July 20, 2023

In March of 2023, Elicia was cleaning her inbox and stumbled across an email from Compassionate Action Animals. It was a promotion for the 25th Annual Banquet. She was motivated to attend to support CAA and promote vegan living.

After the banquet, Elicia helped with the Food Giveaway at the University of Minnesota campus. Perfect weather bolstered attendance, and many took the VegPledge! Introducing people to vegan food and motivating them to change brought her joy.

Soon afterwards, Elicia started volunteering with CAA on a regular basis. She assisted with leaflet stuffing and took part in a parade.  She also worked with restaurant outreach and on the social media committee for the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge. Elicia finds the variety of events CAA offers exciting and is glad she can volunteer often.

Having fun with like-minded people and the excellent support system CAA has built helps keep her engaged. And, she says, volunteering encourages her vegan lifestyle!

Elicia has been plant-based since the Spring of 2011. The April screening of Eating Our Way to Extinction motivated her to take a final step. She dropped the small amount of seafood she ate from her diet and is now 100% vegan. Understanding her dietary choices’ environmental impact makes the change much more effortless!

Volunteering is in her blood. She is active with the Carver Scott Humane Society, Can Do Canines, and Feed My Starving Children. Elicia says, “I have the support of my loving husband in my choice to be vegan and in all my volunteer activities!”

Hiking, biking, camping, and having a fire (in a legal fire pit) are all favorite activities. And when the weather is terrible, she enjoys movies with friends and family. She is especially drawn to those based on true stories.

When she has time, Elicia loves making fresh vegan gluten-free soups. And when she is in a hurry, she relishes Mikey’s plant-based E*G and CH**SE scramble pockets!