Carrot-Walnut Cake and Carrot-Red Lentil Soup
I had a craving for carrot cake last week, so I pulled up this recipe. It looked a little boring, but I figured it couldn’t be that bad…and I was in a hurry. I decided to double it so I could bring one cake to the office and keep one at home to score points with the honey. I purchased twice the amount of carrots, and grated them in my food processor. Unfortunately, I did not purchase twice the other ingredients! The result? Keep reading for a carrot and lentil soup recipe.
The cake came out delish. In fact, it’s one of the best carrot cake recipes I’ve tried! Who would have guessed? I didn’t make the frosting. I followed the cake recipes just as it was and it came out moist and perfectly spiced. Yum. Just goes to show that fancier is not always better!
Grated carrots oxidize easily, especially if they’re not peeled (mine weren’t). So I had to use up my extras right away. I made a salad with grated carrots sprinkled in, but I still had a bunch left over. A heaping cup.
I scrounged in the cupboards and came out with one cup of red lentils, one potato, some ginger and some miso.
Red lentils cook much faster than brown lentils, and they're very tender and creamy when cooked.
I brought 3 cups of water to a boil and added the lentils. Then I added the chopped potato. After that came back to a boil, I added 1 Tb fresh chopped ginger and all the carrots. About 10 minutes later everything was tender and creamy. I added 2 Tb miso and salt and pepper to taste. I blended it with a hand-held blender, but it would been good without that step. It made a wonderful soup. Rich and creamy, filling, super healthy. Red lentils cook down into a naturally creamy puree, so you never would have guessed it was a fat-free soup.
I ate carrot-lentil soup and carrot cake for the next couple of days, with carrots on my salads as well. I looked a little orange, but with a black dress and some rhinestone earrings it went over quite well. The husband didn’t notice because he was too busy scarfing down carrot cake.
Carrot-Red Lentil Soup
1 cup dried red lentils
3 cups water
1 large potato, diced
1 Tb chopped fresh ginger
2 Tb miso paste
Salt and pepper to taste
Carrot Cake
Impress your guests at a bridal shower by serving this carrot cake. The creamy tofu frosting perfectly matches the moist and flavorful cake.
For the cake:
1/4 cup cinnamon applesauce (or equivalent substitute for 2 eggs)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine, softened
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1 cup finely grated carrots (or 1 large jar strained-carrot baby food)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
For the frosting:
8 oz. nondairy cream cheese (try Tofutti brand)
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. orange extract
For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan. Combine the first 9 ingredients, mixing well.
• Add the carrots and the walnuts. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Cool before frosting.For the frosting:
• Combine the cream cheese and the margarine. Slowly add the powdered sugar and stir to combine.
• Add the vanilla and orange extracts and stir to combine. Makes 10 servings
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Can you ask for a cup of coffee?
This is a scary time. We all have friends or family members who are struggling—perhaps they can’t sell their home, or their pay has been cut, or they’re simply nervous about what might happen to their jobs in the coming months. That same dismal economic situation is causing an increase in the number of calls for help that PETA is receiving. Animals are having their worst time too. Combine that with a drop in donations, and it is a serious situation indeed.
Whistleblowers are providing more tips than ever about cruel and illegal actions against animals in their neighborhoods, behind the closed doors of laboratories, factory farms, circuses, and dog-breeding operations, and in all those other hellholes we know so well. As you know, staff members carry emergency beepers every single day of the year, including Christmas and every other holiday. We can't—and we just won't—cut back on answering calls for help. When local officials won't act, there often isn't anyone but PETA to help the dogs and cats starving in a foreclosed home, or anyone else who will take the call of the security guard who discovers that the heat has gone out in a laboratory full of animals.
You are in a powerful position to help answer all of these calls for help. Most of your friends, family members and co-workers don’t want animals to suffer, but they don’t know how to help, either. You know good people and you’re running for a good group…you’re the conduit!
Please send out another e-mail tonight. Remind people that all donations to PETA are tax-deductible, and the year is almost over! Some of you have had surprise donations from in-laws and old college acquaintances. Don’t hesitate to ask people, and don’t hesitate to ask twice. Many people mean to donate, but forget.
People may be pinching pennies right now, and they might think that giving a small donation won’t help. Not true! What if everyone on our lists gave up fancy soy lattes for a day? Three lattes is about $16. If 100 people gave $16, they could pay for a week's worth of free spay-and-neuter surgeries by our DogDoc clinic. They could give 320 of our wonderful youth Street Team members the materials to reach 500 people with a fur-free message, and we now have more than 380,000 Street Team members out there acting in behalf of animals!
You’re not asking selfishly. You’re not asking for yourself. You’re asking for animals who desperately need help, and they’re always the last to receive help. Here’s what Ingrid has to say about the importance of giving right now: “Please do not be embarrassed to ask your friends to dig. The money is not for you, it is for those whom we serve and care about with every fiber of our being. The donors care, too, but sometimes people need to be asked to think about the importance of their decisions.”
The good news is that we are doing everything we can. PETA is a model of efficiency already, so cutting corners is already something that we think about constantly. PETA staff members are arranging a sale of their own unneeded holiday gifts to raise money for animals. We've cut out some activist materials, which now must be downloaded directly from our Web site and copied. PETA staff members are also doing all they can to cover the doghouse deliveries for the winter months—again, all as volunteers.
Thank you for doing what you can to help PETA avoid cutbacks by asking your friends to give whatever they can, to help us fight back for animals. We live in hope that someone will actually give more, knowing that so many others are cutting back—or cutting animals out of their giving entirely.
Good luck. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you!!
Alex
Whistleblowers are providing more tips than ever about cruel and illegal actions against animals in their neighborhoods, behind the closed doors of laboratories, factory farms, circuses, and dog-breeding operations, and in all those other hellholes we know so well. As you know, staff members carry emergency beepers every single day of the year, including Christmas and every other holiday. We can't—and we just won't—cut back on answering calls for help. When local officials won't act, there often isn't anyone but PETA to help the dogs and cats starving in a foreclosed home, or anyone else who will take the call of the security guard who discovers that the heat has gone out in a laboratory full of animals.
You are in a powerful position to help answer all of these calls for help. Most of your friends, family members and co-workers don’t want animals to suffer, but they don’t know how to help, either. You know good people and you’re running for a good group…you’re the conduit!
Please send out another e-mail tonight. Remind people that all donations to PETA are tax-deductible, and the year is almost over! Some of you have had surprise donations from in-laws and old college acquaintances. Don’t hesitate to ask people, and don’t hesitate to ask twice. Many people mean to donate, but forget.
People may be pinching pennies right now, and they might think that giving a small donation won’t help. Not true! What if everyone on our lists gave up fancy soy lattes for a day? Three lattes is about $16. If 100 people gave $16, they could pay for a week's worth of free spay-and-neuter surgeries by our DogDoc clinic. They could give 320 of our wonderful youth Street Team members the materials to reach 500 people with a fur-free message, and we now have more than 380,000 Street Team members out there acting in behalf of animals!
You’re not asking selfishly. You’re not asking for yourself. You’re asking for animals who desperately need help, and they’re always the last to receive help. Here’s what Ingrid has to say about the importance of giving right now: “Please do not be embarrassed to ask your friends to dig. The money is not for you, it is for those whom we serve and care about with every fiber of our being. The donors care, too, but sometimes people need to be asked to think about the importance of their decisions.”
The good news is that we are doing everything we can. PETA is a model of efficiency already, so cutting corners is already something that we think about constantly. PETA staff members are arranging a sale of their own unneeded holiday gifts to raise money for animals. We've cut out some activist materials, which now must be downloaded directly from our Web site and copied. PETA staff members are also doing all they can to cover the doghouse deliveries for the winter months—again, all as volunteers.
Thank you for doing what you can to help PETA avoid cutbacks by asking your friends to give whatever they can, to help us fight back for animals. We live in hope that someone will actually give more, knowing that so many others are cutting back—or cutting animals out of their giving entirely.
Good luck. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you!!
Alex
Monday, December 29, 2008
Pre-Race Check List
Now:
1. Register for the race. Don't put it off any longer!
2. Make your travel plans if you’re not from the Bay Area.
3. Plan your driving route and departure time if you are from the Bay Area—leave EARLY! Arriving late will stress you out and possibly upset your race. If the race starts at 8, I plan to be at the starting line at 7. That’s right. An hour early. I’ll walk, stretch, eat a banana…and relax because I’m there.
4. Figure out parking now. Read the race website to learn about shuttles, and ask Alex if you need to carpool.
5. MUSIC: Get that i-pod loaded!
Friday Before the Race:
1. Eat a big meal of pasta and/or potatoes.
2. Go to bed early.
3. Make sure all of your friends know what you’re doing.
Saturday, the Day Before the Race:
1. Pick out your race outfit and put it on. That’s right—put it on to make sure you don’t forget something like, oh, the sports bra. Or the left shoe. Put the whole thing on and jog around the block. Don’t try anything new for the race.
2. Drink a lot of water all day.
3. Eat another carb meal, but go a little lighter this time. You don’t want to be over-full. Hopefully we can have that meal together!
4. Don’t worry about going to bed early. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but honestly, it’s very hard to sleep the night before the race. I often get more stressed trying to sleep than just staying up and talking to PETA Pack people visiting from out of town!
5. Pack your favorite energy gels, bars or blocks. The race will have water and Gatorade stops, but no gels.
6. Make the time to drive to the course, so you know exactly where the parking, shuttles and starting line are.
7. Purchase and prepare your breakfast for early the next morning.
8. Have the following items ready to go:
*Your race outfit.
*Gels and gus and bars.
*Old sweats to wear in the beginning.
*Hat (if you wear one), sunscreen, hair band, dark glasses.
*Music (if you use it).
*Fully charged phone.
*Official race bib pinned to your race shirt.
*Timing chip attached to your shoe.
*Camera! Please, everyone…bring your camera so we can post photos after the event!
*Small bag with a bottle of water, dry shirt, ID and credit cards for after the race.
This race has a gear check. That means we’ll show up with our stuff, and a layer of our favorite old sweats over our race outfits to stay warm in the cold morning air. About 20 minutes before the race we’ll take off our sweats, pack everything into our bag, and the race people will safely check our stuff. They’ll transport all the bags to the finish line for us.
Post-race list:
1. Wipe tears off face. Seriously. I guarantee that at least half of us will cry when we cross the finish line.
2. Get race t-shirt and return timing chip.
3. WALK…don’t sit down after the race. Your legs will need to walk so the muscles loosen up.
4. Drink water (they’ll provide it at the race).
5. Eat a little, but chances are your stomach won’t be ready. Save your appetite for the party!
6. Pick up your gear.
7. Take photos of other PETA Packers crossing the finish line.
8. Share large hugs with everyone you see.
9. Take the free race shuttles back to your car and drive to the PETA Pack party.
10. Eat. Drink. Relax. Collect your free trip to Hawaii, Las Vegas or Mexico if you’ve been fundraising.
11. Look in the mirror and marvel at how amazing you are.
I will be handing out PETA Pack t-shirts on either 1/10 or 1/ 17. If you’re traveling here for the race, I’ll be around the day before to meet you and give you your shirt. If you’re not traveling here…we’ll miss you! And I’ll mail you your shirt.
Goody bags will be at the party.
Alex
1. Register for the race. Don't put it off any longer!
2. Make your travel plans if you’re not from the Bay Area.
3. Plan your driving route and departure time if you are from the Bay Area—leave EARLY! Arriving late will stress you out and possibly upset your race. If the race starts at 8, I plan to be at the starting line at 7. That’s right. An hour early. I’ll walk, stretch, eat a banana…and relax because I’m there.
4. Figure out parking now. Read the race website to learn about shuttles, and ask Alex if you need to carpool.
5. MUSIC: Get that i-pod loaded!
Friday Before the Race:
1. Eat a big meal of pasta and/or potatoes.
2. Go to bed early.
3. Make sure all of your friends know what you’re doing.
Saturday, the Day Before the Race:
1. Pick out your race outfit and put it on. That’s right—put it on to make sure you don’t forget something like, oh, the sports bra. Or the left shoe. Put the whole thing on and jog around the block. Don’t try anything new for the race.
2. Drink a lot of water all day.
3. Eat another carb meal, but go a little lighter this time. You don’t want to be over-full. Hopefully we can have that meal together!
4. Don’t worry about going to bed early. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but honestly, it’s very hard to sleep the night before the race. I often get more stressed trying to sleep than just staying up and talking to PETA Pack people visiting from out of town!
5. Pack your favorite energy gels, bars or blocks. The race will have water and Gatorade stops, but no gels.
6. Make the time to drive to the course, so you know exactly where the parking, shuttles and starting line are.
7. Purchase and prepare your breakfast for early the next morning.
8. Have the following items ready to go:
*Your race outfit.
*Gels and gus and bars.
*Old sweats to wear in the beginning.
*Hat (if you wear one), sunscreen, hair band, dark glasses.
*Music (if you use it).
*Fully charged phone.
*Official race bib pinned to your race shirt.
*Timing chip attached to your shoe.
*Camera! Please, everyone…bring your camera so we can post photos after the event!
*Small bag with a bottle of water, dry shirt, ID and credit cards for after the race.
This race has a gear check. That means we’ll show up with our stuff, and a layer of our favorite old sweats over our race outfits to stay warm in the cold morning air. About 20 minutes before the race we’ll take off our sweats, pack everything into our bag, and the race people will safely check our stuff. They’ll transport all the bags to the finish line for us.
Post-race list:
1. Wipe tears off face. Seriously. I guarantee that at least half of us will cry when we cross the finish line.
2. Get race t-shirt and return timing chip.
3. WALK…don’t sit down after the race. Your legs will need to walk so the muscles loosen up.
4. Drink water (they’ll provide it at the race).
5. Eat a little, but chances are your stomach won’t be ready. Save your appetite for the party!
6. Pick up your gear.
7. Take photos of other PETA Packers crossing the finish line.
8. Share large hugs with everyone you see.
9. Take the free race shuttles back to your car and drive to the PETA Pack party.
10. Eat. Drink. Relax. Collect your free trip to Hawaii, Las Vegas or Mexico if you’ve been fundraising.
11. Look in the mirror and marvel at how amazing you are.
I will be handing out PETA Pack t-shirts on either 1/10 or 1/ 17. If you’re traveling here for the race, I’ll be around the day before to meet you and give you your shirt. If you’re not traveling here…we’ll miss you! And I’ll mail you your shirt.
Goody bags will be at the party.
Alex
Half Marathon, 5k or...100 Miles across a desert?
How are you feeling about 3.2 miles or 13.1 miles?
If you think you’re training a lot now, just be glad I didn’t sign us up for this race in Australia! Please—read carefully so you don’t miss both the age of the runner, and the length of the race. Plus, Henry just told me that Cliff Young was a vegetarian!
And how about the Western States 100? Vegan Scott Jurek has won it for the past 7 years in a row. Every time I see Coach Darren’s power smoothie recipes, I think of Scott Jurek and the 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn. And then I have to sit down and eat a So Delicious ‘Lil Buddy to recover from the mental trauma (just kidding, Coach!).
Are you stuck on a treadmill for a lot of your training? Here’s a great article about mixing things up for endless treadmill runs.
Remember, you *must* register for the race on February 1st if you want the timing chip, bib number and t-shirt! This is different from our PETA Pack t-shirt. You’re a member of The PETA Pack (and thank you very much), and I’m looking forward to handing out shirts in a couple of weeks. But you’re running the KP San Francisco Half Marathon, and that’s a separate entity with its own registration and t-shirts.
PARTY! I have started the RSVP list. We’re all going to gather about noon on Sunday, February 1st, after the race. We need to celebrate! We’ll announce the winners, have some food and sodas (and beer and chocolate), and put our feet up for a while. This will be the first time we get to meet many of you. Please let me know if you’re coming, and yes, please bring a guest!
Alex
p.s.
Check out this list of 10 things to do before the race.
If you think you’re training a lot now, just be glad I didn’t sign us up for this race in Australia! Please—read carefully so you don’t miss both the age of the runner, and the length of the race. Plus, Henry just told me that Cliff Young was a vegetarian!
And how about the Western States 100? Vegan Scott Jurek has won it for the past 7 years in a row. Every time I see Coach Darren’s power smoothie recipes, I think of Scott Jurek and the 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn. And then I have to sit down and eat a So Delicious ‘Lil Buddy to recover from the mental trauma (just kidding, Coach!).
Are you stuck on a treadmill for a lot of your training? Here’s a great article about mixing things up for endless treadmill runs.
Remember, you *must* register for the race on February 1st if you want the timing chip, bib number and t-shirt! This is different from our PETA Pack t-shirt. You’re a member of The PETA Pack (and thank you very much), and I’m looking forward to handing out shirts in a couple of weeks. But you’re running the KP San Francisco Half Marathon, and that’s a separate entity with its own registration and t-shirts.
PARTY! I have started the RSVP list. We’re all going to gather about noon on Sunday, February 1st, after the race. We need to celebrate! We’ll announce the winners, have some food and sodas (and beer and chocolate), and put our feet up for a while. This will be the first time we get to meet many of you. Please let me know if you’re coming, and yes, please bring a guest!
Alex
p.s.
Check out this list of 10 things to do before the race.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
PETA Pack Top 10 Holiday List
‘Tis the season…for smashing things!
I mean smashing limits, of course. Smashing boundaries, ceilings (glass or not), limits and hurdles. All of you training and fundraising for The PETA Pack have started your New Year Resolutions early!
Here’s the Top 10 Holiday List for The PETA Pack.
10. Make your travel plans now! Whether you’re coming to San Francisco for the race, or planning to race in a cool area of your hometown…make the plans now so you can stop worrying about it.
9. Register for the race now! If you register you’ll get an official timing chip, a long-sleeved black t-shirt and a bib number.
8. Watch the year-end staff video on PETA.org’s front page. Don’t worry, it’s all happy. Animals are going to get more help this year, thanks to you, so check out some of the successes!
7. Make at least one delicious, cruelty-free recipe between now and New Year’s Day.
6. Brainstorm about your fundraising. Are you interested in going to Hawaii, Las Vegas or Mexico? For free? OK then. Think of who you know and who you haven’t asked yet. Write letters to the aunts and uncles not on e-mail, and contact your friends from college who used to run with you.
5. Send me a note to share with the team, or post your own blog like Jen and Karen and Catharine have done. Let the team know how you’re doing, especially if you’re remote.
4. Create a cool cross-training day with someone else. Mix it up a bit. A couple of weeks ago Coach Darren made us run up and down stairs and do some core stuff. It was really fun! So tomorrow, Christmas Day, Henry and Kristie and Mark and I are going to tackle the Piedmont Track stairs. It’s true that Kristie and Mark haven’t committed yet, but I’m sure they’ll come to their senses before tomorrow. Don’t you think?
3. Take 30 minutes to help us hit $30,000! We’re almost at $25,000…that is just HUGE. So exciting. Thank you all so much! Please, let your friends and family know that animals need help more than ever right now. During recessions, animals get dumped first. More animals need more help, yet donations are down…thank goodness for all of you!
2. E-mail me and tell me if you’re running the actual race in San Francisco…we’re planning the post-race party now and I need to know if you’ll be a part of it!
And the #1 thing to do this week…HAVE FUN AND TRAIN! Don’t give up because of the holidays. Sure, we’ll all probably miss a day or two during this hectic time, but that doesn’t mean “give up.” An extra day of rest won’t hurt you, now that your mileage is increasing.
Look at it this way: If you miss a day of work because you have a horrible cold, do you quit your job? Heck no! You get back to work, get caught up, and carry on.
Schedule your training times right now. Before you delete this e-mail. Set aside the time and tell your friends and family you’re busy training during those times…that will help hold you to it.
And you bet we’re training this Saturday. See you at 9 in San Francisco. If you’re remote, have a GREAT run this weekend!
Thank you all for helping to make PETA a stronger voice for animals, who have no voice.
Alex
I mean smashing limits, of course. Smashing boundaries, ceilings (glass or not), limits and hurdles. All of you training and fundraising for The PETA Pack have started your New Year Resolutions early!
Here’s the Top 10 Holiday List for The PETA Pack.
10. Make your travel plans now! Whether you’re coming to San Francisco for the race, or planning to race in a cool area of your hometown…make the plans now so you can stop worrying about it.
9. Register for the race now! If you register you’ll get an official timing chip, a long-sleeved black t-shirt and a bib number.
8. Watch the year-end staff video on PETA.org’s front page. Don’t worry, it’s all happy. Animals are going to get more help this year, thanks to you, so check out some of the successes!
7. Make at least one delicious, cruelty-free recipe between now and New Year’s Day.
6. Brainstorm about your fundraising. Are you interested in going to Hawaii, Las Vegas or Mexico? For free? OK then. Think of who you know and who you haven’t asked yet. Write letters to the aunts and uncles not on e-mail, and contact your friends from college who used to run with you.
5. Send me a note to share with the team, or post your own blog like Jen and Karen and Catharine have done. Let the team know how you’re doing, especially if you’re remote.
4. Create a cool cross-training day with someone else. Mix it up a bit. A couple of weeks ago Coach Darren made us run up and down stairs and do some core stuff. It was really fun! So tomorrow, Christmas Day, Henry and Kristie and Mark and I are going to tackle the Piedmont Track stairs. It’s true that Kristie and Mark haven’t committed yet, but I’m sure they’ll come to their senses before tomorrow. Don’t you think?
3. Take 30 minutes to help us hit $30,000! We’re almost at $25,000…that is just HUGE. So exciting. Thank you all so much! Please, let your friends and family know that animals need help more than ever right now. During recessions, animals get dumped first. More animals need more help, yet donations are down…thank goodness for all of you!
2. E-mail me and tell me if you’re running the actual race in San Francisco…we’re planning the post-race party now and I need to know if you’ll be a part of it!
And the #1 thing to do this week…HAVE FUN AND TRAIN! Don’t give up because of the holidays. Sure, we’ll all probably miss a day or two during this hectic time, but that doesn’t mean “give up.” An extra day of rest won’t hurt you, now that your mileage is increasing.
Look at it this way: If you miss a day of work because you have a horrible cold, do you quit your job? Heck no! You get back to work, get caught up, and carry on.
Schedule your training times right now. Before you delete this e-mail. Set aside the time and tell your friends and family you’re busy training during those times…that will help hold you to it.
And you bet we’re training this Saturday. See you at 9 in San Francisco. If you’re remote, have a GREAT run this weekend!
Thank you all for helping to make PETA a stronger voice for animals, who have no voice.
Alex
Some People Get Involved with Gangs, or Heavy Shopping, or Couch Potato Disease...
But not you.
Next time you’re feeling blue, check out the list below.
How many people do you know who are:
1. Living a busy life
2. Training for a race
AND 3. Actively helping change the world for animals?
“Not many” is the answer. So don’t forget that you are part of a small, powerful group of people who actually walk* their talk!
*run their talk, actually. :)
None of the below would have happened without donations. THANK YOU, PETA Pack!!
In the past year alone, PETA...
*Conducted 6 major undercover investigations and more than a dozen others covering all types of animal abuse including:
A supplier of live animals to Petsmart and Petco
Bear baiting in Canada
The largest kosher slaughterhouse in the world
A huge pig breeding farm in Iowa
A chicken slaughterhouse in New York
A turkey slaughterhouse in West Virginia
*Filed more than 26 shareholder resolutions to challenge companies including well-known names like Safeway, Pfizer, Dow Chemical and GE. PETA is once again the most active non-profit in shareholder resolutions, over any other group of any cause.
*Had over 63 million people visit our websites (!!). Thanks to Joel Bartlett and the amazing team at PETA Headquarters for that number!
*Gave away more than 500,000 free VSK’s (you don’t have to order one online—just ask me and I’ll pop one in the mail right away).
*Conducted 1,200 protests with our International grassroots Activist Network.
*Reached a milestone of more than 1.8 million PETA2 members and over 380,000 Street Team activists (one of the best being our very own PETA Packer Beau Broughton!).
*Fielded more than 14,000 animal cruelty calls.
*Had 600 LTE’s and 1,000 OpEd’s printed in major print media.
*Spay/neutered 7,500 dogs and cats.
*Hosted 76 interns from 11 countries.
And just last week we:
*Persuaded Dollar Tree (3,400 stores) to stop selling glue traps.
*Persuaded Donna Karan to stop using fur.
*Filed a shareholder resolution with Schering Plough.
*Released a new PSA with Emmy Lou Harris about keeping dogs inside.
*Persuaded the FDA to rule that stevia natural sweetener does not need to be tested on animals.
*Rescued 49 dogs from a terrible puppy mill in Oklahoma—the dogs are now safe at the Missouri Humane Society.
Next time you’re feeling blue, check out the list below.
How many people do you know who are:
1. Living a busy life
2. Training for a race
AND 3. Actively helping change the world for animals?
“Not many” is the answer. So don’t forget that you are part of a small, powerful group of people who actually walk* their talk!
*run their talk, actually. :)
None of the below would have happened without donations. THANK YOU, PETA Pack!!
In the past year alone, PETA...
*Conducted 6 major undercover investigations and more than a dozen others covering all types of animal abuse including:
A supplier of live animals to Petsmart and Petco
Bear baiting in Canada
The largest kosher slaughterhouse in the world
A huge pig breeding farm in Iowa
A chicken slaughterhouse in New York
A turkey slaughterhouse in West Virginia
*Filed more than 26 shareholder resolutions to challenge companies including well-known names like Safeway, Pfizer, Dow Chemical and GE. PETA is once again the most active non-profit in shareholder resolutions, over any other group of any cause.
*Had over 63 million people visit our websites (!!). Thanks to Joel Bartlett and the amazing team at PETA Headquarters for that number!
*Gave away more than 500,000 free VSK’s (you don’t have to order one online—just ask me and I’ll pop one in the mail right away).
*Conducted 1,200 protests with our International grassroots Activist Network.
*Reached a milestone of more than 1.8 million PETA2 members and over 380,000 Street Team activists (one of the best being our very own PETA Packer Beau Broughton!).
*Fielded more than 14,000 animal cruelty calls.
*Had 600 LTE’s and 1,000 OpEd’s printed in major print media.
*Spay/neutered 7,500 dogs and cats.
*Hosted 76 interns from 11 countries.
And just last week we:
*Persuaded Dollar Tree (3,400 stores) to stop selling glue traps.
*Persuaded Donna Karan to stop using fur.
*Filed a shareholder resolution with Schering Plough.
*Released a new PSA with Emmy Lou Harris about keeping dogs inside.
*Persuaded the FDA to rule that stevia natural sweetener does not need to be tested on animals.
*Rescued 49 dogs from a terrible puppy mill in Oklahoma—the dogs are now safe at the Missouri Humane Society.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Lemony Corn Soup and Mushroom Soup
Lemon Corn Soup
1 fresh lemongrass stalk1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 T olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 lbs squash, in bite size pieces (butternut recommended)
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
5 cups water
1 Tb sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 t no-salt herb seasoning blend (your preference)
· smash lemongrass stalk to release flavor but leave intact
· cook lemongrass and chopped onion in olive oil until onion is softened
· add water
· add squash and corn
· add salt, pepper, seasoning
· bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes
· remove lemongrass stalk
· eat as is, or puree first.
Mushroom Soup
3 cups water
1/2 cashew butter (I use unsalted)
1 1/2 t. salt
2 cups fresh mushrooms (portabella are excellent and frozen work fine too)
3 T. arrowroot powder
1 1/2 t. organic herb no-salt seasoning (or herb mix of your own preference)
optional: add a bit of roasted garlic
· sauté fresh mushrooms in a bit of water and olive oil
· add 1 cup of the water and warm and then add cashew butter so that it melts in
· add the rest of the water and salt, cornstarch, and seasonings and cook until it thickens
Enjoy! Also tastes great with a mix of fresh vegetables added and/or steamed chopped broccoli.
1 fresh lemongrass stalk1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 T olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 lbs squash, in bite size pieces (butternut recommended)
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
5 cups water
1 Tb sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 t no-salt herb seasoning blend (your preference)
· smash lemongrass stalk to release flavor but leave intact
· cook lemongrass and chopped onion in olive oil until onion is softened
· add water
· add squash and corn
· add salt, pepper, seasoning
· bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes
· remove lemongrass stalk
· eat as is, or puree first.
Mushroom Soup
3 cups water
1/2 cashew butter (I use unsalted)
1 1/2 t. salt
2 cups fresh mushrooms (portabella are excellent and frozen work fine too)
3 T. arrowroot powder
1 1/2 t. organic herb no-salt seasoning (or herb mix of your own preference)
optional: add a bit of roasted garlic
· sauté fresh mushrooms in a bit of water and olive oil
· add 1 cup of the water and warm and then add cashew butter so that it melts in
· add the rest of the water and salt, cornstarch, and seasonings and cook until it thickens
Enjoy! Also tastes great with a mix of fresh vegetables added and/or steamed chopped broccoli.
Friday, December 12, 2008
I'm donating to the No More Coffee fund!
Runners are telling me it’s hard to raise money for PETA from non-vegetarians. And many of their friends and parents still eat meat. You’re right! It can be hard!
But not impossible. Let’s compare the situation to a coffee addiction:
Many of you know I have a caffeine problem. I’m sorry, Coach Darren. I am addicted to coffee and I really don’t want to give it up. Coffee beans don’t have central nervous systems. They don’t scream in pain and struggle to be free as they are killed, like animals do. Thus, I have to admit that I really don’t care about giving up coffee.
There are pitfalls, of course. It makes me hyper and I often frighten my PETA co-workers. It’s expensive. It’s no fun to wake up in a strange hotel, on a work trip, and discover they don’t have a coffee maker in the room. I would rather walk around town in a lettuce-leaf swimsuit than go out in public before I’ve had my fix.
But not impossible. Let’s compare the situation to a coffee addiction:
Many of you know I have a caffeine problem. I’m sorry, Coach Darren. I am addicted to coffee and I really don’t want to give it up. Coffee beans don’t have central nervous systems. They don’t scream in pain and struggle to be free as they are killed, like animals do. Thus, I have to admit that I really don’t care about giving up coffee.
There are pitfalls, of course. It makes me hyper and I often frighten my PETA co-workers. It’s expensive. It’s no fun to wake up in a strange hotel, on a work trip, and discover they don’t have a coffee maker in the room. I would rather walk around town in a lettuce-leaf swimsuit than go out in public before I’ve had my fix.
So I can see why it can be a good thing to NOT be addicted to coffee. And perhaps I could get into helping a non-profit teach young people to never start. Especially if that non-profit told me, “Hey, you can keep drinking coffee. We’re not asking you to quit, we’re asking you to donate so that others don’t get addicted.” That could work for me!
Of course it won’t actually work for me, because animal abuse is a much more pressing issue and that’s why I donate to PETA every month. But do you see the idea?
It’s OK to tell your friends and family that you’re not asking them to go veg. You are asking them to donate to help others go veg, and to help reform factory farms and slaughterhouses. They don’t need to feel nervous about change, or pressured. They can help decrease the amount of suffering in the world without making any lifestyle changes of their own!
This may give your potential donors a chance to relax, support you (which is what they want to do, they’re just nervous about it), and…learn about helping animals! Often when people find out they don’t have to do something, it becomes easier to do it. Don't be surprised if you find out your Aunt Linda started browsing through GoVeg.com after you told her you didn't want her to!
Oops! It's 1:30, I'm half an hour late for my post-lunch cup of coffee!
Alex
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Preparing for the Long Run
*MUSIC. If you run with music, make sure your i-pod is loaded and charged. This would be a great time to add a few new songs.
*ENERGY. Stock up on gels and bloks now. You may decide you don’t need them, but if you’re bonking at Mile 6 and you don’t have a double-caffeinated expresso Gu…bummer. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, right?
*REST. Plan to go to bed early tonight (Thursday). If you can get extra sleep on Friday night as well, great, but that’s always harder. I have a hard time sleeping the night before a new challenge, and besides, it’s Friday night in the holiday season! How many holiday parties are you planning to visit? So turn the TV off early tonight and hit the sack.
Note: Don’t panic if you don’t sleep well on Friday night. Some of my best runs were the day after a bad night’s sleep! The body steps in when needed, the endorphins start flowing early, and all of a sudden you’re going strong at Mile 5 with a huge smile on your face. And boy do you ever sleep well after the long run...
*HYDRATE. Drink up on Friday. Don’t drink a ton of water on Saturday morning, you could dilute your electrolytes and you’ll have to visit the bushes every half mile. I drink extra water on Friday afternoons. And since running should be part of a fun life (not a chore), don’t skip the party on Friday night. Just drink more water. Either skip the alcohol or make sure you drink 2 glasses of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. No more than 2 drinks on Friday night and we mean it!
Note: If you’re running in San Francisco on Saturday, you’ll run by water fountains at The Ferry Building. If you’re doing your own route, plan ahead for water. Either carry it with you in a hand-held water bottle or waist-belt, or make sure your run goes by water fountains. Public parks, grocery stores and shopping malls all make good water stops. You’re not going to want to drink loads of water on the run, that will just slow you down (slosh, slosh). But you’ll want some.
*EAT. Eat a dinner full of complex carbs on Friday night. Try to avoid new foods. This is not the time to have an “I can eat spicier food than you” contest at a Mexican restaurant, OK? Eat pasta. Eat bread. If you avoid gluten, eat brown rice and potatoes. Check the blog for more recipe ideas.
*EAT AGAIN. Be sure to have breakfast on Saturday morning…but don’t overdo it! By now you should know what your body likes to run on. Don’t get creative the morning before a long run. Eat your usual oatmeal or bagel or energy smoothie and eat it by 7:30 a.m. so you have time to digest it.
*ENERGY. Stock up on gels and bloks now. You may decide you don’t need them, but if you’re bonking at Mile 6 and you don’t have a double-caffeinated expresso Gu…bummer. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, right?
*REST. Plan to go to bed early tonight (Thursday). If you can get extra sleep on Friday night as well, great, but that’s always harder. I have a hard time sleeping the night before a new challenge, and besides, it’s Friday night in the holiday season! How many holiday parties are you planning to visit? So turn the TV off early tonight and hit the sack.
Note: Don’t panic if you don’t sleep well on Friday night. Some of my best runs were the day after a bad night’s sleep! The body steps in when needed, the endorphins start flowing early, and all of a sudden you’re going strong at Mile 5 with a huge smile on your face. And boy do you ever sleep well after the long run...
*HYDRATE. Drink up on Friday. Don’t drink a ton of water on Saturday morning, you could dilute your electrolytes and you’ll have to visit the bushes every half mile. I drink extra water on Friday afternoons. And since running should be part of a fun life (not a chore), don’t skip the party on Friday night. Just drink more water. Either skip the alcohol or make sure you drink 2 glasses of water for every alcoholic drink you consume. No more than 2 drinks on Friday night and we mean it!
Note: If you’re running in San Francisco on Saturday, you’ll run by water fountains at The Ferry Building. If you’re doing your own route, plan ahead for water. Either carry it with you in a hand-held water bottle or waist-belt, or make sure your run goes by water fountains. Public parks, grocery stores and shopping malls all make good water stops. You’re not going to want to drink loads of water on the run, that will just slow you down (slosh, slosh). But you’ll want some.
*EAT. Eat a dinner full of complex carbs on Friday night. Try to avoid new foods. This is not the time to have an “I can eat spicier food than you” contest at a Mexican restaurant, OK? Eat pasta. Eat bread. If you avoid gluten, eat brown rice and potatoes. Check the blog for more recipe ideas.
*EAT AGAIN. Be sure to have breakfast on Saturday morning…but don’t overdo it! By now you should know what your body likes to run on. Don’t get creative the morning before a long run. Eat your usual oatmeal or bagel or energy smoothie and eat it by 7:30 a.m. so you have time to digest it.
Eating Tips and Recipe Links
http://thepetapack.blogspot.com/2008/12/quick-tostadas.html
http://thepetapack.blogspot.com/2008/11/roast-squash.html
http://thepetapack.blogspot.com/2008/11/breakfast-this-post-is-little-late.html
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/11/roasted_vegetable_pasta.php
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/04/mushroom_cream_sauce_over_whol.php
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/12/twicebaked_potatoes.php
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/12/potato_and_leek_risotto_with_m.php
http://thepetapack.blogspot.com/2008/11/roast-squash.html
http://thepetapack.blogspot.com/2008/11/breakfast-this-post-is-little-late.html
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/11/roasted_vegetable_pasta.php
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/04/mushroom_cream_sauce_over_whol.php
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/12/twicebaked_potatoes.php
http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/12/potato_and_leek_risotto_with_m.php
Friday, December 5, 2008
Running Fuel!
We’ve got a ton of options.
Clif Shot
Clif Shot Bloks
Gu
Luna Chews
Hammer Gels
And more. We’ve got energy bars, of course (Luna bars, Clif bars, etc), and energy drinks like Gatorade and Recharge.
As much as I joke around about living on a diet of energy fuels, I’m actually pretty careful. Please—try them, find a couple you like (and that your body likes), and then use in moderation!
Gels and bloks and drinks are intense forms of easily-digested carbs. Sugar. When you’re hitting a wall at 7 miles, chances are you’ve used up all the available energy in your body and you need more. Fast. You don’t want to stop and order a sandwich while you’re running, and you probably couldn’t digest one anyway. That’s when these things come in handy.
Gels taste like frosting. Fruit, chocolate, vanilla, banana…all the flavors are represented. Bloks are like little Jell-o blocks, but they’re vegan (no gelatin). They both work the same, it’s a matter of personal taste.
I can choke down a gel if I’m crashing, but I don’t like the consistency and I try to take Bloks with me. My mom, on the other hand, doesn’t like to have to chew the Bloks when she’s in the middle of a triathlon (yes, she’s 67, and yes, she kicks butt). She always takes gels.
Some people hate both. If you try them and you just can’t stomach them, try packing your pockets with:
Jelly beans or other favorite candies
Pretzel nuggets
Pre-cut pieces of your favorite energy bar
Or fill your water bottle with Gatorade or Recharge.
Some people can take sports drinks and gels at the same time, but it’s not recommended. That’s a lot of sugar to your system at once! Try to stick with one or the other.
Don’t start sucking down a gel every time you put on your running shoes. You don’t need them for shorter runs, which is why I’ve waited to talk about them. If you take them too much you’ll be ingesting too many calories. Wait until you’re working out at least an hour, then try one. Experiment with the different kinds, and caffeinated vs. no-caff.
During our race, they’ll have Gatorade and water at the rest stops along the course. So find out now if that’s enough, or if you’ll want to pack a gel! I know I’ll have two gels in my pocket. Both with caffeine. Double caffeine.
Please take a minute to read more about fueling yourself for longer runs, now that we’re getting up in the miles. We want you to feel GREAT during your training!!
Here is an excellent article sent by Coach Darren, about mental fatigue caused by low blood sugar. And here’s another nice one from Runner’s World about how to successfully carb yourself during runs.
Have fun with your new favorite food group! :)
Alex
Clif Shot
Clif Shot Bloks
Gu
Luna Chews
Hammer Gels
And more. We’ve got energy bars, of course (Luna bars, Clif bars, etc), and energy drinks like Gatorade and Recharge.
As much as I joke around about living on a diet of energy fuels, I’m actually pretty careful. Please—try them, find a couple you like (and that your body likes), and then use in moderation!
Gels and bloks and drinks are intense forms of easily-digested carbs. Sugar. When you’re hitting a wall at 7 miles, chances are you’ve used up all the available energy in your body and you need more. Fast. You don’t want to stop and order a sandwich while you’re running, and you probably couldn’t digest one anyway. That’s when these things come in handy.
Gels taste like frosting. Fruit, chocolate, vanilla, banana…all the flavors are represented. Bloks are like little Jell-o blocks, but they’re vegan (no gelatin). They both work the same, it’s a matter of personal taste.
I can choke down a gel if I’m crashing, but I don’t like the consistency and I try to take Bloks with me. My mom, on the other hand, doesn’t like to have to chew the Bloks when she’s in the middle of a triathlon (yes, she’s 67, and yes, she kicks butt). She always takes gels.
Some people hate both. If you try them and you just can’t stomach them, try packing your pockets with:
Jelly beans or other favorite candies
Pretzel nuggets
Pre-cut pieces of your favorite energy bar
Or fill your water bottle with Gatorade or Recharge.
Some people can take sports drinks and gels at the same time, but it’s not recommended. That’s a lot of sugar to your system at once! Try to stick with one or the other.
Don’t start sucking down a gel every time you put on your running shoes. You don’t need them for shorter runs, which is why I’ve waited to talk about them. If you take them too much you’ll be ingesting too many calories. Wait until you’re working out at least an hour, then try one. Experiment with the different kinds, and caffeinated vs. no-caff.
During our race, they’ll have Gatorade and water at the rest stops along the course. So find out now if that’s enough, or if you’ll want to pack a gel! I know I’ll have two gels in my pocket. Both with caffeine. Double caffeine.
Please take a minute to read more about fueling yourself for longer runs, now that we’re getting up in the miles. We want you to feel GREAT during your training!!
Here is an excellent article sent by Coach Darren, about mental fatigue caused by low blood sugar. And here’s another nice one from Runner’s World about how to successfully carb yourself during runs.
Have fun with your new favorite food group! :)
Alex
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
How Much Would You Pay Ingrid Newkirk?
Ingrid is the president and co-founder of PETA. She’s been going non-stop for 30 years…and I mean literally non-stop. Day after day, she’s first in and last out. Sometimes I send her an e-mail at 10 pm (1 in the morning for her), thinking she’ll answer the next day, but I get a response in minutes. It’s impossible to impress her by working late, no matter how hard I try. :)
She doesn’t drink much coffee and she doesn’t even take energy gels! If we could bottle and sell Ingrid Newkirk Energy, we might actually come close to animal abusers in terms of budgets.
So she started the most effective animal group in the world, and made PETA a household name in less than 30 years. She’s brought entire industries to their knees…Coca-Cola and Pepsi, agreeing to end animal testing. KFC’s in Canada, agreeing to completely overhaul their slaughterhouses and offer a vegan sandwich. All the big designers (Tommy Hilfiger, for example), giving up fur.
How much do you think she should get paid for all this work? Personally, I’d say it was worth millions. But PETA is a non-profit so let’s not get ridiculous…we wouldn’t anything over $200,000, right?
Ingrid took home a whopping $34,000 in fiscal year 2007.
The head of HSUS makes $200,000. The head of ASPCA earns $400,000! Ingrid, living as simply as she can, flying coach, wearing second-hand clothing…earns 32k. And 45% of PETA’s staff earns less than $30,000.
Why am I telling you this? Because you are raising money for PETA, so you have the right to know! You can find all sorts of financial information here. And you can ask me for more details.
As you can see…money is not wasted at PETA. We’re lean, we’re mean, and we don’t stop until we win. We can’t afford to drive BMW’s, but we can get 80,000 people to watch Meet Your Meat in one week, and thus change their lives forever…and more importantly, change animal’s lives forever.
As you’re gearing up to write your holiday fundraising requests for your PETA Pack page, please don’t hesitate to ask me for any sort of PETA information you think your friends and family would like.
You can tell folks how frugal we are, and you can even tell people how much our work costs. It’s all an open book for you, so ask away! Here are some examples of our costs (guess how much an anesthesia machine runs us).
Thank you!
Alex
She doesn’t drink much coffee and she doesn’t even take energy gels! If we could bottle and sell Ingrid Newkirk Energy, we might actually come close to animal abusers in terms of budgets.
So she started the most effective animal group in the world, and made PETA a household name in less than 30 years. She’s brought entire industries to their knees…Coca-Cola and Pepsi, agreeing to end animal testing. KFC’s in Canada, agreeing to completely overhaul their slaughterhouses and offer a vegan sandwich. All the big designers (Tommy Hilfiger, for example), giving up fur.
How much do you think she should get paid for all this work? Personally, I’d say it was worth millions. But PETA is a non-profit so let’s not get ridiculous…we wouldn’t anything over $200,000, right?
Ingrid took home a whopping $34,000 in fiscal year 2007.
The head of HSUS makes $200,000. The head of ASPCA earns $400,000! Ingrid, living as simply as she can, flying coach, wearing second-hand clothing…earns 32k. And 45% of PETA’s staff earns less than $30,000.
Why am I telling you this? Because you are raising money for PETA, so you have the right to know! You can find all sorts of financial information here. And you can ask me for more details.
As you can see…money is not wasted at PETA. We’re lean, we’re mean, and we don’t stop until we win. We can’t afford to drive BMW’s, but we can get 80,000 people to watch Meet Your Meat in one week, and thus change their lives forever…and more importantly, change animal’s lives forever.
As you’re gearing up to write your holiday fundraising requests for your PETA Pack page, please don’t hesitate to ask me for any sort of PETA information you think your friends and family would like.
You can tell folks how frugal we are, and you can even tell people how much our work costs. It’s all an open book for you, so ask away! Here are some examples of our costs (guess how much an anesthesia machine runs us).
Thank you!
Alex
What does a "free" spay surgery really cost?
PETA offers free spays and neuters in low-income neighborhoods around Headquarters. Over 6,000 a year!! This means animals that would breed, and add more homeless animals to the world, are sterilized. We also check them for fleas, ticks and heartworm, any signs of abuse (and we get mean when we find any!), adequate food and water, etc. This is free to people who can’t afford it, but it’s not free for us!
Here are some examples of what PETA pays to helps animals…that means what you and your donors pay to help animals. We exist on donations. None of this life-saving work would happen without people generously donating!
-> $265 provides one snug dog house filled with warm, dry straw for an outside dog.
-> $12,000 pays for one year’s worth of spay/neuter surgery packs.
-> $2,500 pays for one desperately needed anesthesia machine for the SNIP van (Spay Neuter Immediately Please).
-> A minimum of $5,000 a year for medications that ease pain and stop infections.
-> $272,000 annually to operate one of the SNIP vans!
-> $17,000 for the rescue van our Community Animal Project staff use to pick up and help lose, abandoned and injured animals (both domestic and wildlife).
-> It costs us $70,000 a year to pay for one brave anti-cruelty case worker and his/her support, veterinary help, and animal care expenses (the case worker only makes $30,000 of that 70k).
-> We pay $20,000 a year just to spay/neuter pit bulls (between 350-400 a year).
Thank you so much for making all this work happen!
Alex
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Guest Post: How Sam Became #1.
Hello, PETA Pack team!
I was joking to someone on last Saturday’s training run that I might actually be enjoying the fundraising aspect of this more than the running part (ha ha). OK, only true on some days when my knees would rather have a cat curled up on one side and the newspaper on the other.
But I’ve actually had great luck in fundraising so far, and wanted to share some of my “best practices” if they’re helpful. Feel free to use any and all ideas and/or content!
I honestly wasn’t sure what response I was going to get when I started this fundraising effort. But I’ve been amazed at how overwhelmingly everyone has been - with most people thanking me for giving them a chance to help animals.
Don’t feel guilty about reaching out repeatedly – just keep it light, with some humor, and most importantly tell them it means a lot to you. Most of us have never passed the hat before this, and they’re aware of this.
Good luck! And stay tuned to this blog for other fundraising tips and techniques as we uncover them before our race.
Happy holidays, all.
Samantha
I was joking to someone on last Saturday’s training run that I might actually be enjoying the fundraising aspect of this more than the running part (ha ha). OK, only true on some days when my knees would rather have a cat curled up on one side and the newspaper on the other.
But I’ve actually had great luck in fundraising so far, and wanted to share some of my “best practices” if they’re helpful. Feel free to use any and all ideas and/or content!
- Start with your base of family and close friends. I told my family their donations were the only Christmas presents I wanted this year. It worked! And I hear presents are STILL coming my way. (See email #1)
- After your initial email, send another sweep. You’ll catch the inevitable procrastinators from your “base,” and you can start adding other targets such as select work colleagues, gym friends, etc. (See email #2)
- Be prepared to send yet another sweep. I added a lot of contributions from this third email, with no restraining orders issued to date. People are busy this time of year, and it helps to keep in front of them. (See email #3)
- Send direct correspondence. If all else fails, don’t hesitate to send a quick email or IM - ask them directly if they plan to support your run. Tell them you’re reaching out to remind them before the year ends, so they can write it off on their 2008 taxes!
- Leverage breaking news to give meaning to their donations. I forwarded PETA’s recent press release announcing the undercover operation at the W.Va turkey farm. (Apparently I “completely ruined Thanksgiving dinner” for quite a few people. :) But these same people then donated heavily.) If you prefer a softer angle, share the doghouses drive PETA conducts every winter.
- Use the email function on Active.com. Provides a convenient, centralized tool to broadcast your initial emails, track who you’ve already contacted, and automate follow-ups.
I honestly wasn’t sure what response I was going to get when I started this fundraising effort. But I’ve been amazed at how overwhelmingly everyone has been - with most people thanking me for giving them a chance to help animals.
Don’t feel guilty about reaching out repeatedly – just keep it light, with some humor, and most importantly tell them it means a lot to you. Most of us have never passed the hat before this, and they’re aware of this.
Good luck! And stay tuned to this blog for other fundraising tips and techniques as we uncover them before our race.
Happy holidays, all.
Samantha
[Sam said you can copy and paste any of her text if you'd like to use it for your fundraising! Contact me if you want any recent PETA news or e-mails to send out. --Alex]
Sam's e-mail #3: Forward a strong message
click on the PETA e-mail above to enlarge it.EMAIL #3 – Send individually to each contact, forward Ingrid’s Angel for Animals email
Subject:
Make a difference in the life of a cold dog
Body:
Hi [first name].
I'm going to donate $250 again this year for PETA's annual doghouse drive - see below. This is a great program in which PETA supplies cold backyard dogs around the U.S. with shelter and warm straw during the winter.
If you were thinking of supporting my fundraising run (no pressure, of course!), plse let me know if you need the link again. I'm reminding people before the year ends, so they can write it off on their 2008 taxes!
Thanks,
[your name]
Subject:
Make a difference in the life of a cold dog
Body:
Hi [first name].
I'm going to donate $250 again this year for PETA's annual doghouse drive - see below. This is a great program in which PETA supplies cold backyard dogs around the U.S. with shelter and warm straw during the winter.
If you were thinking of supporting my fundraising run (no pressure, of course!), plse let me know if you need the link again. I'm reminding people before the year ends, so they can write it off on their 2008 taxes!
Thanks,
[your name]
Sam's e-mail #2: Share recent animal news to inspire your friends
EMAIL #2 – Broadcast to all remaining targets
Subject:
Fundraise for [YOUR NAME]'S RACE FOR ANIMALS
Body:
All -
The results of a two-month undercover investigation at a W. Va turkey-processing plant were recently released in an exclusive PETA gave to the New York Times. The story has since been picked up in USA Today and the Associated Press.
Fair warning: don't read these articles if you're squeamish. I just wanted you to know exactly why I'm putting on my running shoes to support groups like PETA and the Humane Society who work hard to help uncover and fix these abuses.
Please support my upcoming run if you can: [add your site address] I'll be paying for my knee-replacement surgery out of my own pocket. ;)
Thanks,
[name]
***************************
Group Documents Cruelty to Turkeys
New York Times
Wed Nov 19, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/dining/19peta.html
Subject:
Fundraise for [YOUR NAME]'S RACE FOR ANIMALS
Body:
All -
The results of a two-month undercover investigation at a W. Va turkey-processing plant were recently released in an exclusive PETA gave to the New York Times. The story has since been picked up in USA Today and the Associated Press.
Fair warning: don't read these articles if you're squeamish. I just wanted you to know exactly why I'm putting on my running shoes to support groups like PETA and the Humane Society who work hard to help uncover and fix these abuses.
Please support my upcoming run if you can: [add your site address] I'll be paying for my knee-replacement surgery out of my own pocket. ;)
Thanks,
[name]
***************************
Group Documents Cruelty to Turkeys
New York Times
Wed Nov 19, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/dining/19peta.html
Sam's E-mail #1: Send to everyone!
EMAIL #1 – Broadcast to all targets
Subject:
All I really want for Christmas this year...
Body:
...is the support of my family and friends for my upcoming fundraising race! I'm actually running a half-marathon (still amazes me and my knees) in support of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and have a couple months to 1. get my body in fighting shape and 2. raise a minimum of $1,000.
With your generous support, you'd be:
- supporting very important animal-welfare causes around the world.
- avoiding countless hours spent trying to find me just the perfect Xmas gift (ha ha).
- receiving a 100% tax-deductible write-off for 2008.
You can access my fundraising site here: [add your site address] Thanks for your support! It means a lot.
[your name]
Subject:
All I really want for Christmas this year...
Body:
...is the support of my family and friends for my upcoming fundraising race! I'm actually running a half-marathon (still amazes me and my knees) in support of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and have a couple months to 1. get my body in fighting shape and 2. raise a minimum of $1,000.
With your generous support, you'd be:
- supporting very important animal-welfare causes around the world.
- avoiding countless hours spent trying to find me just the perfect Xmas gift (ha ha).
- receiving a 100% tax-deductible write-off for 2008.
You can access my fundraising site here: [add your site address] Thanks for your support! It means a lot.
[your name]
Monday, December 1, 2008
Quick Tostadas
Running food: As we’ve discussed before, we want to eat a lot so we’re never hungry, but we want to eat low-fat.
The only way to lose weight, or keep weight off, is to burn more calories than you consume. That’s it.
If I eat 5,000 calories a day, but only burn 4,000, I’m going to gain weight. If I start running and burning 5,200 calories a day—I’ll lose weight.
However...If I start running and then increase my eating because I think I’m “safe” from all the exercise, I could end up eating 7,000 calories and only burning 5,200!
The trick is to eat lots of low-fat, high-fiber, healthy foods. Baked chips instead of fried. Rice and beans. Baked tofu instead of deep-fried chicken. Oatmeal instead of fatty, sugary mega-muffins.
Check out Dr. McDougall’s website for tons of recipes (look under the newsletter link).
Here’s one of my favorite work snacks:
Buy one package of fresh, soft corn tortillas (not the crispy fried ones!).
One can of vegan fat-free refried beans (most of them are veg and fat-free, actually).
One jar of your favorite salsa.
Plop a big spoonful of beans onto the tortillas. Spread evenly. Top with another tortilla. Microwave for 1 minute. Top with your salsa and eat. That’s it!
If you’re feeling like a chef, add shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and/or whole beans. Add vegan ground “beef” or vegan “chicken” strips if you like that sort of thing.
Sometimes I’ll eat 4 of these in a day, but I never worry about the fat or calories. They leave me so full I’m not even tempted by the bag of greasy chips sitting on the office kitchen table.
Alex
The only way to lose weight, or keep weight off, is to burn more calories than you consume. That’s it.
If I eat 5,000 calories a day, but only burn 4,000, I’m going to gain weight. If I start running and burning 5,200 calories a day—I’ll lose weight.
However...If I start running and then increase my eating because I think I’m “safe” from all the exercise, I could end up eating 7,000 calories and only burning 5,200!
The trick is to eat lots of low-fat, high-fiber, healthy foods. Baked chips instead of fried. Rice and beans. Baked tofu instead of deep-fried chicken. Oatmeal instead of fatty, sugary mega-muffins.
Check out Dr. McDougall’s website for tons of recipes (look under the newsletter link).
Here’s one of my favorite work snacks:
Buy one package of fresh, soft corn tortillas (not the crispy fried ones!).
One can of vegan fat-free refried beans (most of them are veg and fat-free, actually).
One jar of your favorite salsa.
Plop a big spoonful of beans onto the tortillas. Spread evenly. Top with another tortilla. Microwave for 1 minute. Top with your salsa and eat. That’s it!
If you’re feeling like a chef, add shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and/or whole beans. Add vegan ground “beef” or vegan “chicken” strips if you like that sort of thing.
Sometimes I’ll eat 4 of these in a day, but I never worry about the fat or calories. They leave me so full I’m not even tempted by the bag of greasy chips sitting on the office kitchen table.
Alex
Are you thanking your supporters?
And I mean—are you really thanking them?
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
- William Arthur Ward
Many of your supporters might be feeling a little nervous about donating to support you. Perhaps they’re afraid their gift will be lost in a sea of other donations. Or they’re new to the idea of helping animals. Or they’re not 100% clear about your training.
Please thank them when they donate, and thank them from the bottom of your heart. It will mean the world to them. Their gift meant a lot to you, right? Your gratitude means a lot to them.
Chances are, if you let your supporters know how much their gift meant to you, and if you give them some updates on your training, they will donate again. Let them know if you’ve crossed a new milepost (I’ve never run 5 miles at once before!). Let them know that you had to drag yourself out of bed the morning after your high school reunion for training (and you did it!).
Many supporters hesitate to donate because they wonder if you’re going to stick with the program. Well, you are. That’s all there is to it. So if you’re brother hasn’t donated yet—and you know he loves animals because he won’t stop rescuing every sad stray he drives by—then check in with him again. Tell him you’re still training and you will be crossing that finish line on February 1st. Tell him how much his support will mean to you, and then when he donates, thank him very much.
And thank YOU all for raising funds for animals!!
Alex
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
- William Arthur Ward
Many of your supporters might be feeling a little nervous about donating to support you. Perhaps they’re afraid their gift will be lost in a sea of other donations. Or they’re new to the idea of helping animals. Or they’re not 100% clear about your training.
Please thank them when they donate, and thank them from the bottom of your heart. It will mean the world to them. Their gift meant a lot to you, right? Your gratitude means a lot to them.
Chances are, if you let your supporters know how much their gift meant to you, and if you give them some updates on your training, they will donate again. Let them know if you’ve crossed a new milepost (I’ve never run 5 miles at once before!). Let them know that you had to drag yourself out of bed the morning after your high school reunion for training (and you did it!).
Many supporters hesitate to donate because they wonder if you’re going to stick with the program. Well, you are. That’s all there is to it. So if you’re brother hasn’t donated yet—and you know he loves animals because he won’t stop rescuing every sad stray he drives by—then check in with him again. Tell him you’re still training and you will be crossing that finish line on February 1st. Tell him how much his support will mean to you, and then when he donates, thank him very much.
And thank YOU all for raising funds for animals!!
Alex
Need an idea for your New Year's Eve meal?
Check out this new vegan “turkey.” I had it and I give it a 9 out of 10 possible yum points!
Perfect for your next holiday meal.
http://scvegan.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/the-vegan-thanksgiving-post/
Perfect for your next holiday meal.
http://scvegan.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/the-vegan-thanksgiving-post/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
