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The Vegan Games - Southern California July 2009 during V.V.

robert

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robert Newbie

robert

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So, I've kind of decided, we'll incorporate The Vegan Games with our 2009 Vegan Vacation in Southern California.

 

I don't want it to get real big at first, and I don't have the time or energy to make it that way initially, but here is what I think it will look like:

 

During our Vegan Vacation (IV) we'll have a variety of competitions including:

 

Bodybuilding Competition

Strength Competition

Running Competitions

Team sports (Beach Volleyball, 2 on 2 basketball tournament, etc.)

Surfing

etc.

 

We'll recruit all kinds of prizes and awards for competitors and I'm thinking that if I can pull it off, I would award The overall men's winner and overall women's winner a round-trip all expenses paid trip to the Raw Games in Hawaii in December.

 

I'm following the model of the Raw Games as well as adding a lot of my own ideas to it.

 

The Vegan Games 2009 at the Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness Vegan Vacation in conjunction with the 26th Annual National Animal Rights Conference.

 

Sounds like fun to me.

 

Beach Volleyball on Venice Beach

 

2 on 2 Basketball on Venice Beach

 

Sprinting and other running competitions on Venice Beach

 

Strength competitions held at various locations, including maybe at Gold's Gym Venice or Muscle Beach (outdoor gym, viewed by thousands walking by)

 

Bodybuilding competition held on Venice Beach or at Muscle Beach

 

Yeah....Buddy

 

I'll start working on it.

 

This was inspired by the Raw Games I just attended and inspired by conversations I had with those at the Raw Games and with Jessifly upon my return.

 

Anyone up for Vegan Games, winning thousands of dollars in prizes, having fun with our forum members and possibly earning a round-trip vacation to compete at the Raw Games (open to anyone, raw or otherwise) in Hawaii in December 09?

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robert Newbie

robert

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I'm waiting to hear back from the Animal Rights Conference. I contacted them already for 2009 dates.

 

Seriously, piggy backing an already existing event is great! We did it in DC to some extent last year and had tons of fun with 800 other people, bonded with our DC crew which now has weekly meet-ups and it was just great.

 

L.A. enhances it because of what is in L.A. I was never a fan of L.A. until I visited over and over and over again and found so many cool things about it.

 

Hollywood

Beverly Hills

Venice Beach

Santa Barbara

Santa Monica

 

And all other mainstream stuff.....Disney, L.A., all the Hollywood stuff, all the vegan places, all the fitness stuff, etc.

 

Training at Venice Gold's is a special feeling as well. I was training right next to Silvio Samuel one week before the Olympia and he was SHREDDED. Other celebrities and pro bodybuilders train there, and it's just fun.

 

Muscle Beach is it's own experience too. Tons of tourists taking photos of those of us training in this outdoor gym, fun times.

 

I've been to big events from 50,000 people down to 1000 people and as much as I love our groups of 20 people, I really want to connect with a larger audience and do more fitness oriented stuff, including contests. I had so much fun competing at the Raw Games I wanted to put on my own games and invite all of you to attend.

 

We'll still do our big beach house, or multiple beach houses after we leave the hotel we'll all stay at with 800 other vegans, and we'll recruit tons of local vegans to compete in our contests and join our group.

 

It will be fun.

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  • 4 weeks later...
robert Newbie

robert

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I am still waiting to hear, but we should know "any day now"

 

I've already been promoting it around the country at my talks and website member meet-ups.

 

We'll have an 800-person Vegan Vacation for 4 days and likely a 40-person Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness-based Vegan Vacation for another 4 or 5 days following the Animal Rights Conference, including a few days of Vegan Games with awards, cash prizes, fun competition, etc.

 

All ways to give back to the people who make the trip out to L.A. this coming summer.

 

It will likely be in mid-August. I'll post dates as soon as I know.

 

Thanks for your interest!

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BodhiDave85 Newbie

BodhiDave85

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I am totally loving this idea, and the time frame works perfectly - as I'll be going to college just an hour or so away from LA in August. Robert, Please let me know if you need any help with fundraising or promoting junk.

 

 

Id like to suggest an unripe persimmion covered in spirulina eating contest.

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robert Newbie

robert

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yeah buddies!

 

It will be awesome! 800 of our closest vegan friends and then 40+ of us training on muscle beach and at Venice Gold's Gym

 

We'll make more images like this (a pic from last year)

 

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v300/2/18/1073762529/n1073762529_30105857_2444.jpg

 

But it will be on Muscle Beach and there will be dozens in the photo

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Vegan Joe Newbie

Vegan Joe

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I'm already bummed. Bidding wars are almost over for vacation and without knowing the dates. I got the first week of Aug. off and my aniversary weeks off. I'm not sure what will be left open, but summer is probably gone. I somehow have a feeling that this will not happen in the first week of Aug.

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Zack Newbie

Zack

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I'm already bummed. Bidding wars are almost over for vacation and without knowing the dates. I got the first week of Aug. off and my aniversary weeks off. I'm not sure what will be left open, but summer is probably gone. I somehow have a feeling that this will not happen in the first week of Aug.

 

always has in the past...

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robert Newbie

robert

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It takes a lot of work to put it all together. It may not seem like it, but it does require a lot of work with finding accommodations, helping people with travel, fundraising, finances, recruiting people, researching activities, budgeting, answering questions from participants, and all the other stuff that goes into it....so we're going to piggy back the AR Conference since they have an event that will be in it's 26th year and draws nearly 1000 people. I've been there twice. Trust me, it will make the experience much more worthwhile for everyone. It's a really good time.

 

One thing we could do, is do the VB&F part before that, if that works for "most" people. We have to accommodate the most people with our decisions. What I'll probably do is take a $100 down payment from people as soon as we get the dates sorted out to get a firm commitment. As organizers we pull our hair out trying to deal with dozens who say they'll be there and then don't show up. We've had a hard time in the past with that, trying to sort out beach house rentals, cabin rentals, etc. so we really need firm commitments early with deposits to know who is for real.

 

This event is likely going to be our biggest and best event....well, there is no question it will be because of the event we're combining it with.

 

For some general info: It is usually about $165 for all 3 days of the AR Conference to get into the Expo, attend all the talks and lectures by authors and leaders in the AR/vegan movement, etc. Hotels run about $99 a night and we usually stay for 3 or 4 nights, but we often pack 3 or 4 in a room and it's like $25 a night per person! Some meals or snacks are included with registration but be prepared to buy your own meals too.

 

There will be opportunities to work at the Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness booth for $16 an hour. We'll make it as even and fair as possible for everyone to get a chance to make $40 or $50 rather than one or two people earning like $400 each.

 

Please keep in mind it takes a tremendous amount of work to put this on. As you recall Jessifly organized it last year and it not really on the forum anymore as a result of getting burned out....she even lives with me and is one of my best friends but when I asked her about why she's not on much, she said she just got too burned out from organizing this event....that is what happened to me after 2 years of organizing it...as many of you recall my breakdowns. It is very hard to make sure everything is as perfect as possible to respect everyone's time, and the money they put into coming, etc. We go out of our way to make sure it is worthwhile for everyone and that alone is a huge stress. I'm back to organizing it because there is a clear lack of people who want to take on the role. It's a complete non-profit event but everyone who has helped organize in the past is just burned out.

 

I'm busier than ever before in my life but I'm back organizing it and I'm basically combining it with AR Conference to make it the best it can be for everyone. Of course it adds a bit of money to the overall cost, but as I said, it is well worth it and the dozen who were at AR in D.C. last year and confirm that.

 

I'll know the dates soon and they will not be adjusted because it is just too much work. People can always come early and stay late. I'll have some places in L.A. for us to stay.

 

Look forward to seeing many of you this summer. It will totally rock and Muscle Beach will never be the same

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robert Newbie

robert

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busting Zack's chops

 

I have a feeling it will be mid-August..but as I said, we can do a gathering Before the AR conference as well as after the conference, since there are always tons of people (dozens) who hang out days after the conference is over. But if it works out best, we CAN make OUR VB&F meet-up part of the whole 10-day+ experience BEFORE the AR Conference....then spend 4 days at AR and then spend a few days after for those who hang around, plus the dozens of new members we'll recruit from being at the conference. So we'll have a solid group either way, before, during and after the conference and it should be well worth it for everyone.

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