If you attended any of the ThanksLiving activities last month, including our wonderful Zoom call with entertainment, this volunteer committee made it happen. From managing food pickup and delivery to figuring out all the details of the program and more, this delightful group of people flexed their coordination skills. Find out who they are and why they chose to get involved.

Celeste Knoff

I was invited to join the ThanksLiving planning committee by Laura Matanah during Twin Cities VegFest and was thrilled to participate! I helped out by doing a bit of research and gathering videos and such. I also participated in the planning discussions where it helps to have lots of voices at the table.

What a great group of people I’ve met!! That’s been the best thing about being part of the committee—meeting these dedicated people. I so admire their dedication and we always learn from each other.

Katelyn Maddox

I was on the Twin Cities VegFest committee and loved spending time with CAA members, so I wanted to continue working with the organization. Also, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I was so excited to discover another way to share great vegan food with others in the community. My role on the committee included helping with social media and with the trivia game.

I really enjoyed the people and the idea of celebrating the holiday in a different way! It’s great to have a way to spend time with people in a setting that isn’t solely about the consumption of animal products. Meeting fellow vegans/vegan curious/animal lovers is also always a blast.

Mike Odell

I volunteered with CAA for the first time during Twin Cities Veg Fest 2021, and I really enjoyed being a part of that event. When the opportunity to get involved with ThanksLiving arose, I was very eager.

I helped with general planning, especially the trivia questions — and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other ThanksLiving committee members!

Michael Sheldon

I wanted to get involved in the community and thought CAA was a great organization that shared similar values to my own. I volunteered my graphic design skills by making the social media posts, posters, and both slideshows that were played before and during the event.

I also attended the event and took pictures during the event. I honestly really love being around like minded people and other volunteers that think it’s important to give back and lift communities up.