Fifth Annual Spring Mourning Vigil for Chickens Was A Big Success

5th Annual Spring Mourning Viglil
Photo courtesy of Suzanne Zbailey, Potomac Almanac
Kristel Brodsky of Bethesda, Shari Kalina of Kensington, Charlotte Sullivan of Annapolis, and
Franklin Wade of Silver Spring demonstrate against eating poultry.

On Saturday, May 6, United Poultry Concerns held our Fifth Annual Spring Mourning Vigil for Chickens in downtown Bethesda MD in front of Boston Chicken and Chicken Out rotisserie restaurants. More than 60 participants from MD, VA, DC, DE, and PA held colorful posters, passed out delicious food samples, and talked with passersby.

The Vigil received good news coverage with informative articles appearing in the Bethesda Gazette, Potomac Almanac, and Montgomery Journal. UPC president, Karen Davis was interviewed on KFWB-AM All News Radio in Los Angeles and had two guest appearances, one before and one after the Vigil, on the Rita Foley show, a discussion program on WMAL-AM Radio in Washington. Callers wanted to know more about what is wrong with eating chickens. Davis answered this best in an article that appeared in the Bethesda Gazette on May 10. "I got to be around living chickens, to see how absolutely charming their dust baths are. I didn't realize how lovely they are. They speak to you and let you know what they want. When I walk out the door, they all come running up. Often they will troop behind me. They will sit with you. They are very companionable."

United Poultry Concerns is grateful to everyone who helped make this year's Vigil a success including Farm Animal Reform Movement, Friends of Animals, and PETA for providing active assistance. A special thanks to Gregg Ayers of Altoona, PA for bringing a generator for our video and to Lynn Halpern and Dave Welch of Frederick, MD for indispensable all-around support. UPC is grateful to Barbara Stagno and the Animal Welfare Alliance in New York and to Jack Norris and Vegan Outreach in Tucson, AZ for holding local Vigils for Chickens which enabled our message to reach many more people. Please plan now to hold a Spring Mourning Vigil for Chickens in 1996 in your area. UPC will provide handout literature and sample press releases to grassroots organizations. Donations are gratefully received to help with printing & mailing. Materials are available for tabling and demonstrations the year round. Please call us.