Thu Nov 5 2009
Strong support for Animal Action Day 2009
The day featured eight bands, performers, speakers, stalls, films, art auction, over $5000 in prizes, giveaways, best dressed owner pet look-alike competition, fire dancing, jumping castle and face painting.
A few hundred people from all over Australia attended the day from 10am to midnight at Threeworlds, 2558 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach.
AA Day founder and organiser Aldwyn Altuney said the free, fun, community event aimed to raise awareness, appreciation and respect for all animals.
"We did this through some great educational talks interspersed on the main stage with the entertainment throughout the day, stalls and educational animal films and documentaries."
Topics included What's Really Happening with Farm Animals in our Own Backyard? by STARS (Screen Theatre & wRiters Studio) founder Nerida Marshall and The Consciousness of Animals by Feeling Gr8 Energy speaker/ coach/ author Bev Oliver.
Australian Orangutan Project volunteer Tracey Courtney spoke about the plight of orangutans in Indonesia and problems they face being forest clearing by illegal loggers and palm oil plantations.
Gold Coast Sea Shepherd member Emmy-Rose Curtis spoke about Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's work in taking direct action to protect all marine creatures worldwide since 1977 and what people could do to help.
Performers included Raymond Symes (as Neil Diamond), Grahame Farrell (Roy Orbison), Lily Spencer, 7, (Queen); Queensland singer/ guitarist Pete Ahh, eco-conservationist/ frog lover Kate Leopold; blues cruiser Shano; Byron Bay singer songwriter Craig Telfer; Brisbane conservation musician Sanat (Raymond. G. Oliver); gypsy jazzsters Haba Dudes; reggae duo Shoebox and the 11-piece Brisbane group Sounds of Sun Collective wrapped up the night under the full moon with feel-good soul/ folk/ roots/ reggae.
"It was a stinking hot day, very windy and dusty, and despite this, we still had a great turn out and fantastic support from the community," Aldwyn said.
"One of the highlights was the exclusive screening of The Cove, thanks to Gil Scrine Films, which saw a packed audience inside Threeworlds intensely fixated on the large screen, as they saw how 23,000 dolphins are savagely and pointlessly massacred each year in Teiji, Japan, alone."
In fact, it was after seeing this movie at the Gold Coast Arts Centre, that Aldwyn decided to hold this year's event in honour of the 23,000 dolphins killed in Teiji each year.
"It's absolutely horrifying to think that this kind of brutality still goes on in the world. The baby dolphins are separated from their families and sold to theme parks for restricted, short lives, and the rest of the dolphins are killed for their meat (often re-labelled as whale meat), which is actually full of mercury, poisonous for human consumption and causing all kinds of mental illnesses in those who eat the meat."
During Pete Ahh's performance, he spoke about how when humans ate meat, they also consumed the suffering energy and pain of that animal's killing.
Nerida Marshall spoke about the brutal farming practices of Australian farm animals, mentioning that the only legal way to kill baby kangaroos was by clubbing them. "Sometimes people need to be shocked to take action," Aldwyn said.
The world's first Animal Action Day began on the Gold Coast in 2007, after Aldwyn saw the graphic Earthlings film (about people's abuse of animals over time).
"I was so shocked and horrified by what I saw in the film that I was inspired to take action for our animal friends and encourage others to do the same with Animal Action Day," she said.
"It's easy to think that one person can not make a change to big issues like whaling or live exports of sheep but the fact is, if everyone just did something, collectively we can all make a huge difference.
"That's what Animal Action Day is about – taking action for animals."
Animal Action Day aims to encourage people to take action for animals – whether it be reporting cases of animal cruelty to animal welfare organisations, having your pet desexed, buying free range eggs or signing petitions against inhumane practices such as whaling.
"Animal Action Day is also about celebrating animals as great companions in our lives and fellow 'Earthlings' that deserve respect."
Her vision is for the exciting event to be held annually worldwide.
"I strongly encourage everyone in the community to take some action for the animals," Aldwyn said.
"The idea is to encourage responsible pet ownership and take positive steps towards protecting animals across the planet."
Corporate and business sponsorship was fantastic this year with Screamer Media's printing sponsorship (with banners and postcards) leading to a flurry of support from other businesses and individuals.
Graffiti Stickers and Dog Thumbs came on board to sponsor hundreds of generic AA Day stickers that were very popular.
The Fun Team donated a jumping castle again this year, Princess Rosebud from Painted Faces did animal face painting and other creative characters all day, there were art auctions (with art donated by Guy Sohm) and a Best Dressed Owner Pet Look-alike competition, judged by celebrity author Lynn Santer.
Gold Coast author Jacki Janetzki and Sunshine Coast success coach Kurek Ashley hopped on board to offer prizes for the event worth hundreds of dollars, as did Melbourne's Dr Gary 'Elijah' Wohlman, vibrant U-Rok director Sari Mustonen-Kirk, Sanctuary Cove pocket dynamo and etiquette queen Patsy Rowe and Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards winner for August 2009, Newhaven Funerals, who offered cruise vouchers worth $100 each.
Other prizes included book, DVD and CD packs, as well as healing sessions and workshops, adding to a total prize pool worth thousands of dollars. "The event is getting bigger and better each year," Aldwyn said.
"We have already had three financial sponsorship offers for next year's event. It is growing organically and magically as the community is coming together to say 'enough is enough'. Yet again, I am blown away by all the support this year and want to thank everyone who contributed to it and attended the day.
"Together, we can all make a difference. Here's to another huge day of fun and action for the animals again next year (just before World Animal Week from Oct 4-10, 2010) and for many years to come."
Volunteers are needed to co-ordinate the stalls, entertainment schedule and raffle prizes. For updates or to get involved with future Animal Action Days, call Aldwyn on (07) 5571 0233/ 0409 895 055 or email: aldwyn@aaxpose.com.
To view a five-minute video of the 2007 Animal Action Day, visit www.youtube.com and search for Animal Action Day.
Facebook fans can also join the Animal Action Day group and receive updates there or visit www.aaxpose.com
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