Contributor Archive

 

Matt & Mary Kelly

Mary and Matt Kelly have been involved with animal and vegetarian activism for over 20 years. This is evident through their poultry sanctuary, associations with the Berkshire Vegetarian Network, Berkshire Advocates for Animals and organizing and hosting many animal and veg-related events of their own.

When it came time for the first annual NY’s Capital Region Vegetarian Expo, in 2007, they were there again – helping the Albany Vegetarian Network plan, help secure donations and exhibitors, create advertisements that they distributed in various locations, and worked all day at the event.

Thank you, Mary and Matt, for your years of dedication and hard-work and for supporting the Albany Vegetarian Network in our efforts surrounding the annual expo!

 

Lee Hall

Lee Hall is a true inspiration and mentor to the Albany Vegetarian Network. Her guidance and support, from day one, has been unparalleled. We owe much of the success of the preparation and execution of each Expo to Lee and we are unequivocally grateful for her confidence, enthusiasm and passion.

Lee Hall is a steadfast supporter of the Albany Vegetarian Network and the annual Expo. She was a speaker at the 2007 expo and was the keynote speaker for the 2008 Speaker Recognition Dinner.

Lee Hall is legal director for Friends of Animals, an advocacy organization based in the United States and Canada.  She has taught immigration and refugee law as well as non-human rights as a member of the adjunct law faculty at Rutgers University, and authored the book Capers in the Churchyard: Animal Rights Advocacy in the Age of Terror (Nectar Bat Press, 2006). Lee’s forthcoming book, which will be about putting the best in animal-rights advocacy into actual practice, is titled On Their Own Terms.

Lee, we cannot thank you enough for your continued motivational support and the energy that you have given us in order to make each Expo an outstanding success.

Thank You Lee!

 

Meredith Leffler

During the preparation for our very first Expo Meredith stepped up without hesitation to be our artist. Not only did she contribute her artistic talent toward our logo (the colorful tree) she also hand drew individual portraits of each one of our presenters that year. These portraits were given to the presenters during the annual Speaker Recognition Dinner. Everyone was amazed by the quality and detail of her work. We are extremely grateful and lucky to have had her volunteer her time and talent for us.

Why did you become Veg?

“I'll always remember August 28, 2003, the day I became a vegetarian.  I wanted to eat healthier and knew that most meat is high in calories and fat, plus, the only meals I enjoyed were hamburgers and Thanksgiving turkey.  However, it was only after reading about factory farms, that I made the switch to a vegetarian diet.  I'm a huge animal lover and I was shocked when I realized that I couldn't be one if I ate animals, especially animals treated brutally in those factories.  You don't eat your friends. Two years ago I moved one step further and became a vegan after reading The China Study, and I couldn't be happier. In the future I hope to work with animals, possibly at a veterinary hospital.”

Meredith is studying Medical Illustration at Rochester Institute of Technology.  Thank you for your support Meredith!