World Vegetarian Congress 1979 - North Americans at the Congress
Some of the notable speakers who will be attending include . . . Mr Leonard Lasky - USA,
Peter Burwash International
Peter
Burwash.
Photo: VSUK Staff.
COMING into contact with the Peter Burwash team is a bit like an encounter
with a whirlwind - a very sunny and pleasant whirlwind - but still they
leave you with an overwhelming impression of speed, energy and enthusiasm.
Once again the entry in the programme, tennis demonstration, gave no
of what was really going to happen. A confirmed tennis-hater since my
days in the sixth form when, horror of horrors, they actually took us
away from our interesting lessons forced us to watch TV during Wimbledon
Week, I trotted along to the campus sports centre with my notebook tucked
dutifully under my arm, expecting at best, an hour's boredom.
How mistaken can you be? In less than five minutes I was laughing and
applauding as heartily as the rest. It's not so much a tennis demonstration
as a road show, performed at high speed. A lot of it was good teaching
material of course and the tennis players in the audience must have
learned many useful tips, but it was spiced with humour that appealed
to even the most hardened 'tennis-phobe' like myself. Peter Burwashs
impressions of how Sunday afternoon players mistakenly tackle various
shots were hilarious - yet never unkind. He is always full of
encouragement for even the most tentative player and his aim is not
just to coach those in the tournament league, but to show ordinary people
that tennis can be an enjoyable means of keeping fit. The demonstrations
to music were as aesthetically pleasing as formation dancing, but also
served a useful purpose as lessons in footwork and handling the racquet.
Mr Barry Wax and Dr. Gordon Latto gallantly volunteered their services
as pupils for a demonstration lesson that left me, a mere spectator,
feeling breathless. It was difficult to believe that the team would
be giving a similar demonstration in Los Angeles only 24 hours later.
But there is another side to the tennis show. Peter Burwash is a vegetarian himself, as are most of his team. None of them smoke, drink take drugs. In his introductory talk, Peter Burwash spoke of the difficulties of promoting vegetarianism in the United States. The meat industry controls television and a lot of the other publicity channels as well, so it is hard to put emphasis on the compassionate aspect of vegetarianism. Peter Burwash is trying to educate people about vegetarianism through his tennis show by appealing to their interest in health and sports prowess. Before he became a vegetarian, he took part in a Canadian testing programme for sportsmen and came out at about 50. After just one year on a vegetarian diet, he reached the top of this fitness index. He finds it particularly affects one's power of endurance - vegetarians have always done well in longer races such as the mile. Weight-lifters find they are stronger on a vegetarian diet and the best meal for them to eat before an event is pasta.
Peter Burwash believes we should all take the trouble to be a good advertisement for vegetarianism, as other people take notice of external things; how you look, how you dress, how you talk. 'Enthusiasm is contagious', he proclaims, look healthy and happy, talk with enthusiasm, don't isolate yourself but mix with non-vegetarians and keep informed so you can discuss your way of life on many different levels. He is certainly a wonderful advertisement for vegetarianism himself, and positively radiates enthusiasm and aliveness!
photo
right: Jay Dinshah, USA (left) with Surendra Mehta of India
from the program:
Peter Burwash speaks on "Vegetarian Athletics"
Peter Burwash - International Tennis team display - at Field Hall.
N.B. Mr Gunn-King & Mr.H.J.Dinshah compered the rest of the events:-
Mr.H.J.Dinshah "What one person can do for Vegetarianism"
film "Living the Good Life" by Prof. Scott & Helen Nearing
U.S.A
from the agenda of the General Meeting:
The following officers are eligible for re-election unless otherwise
stated
Executive Vice Presidents: . . . Mr.H.J.Dinshah (U.S.A.); . .
. Prof. Scott Nearing (U.S.A.)
Honorary Vice-Presidents: Miss R.Playle (Canada); . . . Mr.S.H.Linnio
(U.S.A.);
Hon.Fellows (not for election) Past President for I.V.U. Woodland Kahler
(USA)
Honorary Secretaries:- (not for election by Congress but by Council)
Hon.Reg.Sec. for N.America: Mr.Brian Graff (U.S.A.)
from the minutes of the General Meeting:
HONORARY FELLOWS (not for re-election), Woodland Kahler (U.S.A.)
Elected:- . . . Prof.Scott Nearing (U.S.A.); former Exec. V-P)
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS: Mr.H.J.Dinshah (U.S.A.); . . .
HON.Vice-Presidents: Miss R.Playle (Canada); S.H. Linnio (U.S.A.); Regional and National Society reports were read out at two following sessions of the Congress from 30th Aug. 1979:-
North America - Mr.H.J.Dinshah
List of members 1977-79
The American Vegan Society
North American Vegetarian Society
Long Island Chap. N.Y. Veg.Soc.
Los Angeles Vegetarian Society Soc. Inc
Toronto Vegetarian Association
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Social Science Inst. (U.S.A.)
Donations for 1977: Friends of Nature, U.S.A. £1.54
NORTH AMERICAN VEGETARIAN SOCIETY - Affiliated Groups - March 1979
- CANADA
Toronto Vegetarian Association, Ontario
- NEW ENGLAND
Berkshire Vegetarian Society, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Greater Boston Veg.Society, Mass.
Maine Vegetarian Society, Bangor, Maine
Fairfield County Veg.Soc., Wilton, Connecticut
- EASTERN
Animals Need You Kindness Corps Inc., W.New York, New Jersey
The American Vegan Society, Malaga, New Jersey
Beaver Defenders, New Jersey
Vegetarian Society of N.Y. New York
Vegetarian Times Magazine, New York
Afro-American Veg.Society, New York
Veg.Society of Saten Island, New York
Whole Life Center, Bronx, New York
Sunshine Health Center, New York
S.P.A.R.E. (Sympathetic People for Animal Rights on Earth Inc.) New York
Rockland County Veg.Soc. New York
Vegetarian Action, New York
Veg.Activist Collective, New York
Society for Natural Living, New York
Foundation for Nutritional Research, New York
Long Island Chapter, N.Y.
African-American Vegetarian Network, N.Y.
Jewish Vegetarian Society, New York
Catskill Vegetarian Society, New York
Bucks County Vegetarians, Pennsylvania
Vegetarians of Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Vegetarians, Pennsylvania
Berks County Veg.Society, Pennsylvania
Vegetarian Society of D.C. Washington
Society of Veg.Biologists, Washington
- SOUTHERN
United International Vegetarian Society, Atlanta, Georgia
Society for Better Living, Georgia
Vegetarian Soc. of S. Florida, Florida
Better Health and Nutrition Society of Palm Beach, Florida
Shangri-La Natural Hygeine Institute, Florida
- MIDWEST
Vegetarian Educational Growth Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Michigan Vegetarian Society, Detroit, Michigan
Veg.Society of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Minnesota Vegetarian Assn. Minneapolis, Minnesota
SO, Suburban Veg. Community, Illinois
Chicago Vegetarian Society, Chicago, Illinois
- SOUTHWEST
Texas Vegetarian Information Service, San Antonio, Texas
Vegetarian Soc. of Colorado, Denver, Colorado
Tuscon Vegetarian Society, Tuscon, Arizona
- WEST
Vegetarian Society, Inc. Santa Monica, California
(also chapters of the above organisation throughout Southern California)
Imperial Valley Veg.Society, El Centro, California
Vegetarian Inclined People, Arroyo Grande, California
San Francisco Veg. Society, California
Centra Costa Veg.Society, Pleasant Hill, California
Waimea Vegetarian Information Service, Hawaii
Vegetarian Soc. of Portland, Oregon
Seattle Vegetarian Society, Washington
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