San Francisco Vegetarian Society - A history.

[Guest guest]

A little bit about San Francisco Vegetarian Society and it's President, Dixie

Mahy.

 

http://www.sfvs.org/

The San Francisco Vegetarian Society, P.O. Box 2510, San Francisco, CA.

94126-2510 • (415) 273-5481

 

Copied from our website.

 

The San Francisco Vegetarian Society (SFVS) is a non-profit organization that

has been working in the Bay Area for over 40 years promoting a vegetarian diet

as a healthful and humane way of life.

 

The Society is run entirely by volunteers. We always appreciate help, whether it

is available once in a while or on an ongoing basis. You can volunteer to help

with a variety of activities, from coordinating our programs to helping at our

events. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us.

 

The Society hosts events throughout the year such as vegetarian potlucks,

picnics, dining out and lectures. Monthly meetings held most months. Please

check our hotline, 415-273-5481 for details.

 

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A BRIEF HISTORY

If the British didn't coin the word in 1862, we'd be the San Francisco

Pythagorian Society, as people who followed a plant based diet were once known

as 'Pythagorians'.

 

" Vegetarians Unite! " A small classified ad starting with these words appeared in

the San Francisco Chronicle in October 1968. It invited interested people to a

meeting at the home of Fred and Hilda Baldus. Out of that meeting of 30 people,

the San Francisco Vegetarian Society was born.

 

In 1970, Dixie Mahy proposed creating a newsletter to promote the Society and

its goals: primarily, to promote the education of a vegetarian diet, and the

" Vegetarian Calendar " was born. This idea was adopted. Coincidentally, Dixie was

immediately voted vice president.

 

Long-time member (and patent attorney) Dave Pressman initiated the Society's

discount program as a way to reward members.

 

In 1974, SFVS president Dixie Mahy joined 2000 people at the first North

American-based World Congress of the IVU - International Vegetarian Union. This

was held in Orono, Maine. Jay Dinshah, who also founded the American Vegan

Society, had founded NAVS, the North American Vegetarian Society, in advance of

the World Congress expressly to host it. This Congress kicked off the organized

vegetarian movement in the U.S., and groups were formed in Detroit, Los Angeles,

New York and Maryland.

 

Dixie Mahy and Madge Darnielle of VSDC--Vegetarian Society of DC--were sharing

the observation that the vegetarian movement needed something akin to the

environmental movement's Earth Day. A day to celebrate vegetarianism. World

Vegetarian Day!

 

Over the years SFVS has hosted most movers and shakers in the movement,

including John Robbins, John McDougall, Dean Ornish, Howard Lyman, Ann Wigmore,

Helen and Scott Nearing, Bill Shurtleff, and many others. Many speakers had

their first experience in front of a vegetarian audience with SFVS.

 

Now, the words vegetarian and vegan are now known popularly, and many 'mixed'

restaurants are familiar with the terms. Professionals from many fields promote

the benefits of a vegetarian diet, versus the old warnings of dire consequences.

We have much to celebrate. Join us!