination. The film illustrates ways consumers can save more than $600 per year on energy bills while helping the environment and protecting human health.

“I want this film to spark an energy conservation movement across America, while boosting demand for clean renewable power sources,” says Barrie. “Many people are unaware that burning coal to generate electricity in America creates serious consequences to the environment and human health.”

Please join us for this insightful documentary screening Saturday at Dandelion Communitea Cafe at 6pm.

3. All Weekend: Hit the Streets for the Animals!

What? Amendment 3 Leafleting
When? See below for schedule…
Where? All over the Orlando area!
The following is the latest email about how we can help defeat Amendment 3. If you live near or would like to help out at any of the following events, contact Heather (her phone/email is below):

AMENDMENT 3 TAKES YOUR POWER AWAY FROM
PROTECTING FLORIDA’S ANIMALS

DON’T VOTE AWAY YOUR RIGHTS!!
Vote NO on Amendment 3!

Activists & Volunteers,
We need grassroots activists to hit the streets and educate voters about the truth on Amendment 3. Remember to visit Trust the Voters website, which is www.trustthevoters.org. There is a .pdf flyer / fact sheet available on the website. I do have leaflets available and I will be out and about this weekend so please contact me with your availability. You can reach me by cell phone 407.733.8891. The animals need your voice.

THIS WEEK IN CENTRAL FL:
Friday, October 13: 6 PM – 10 PM
Friday Fest Family Halloween Street Party
Historic Downtown Melbourne

Friday, October 13: 5 PM – 9:30 PM & Saturday, October 14: 5 PM – 9:30 PM
Falling Leaves Festival
Downtown Celebration
Market Street
Celebration

Saturday, October 14: 9 AM – 11 AM
Wiggle Waggle Walk (SPCA of Central FL Benefit)
Oval Park at Colonial Center
Heathrow

Saturday, October 14: 9 AM – 5 PM & Sunday, October 15: 9 AM – 5 PM
33rd Annual Winter Park Autumn Art Festival
Park Avenue
Winter Park

Saturday, October 14: 5 PM – 9 PM
Oktoberfest Party
Founder’s Square Drive
Avalon Park

Sunday, October 15: 11 AM – 9 PM
Come Out Pride Parade and Festival (Parade @ 2 PM)
Heritage Square Park
Orlando

Thank you for caring about the animals and helping to protect our democracy.
Peace,
Heather
407.733.8891

IMPORTANT: The Marketplace Wants to Hear From You…

What? Dining Survey
When? Take it ASAP
Where? http://www.collegediningsurvey.com/ucf

This is the BEST opportunity for all the vegetarians and vegans on campus to voice their opinion about the food at the Marketplace! The questionnaire is lengthy (takes less than 10 mins), but they really take these answers to heart, so let’s be honest about what we think of their lack of vegan options. Some key things they want our opinion on: availability of nutrition information, food variety, availability of vegetarian options, and there is a section where we can type a reason why we don’t eat at the marketplace more often–so mention you’re vegan or vegetarian and that they don’t have enough food choices for you! It’s important that they get a large sample of people asking for more vegan options, because there are a lot of us on campus and it’s about time they listened to us!

Below is the email I received from Dining Services… looks like you could even win an iPod for filling it out. So go get ‘em!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Submitted By: Judith E. Monroe for William F. Merck II
Submitted For: Business Services - Dining Services
Subject: Dining Services Campus Survey - Opportunity to Win an Apple iPod nano or iTunes Gift Card

To the Campus Community:
We are conducting a survey to better understand your campus lifestyle and preferences. By sharing your thoughts, we will gain valuable insight to help improve your overall campus dining experience.

This online survey will take 10 to 12 minutes and your responses are confidential.
Each participant in the survey will have the opportunity to enter to win an Apple® iPod® nano or iTunes® Gift Card.

Click on this link to begin the survey:
http://www.collegediningsurvey.com/ucf

We appreciate your time and thank you for your assistance!

What? Official BARC Meeting
When? Tuesday, October 3rd
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where? Computer Science Bldg. Room 109

As scheduled, our next meeting is tomorrow. Please bring some articles or information about animal related issues in the news. There seems to be a lot going on in the animal rights movement right now, so let’s discuss our thoughts on these issues and talk about the current state of the movement and where we would like to take our group. We only meet twice a month, so let’s make the most of these meetings!

*Note: if you still want to stay active but can’t make the meetings because of class, work or whatever, be sure to keep up with our website and emails for updates so you’ll always know when events are.

If you have a question about anything, email copresidents@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.

http://www.trustthevoters.org/

Some of you may remember Amendment 10 on the FL ballot back in 2002. This landmark citizen initiative was a victory for the animals because it called for the banning of pig gestation crates for breeding sows on factory farms. Because of initiatives like this, animals in many states across the country have a voice during election time. But this coming november, this might all change in Florida if Amendment 3 passes. Heather Carpenter, a local activist who is heading the Humane Society’s FL campaign against Amendment 3, explains…

“Over the years the citizens in Florida have had the right to bypass big-money influence in the Florida Legislature and take important issues straight to the people, such as the pig gestation crate initiative in 2002. The Humane Society of the United States and other animal groups have been involved in two landmark statewide initiatives. In 1992, we backed a measure – Save Our Sea Life – to halt the use of commercial fishing nets that capture turtles and other marine life in them. In 2002, Florida approved by a 55% majority the first initiative ever to be adopted in the United States to ban the confinement of animals on factory farms. The measure banned the caging of breeding sows in gestation crates–tiny, two-foot by seven-foot cages in which pregnant pigs are housed for almost all of their dismal existence.

Due to the recent success of citizens’ initiatives by several social movements, including the animal protection movement, some forces in the state legislature want to make it nearly impossible for voters to continue to participate in this kind of direct democracy. Currently, Florida citizens have the right to amend their state Constitution by simple majority vote. But, the legislature has put a measure on the 2006 ballot that would increase the number of votes needed to approve ballot initiatives from 50% to 60%—a “supermajority”—of the electorate. If this threshold would have been in place in 2002, Florida’s breeding sows would have never received the protections they so desperately needed and deserved.

Super-majority voting is un-democratic. If Amendment 3 passes, big-money politics will rule Tallahassee and make it harder for regular people to make change. When big business doesn’t want an issue heard – like term limits, better wages for workers, smaller classes, smoke-free restaurants, environmental measures, and protections for animals - it won’t be.”

Up until the final votes are cast in November, everyone’s help is needed to make sure this doesn’t pass. There will be many local campaign meetings if you’re interested in contributing your time, so stay tuned for more information.

1. BARC Meeting Tuesday/Call for Recipes
2. New Room for Animal Rights Talk!
3. Tabling Wednesday
4. Animal Rights Conference Saturday!

1. BARC Meeting Tuesday/Call for Recipes

What? Official BARC Meeting
When? Tuesday, September 19th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where? Computer Science Bldg. Room109

As scheduled, our next meeting is tomorrow. It’s at the same time (5pm), and at the same place (Computer Science, room 109) as the first one. After the meeting, we’re all going to head to the event below for a jam-packed animal rights evening!

Also, at the last meeting we discussed putting together a vegan cookbook for UCF students. So let’s do it! If anyone has tried and true recipes they would like to submit, please bring them to the meeting so we can get a rough idea how big this book is going to be (and to estimate printing costs, haha). Think QUICK and EASY vegan recipes for poor college students…

Note: if you still want to stay active but can’t make the meetings because of class, work or whatever, be sure to keep up with our website and emails for updates so you’ll always know when events are.

2. Tabling Wednesday

What? Gary Yourofsky Open Talk
When? Tuesday, September 19th
6 :00 pm - 7:30 pm
Where? Student Union, Pegasus Ballroom I (as in the letter)

Since a couple professors have now offered extra credit to their students if they attend this lecture, we opted for a slightly larger room since it will be hard to estimate attendance. Instead of HPA, Gary will be speaking in the Student Union. The room is kind of tricky to find, but it’s on the first floor and they sectioned off the giant Pegasus Ballroom into different letters. So just go down the hallway inside the ballroom and you’ll find the one marked “I”. More than likely, there will be signs directing you where to go.

This is going to be amazing, so don’t miss it! Bring friends, family, classmates, people off the street, or anyone who you think should be exposed to veganism and animal rights issues. We’ll be heading there straight after the BARC meeting, so feel free to tell others to meet us there.

3. Animal Rights Conference Saturday!

What? Weekly Tabling
When? Wednesday, September 20th
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Where? The Tables Outside the Student Union

Getting back to normal, BARC will be tabling again outside the Student Union. This week is especially important because of the upcoming Take Action conference which we need to continue promoting on campus. So stop by the table in between classes and whatnot to say hello and grab some literature to read or pass out to others.

4. Animal Rights Conference THIS Saturday!

What? Take Action Conference
When? Saturday, September 23rd
10 :00 am - 7:00 pm
Where? TBA, I swear!

We’re still working on getting another room for this event, so we’ll let you know as soon as we know! So far, roughly 300+ people have sent in their RSVP saying they will be attending, meaning we need a BIG room! Needless to say, this conference is going to be amazing. What more we do know about the day: lunch will be catered by the delicious Garden Cafe (yay!), we’ll be screening a new animal rights documentary AND we’ll get to talk with one of the people responsible for it. Also, there is a protest in the works for whoever is feeling up for it. A large group of conference-goers will be heading over to the KFC on Colonial to protest the inhumane treatment of their broiler hens. Here is the info about the conference again…

On Saturday, September 23, student activists will descend on the University of Central Florida for peta2’s first-ever Take Action conference—a jam-packed day of workshops led by peta2 staffers covering a variety of topics, from starting a student group and making your campus more animal-friendly to dealing with friends and family who aren’t exactly supportive of your decision to be an animal rights activist. Vegan food will be provided, and everyone who attends will leave with a goodie bag full of leaflets, stickers, and posters to help spread the word back at home. The best part: The whole thing is free to you!

To visit the official website for the conference and to register, go to this link: Take Action Conference.

If you have a question about anything, email copresidents@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.

See the email in its original format here

First Meeting Location, Location, Location!

What? Official BARC Meeting
When? Tuesday, September 5th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where? Computer Science Bldg. Room 109

We have a room! From now on (unless otherwise noted), we will be meeting in the Computer Science Building (CSB), Room 109. It’s right across from the Student Union, and you can click the link above to get a map. Meetings are every-other Tuesday at 5pm-6pm.

We always like to have free food at each meeting, so a couple of us are already planning on bringing some. But if you feel up for a little cooking or baking, you are more than welcome to bring your favorite dish along as well! It would be nice if meetings became a mini-potluck of sorts where we can share recipes while planning events for BARC. Of course, we would encourage that the food stay vegan and totally animal-free so everyone can eat. A great web resource for easy vegan recipes is www.vegweb.com.

As mentioned before, we have some fun stuff to talk about at this first meeting, so hope to see you all there!

*Note: if you still want to stay active but can’t make the meetings because of class, work or whatever, be sure to keep up with our website and emails for updates so you’ll always know when events are.

If you have a question about anything, email copresidents@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.

See the email in its original format here

1. Welcome Back!
2. Radical Rush Tabling All Week
3. BARC’s First Meeting Announced!
4. Gary Yourofsky Talks About Veganism
5. Animal Rights Conference at UCF!

1. Welcome Back Fall ‘06!

Hope everyone had a GREAT break! If you have any good animal-related stories that happened over the summer you would like to share with us, please email them to barcucf@gmail.com. Maybe you rescued an animal from a shelter, attended an animal rights conference, encouraged someone to go vegetarian, or went vegan/vegetarian yourself, we would love to hear from you! In fact, anytime you have a story to share throughout this Fall, let us know. This semester is going to revolve more around our members, because without you, there would be no BARC!

As an added bonus, some of the stories we receive throughout the year will be featured in the emails we send out. We would like your input on a lot of issues this year, and it helps to stay motivated when you hear about the great things others are continually doing for the animals. So e-mail us those stories!

2. Rush, Progressive-Style!

What? Radical Rush Fall 2006
When? Monday - Friday (August 28th - September 1st)
10:00 am - 2:00pm everyday
Where? The tables outside the Student Union

Since BARC is a member of the Progressive Council–a coalition of student organizations at UCF who are all concerned with social and political change–we take part in Radical Rush at the beginning of every semester. This is a perfect opportunity to expose our club to incoming freshman and talk to others about vegetarianism and other animal rights/welfare issues. BARC will have a table outside the Student Union from 10am-2pm Monday through Friday this week. Come on out, say hello and get some information. There will be events throughout the week, and you can pick up a schedule at any of the tables.

***HELP NEEDED: We need some extra hands on Wednesday morning (Aug 30th) to help set up our famous “BARC barn.” If you can meet us at the Student Union no later than 9am Wednesday morning, we could really use your help!! We will definitely repay you the favor with some yummy vegan breakfast goodies. Email barcucf@gmail.com if you want to be part of the fun. Did we mention free food?

3. BARC’s First Fall Meeting ‘06 is Finally Here!

What? Official BARC Meeting
When? Tuesday, September 5th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where? Room TBA (will send an email out before with info)

Miss us? Well good news is we’re back and better than ever. We want to share our ideas for this upcoming year with everyone, so what better time than at the beginning of a brand new semester? Join us for some brainstorming sessions and overall fun times on Tuesday, September 5th. From now on, meetings will be held every-other week on Tuesday’s at 5pm (we are working on getting the same room for the whole year so you’ll always know where to go). We’ll be sure to send out emails before every meeting as a reminder and just in case anything changes. So mark your calendars, and we’ll see you there at the first meeting!

Note: if you still want to stay active but can’t make the meetings because of class, work or whatever, be sure to keep up with our website and emails for updates so you’ll always know when events are.

4. Animal Rights Speaker Returns to Campus!

What? Gary Yourofsky Open Talk
When? Tuesday, September 19th
6 :00 pm - 7:30 pm
Where? HPA 1 - room 304

Every semester, Gary Yourofsky travels the country giving talks about veganism and animal rights to different universities. He always makes a stop at UCF on his tour, and this semester is no exception. His speech is highly informative and persuasive, and many people go vegetarian right on the spot after hearing his lecture. The week of September 19-22 he will be at UCF giving talks in 11 different college classrooms. Chances are, if you have a philosophy, environmental, or religion class he might already be speaking in it. If not, you’re still in luck, because he’s giving an open talk (meaning, everyone is invited!) the night of the 19th at 6:00pm… and guess what? That’s right after our Tuesday BARC meeting, so we’re all going to head over and hear him speak immediately after we’re done.

We strongly encourage you to bring friends and family members to this free open lecture, because the information is totally worth hearing. Also come armed with questions, because there will be a Q&A session when his presentation is over so you can ask him anything about animal rights or veganism that’s been nagging you–he has answers to everything.

5. Animal Rights Conference Coming to UCF September 23rd!

On Saturday, September 23, student activists will descend on the University of Central Florida for peta2’s first-ever Take Action conference—a jam-packed day of workshops led by peta2 staffers covering a variety of topics, from starting a student group and making your campus more animal-friendly to dealing with friends and family who aren’t exactly supportive of your decision to be an animal rights activist. Vegan food will be provided, and everyone who attends will leave with a goodie bag full of leaflets, stickers, and posters to help spread the word back at home. The best part: The whole thing is free to you!

To visit the official website for the conference and to register, go to this link: Take Action Conference. As this event gets closer, we will be sure to give you more information about room locations and speakers. What we do know, is that the conference will be an all-day event from 10:00am - 7:00 pm.

* Please note, for anyone who is questioning, BARC has no ties to PETA.

We are looking forward to an amazing semester! Hope to see you at all the events this month, and stay tuned for more to come! As always, you can check out our website: www.barcdontbite.org for a ton of animal rights resources and updates about our club. Here’s to a great year!

If you have a question about anything, email copresidents@barcdontbite.org, and you will get a prompt response.