Holidays don’t have to be murder for turkeys, thanks to Tofurky, a scrumptious vegan alternative from Turtle Island Foods. This Thanksgiving, five lucky people will be receiving Tofurkys from peta2. We asked you to urge your friends and family to give our feathered friends a holiday pardon, and boy, did you all come through! Out of the thousands of letters sent, here are the winners:
Courtney McConnell, age 16, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
I have been a vegetarian for almost a year, and it has been a hard struggle for me. With people, even family, not believing I could do it, I accomplished my goal and have made it almost a year without animal products. This will be my first year without turkey, and do not get me wrong—I will not miss it. With the torture thousands of animals receive daily, I am proud to say that I am meat-free. Nearly 80 million turkeys are eaten for the winter holidays, and almost 266 million all year round. These animals have a heart and a brain, they have a family, and those eating them are just aiding in the abuse. This year try something different. Go Veg!
Erin Schoeneman, age 15, Birmingham, Alabama
Thanksgiving is coming up soon. We all know it's a time of family and gratitude, and it comes laden with several traditions. One of which is a turkey's death. Millions of turkeys will be killed this season, and for what? Is a life less important than half an hour of pleasing your taste buds? There are alternatives to turkey, like Tofurky or homemade vegetarian meatloaf. This season, please show some mercy to those who need it most. If they knew, they would be grateful.
Tosha Burkhead, age 16, Boise, Idaho
Here are some facts to think about. About 266 million turkeys are slaughtered a year for food. About 80 million of those are eaten on Thanksgiving and Easter. And it is not done nicely. They are cramped together and often become so stressed they stop eating. If the torture doesn't get you, well think about this: Turkey flesh has been linked to disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection reports reveal that an average of one out of eight turkeys served on Thanksgiving is infected with salmonella, a foodborne illness that sickens more than 1 million people each year and kills 500. And if that isn't enough, campylobacter, a type of bacteria found in turkeys, causes the second-most commonly reported food-related illness. That is what you're eating and also feeding your family. That is wrong. If your family gets one of the illnesses from your Thanksgiving turkey, consider it your fault. Now for the change. There are tons of alternatives to stop the abuse. Try Tofurky. Let's give it a try this year. I would love it!
Jen Wagner, age 15, Saint Peters, Missouri
Hey everybody. This is Jen saying that turkeys should not have to die for us to give thanks on the third Thursday of November. The holiday represents thanking God for all the good things in our lives, such as our health. We would be smacking our health in the face if we ate turkey because of all the cholesterol and fat. Instead, eat Tofurky, a healthier option. Worried about the taste? Think about the bloody goriness of murdering numerous turkeys while you watch someone carve the poultry in the middle of the table. Trust me, you will be begging for Tofurky. Thanks for reading this, and GO VEG!!!
Michaela LaPlante, age 16, Lisbon, Maine
Please don't buy a turkey for Thanksgiving. Before being slaughtered, the turkeys spend months in a factory farm. They are shoved into dark, crowded sheds, and without painkillers their beaks and toes are seared off to keep them from fighting. They do not have the chance to live a full life. One in eight turkeys served on Thanksgiving is infected with salmonella. So please think of the turkeys this holiday season and don't buy one. No living being deserves to live that way.
Happy holidays to all!
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