Event will feature performances by New England’s hottest indie musicians, presentations by celebrated activists, farm tours, a vegan barbeque picnic, silent auction and more

Mendon, Mass.—Maple Farm Sanctuary will host its 2nd Annual Fundraising Benefit on Sunday, October 21 from 12 pm to 5pm at 101 North Avenue . Admission is $10 and all-inclusive. The non-profit organization, founded by reformed meat and dairy farmers, exists to provide a permanent home for abused and abandoned animals while promoting a vegan diet, environmental consciousness, and respect for all life. The money raised at the fundraiser will be used to defray the costs of several special building projects and facility improvements, directly benefiting the 80 animals who live at the sanctuary.

The family-friendly event will feature live performances by musical guests including nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Joshua English, of Connecticut’s Welcome Home Records, and 27, a popular Boston-based indie band. Maple Farm Sanctuary co-founder Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis will share the compelling story of how she and her husband, Jim, abruptly ended their profitable generations-long meat and dairy farming business to create a safe haven for animals. Prominent animal rights activist Peter Young will travel from San Francisco to speak about the harrowing two years he spent in a federal prison after liberating thousands mink from mink farms. Both will encourage event participants to get involved in protecting the rights of all animals by raising awareness about the cruelty that exists in the factory farming and fur industries.

A delicious vegan barbeque picnic lunch will be served, including an array of veggie burgers, soy hot dogs, and other cuisine from local vegan chefs. For dessert, attendees will have the opportunity to make sumptuous vegan s’mores over a bonfire.

Tours of the beautiful Maple Farm Sanctuary grounds will be available throughout the event. Tour participants will have the opportunity to learn the animals’ stories and meet Cassie the cow, Piggie Wiggy the potbelly pig, Lucky the pony, Butterscotch the goat, along with llamas, chickens, horses, dogs and more.

A silent auction will include natural and cruelty-free health and beauty products, gift certificates to several of New England ’s best vegan and vegetarian restaurants, theater and concert tickets, autographed CDs, signed work by prominent artists Frank Noelker and Sue Coe, and vegan cookbooks. Prominent donors include Gabriel Cosmetics, the enormously popular cruelty-free handbag line matt & nat, Moo Shoes, Tribe Hummus, Frey Wine, Soy Boy, Kiss My Face, Herbivore Clothing, Tofurky, and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enjoy samples from a variety of cruelty-free businesses.

Maple Farm Sanctuary, a registered non-profit organization, was founded in 1995 by husband and wife Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis and Jim Vandersluis. Former cow and goat farmers, the couple decided to completely end their profitable business and work full-time to maintain a safe and loving refuge for animals, as well as promoting a vegan and environmentally responsible lifestyle. The organization has taken in a fraction of the billions of farmed animals that are bought, sold, tormented and slaughtered by the meat, dairy and fur industries. At Maple Farm Sanctuary, the menagerie of rescued animals will live the remainder of their lives in peace, free to roam and meander the land. For more information, visit www.maplefarmsanctuary.org or http://myspace.com/maplefarmsanctuary.

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