It's The Final Potluck

Yesterday, Veg Club had our last event of the year. We gathered at The Common Good for a delicious vegan feast of bean salad, deviled potatoes, pad thai, asparagus, berry cobbler, and oreo cupcakes (recipes forthcoming). For me, this wasn't just the last Veg Club event of the school year, it was my last Veg Club event as a BGSU student.

My name is Miriam, and Veg Club was the first student organization I joined as a freshman. I went to Campus Fest that year specifically hoping to find such a group, as I still wasn't sure where I fit at BG and I thought a good place to start building community would be among vegetarians. I was right. Veg Club is the one place that I've known I belonged. At Veg Club, I could always find like-minded people. For all that the membership has changed many times in these last four years, Veg Club has been like a family to me at BGSU.

It is through Veg Club that I was introduced to the Community Gardens and The Common Good, where I have participated and volunteered throughout my BG career. At Veg Club I've met a slew of wonderful people, including three livingmates past and present and my partner of over two years. Veg Club gave me the opportunity to realize my leadership capacities when I ran for president my freshman year with no notion that I would actually win. I've test driven a few recipes on Veg Club and I've discovered a number of good ones through its members. I've seen challenges, when membership has been low or members disagreed about plans or rules. I seen through very successful events and I've seen them fall through. I'm very proud of Veg Club, and I'm very happy to have been involved for so long.

At the potluck yesterday, we went around in a circle and talked about our favorite memories from the year. We remembered trips to animal sanctuaries and to Toledo as well as other potlucks. We remembered playing hangman and vegan board games at meetings. And we remembered check-ins: the beginning part of meetings during which we go around and talk about anything veg-related we want. Looking back now, I also fondly remember arguing heatedly over whether otters or red pandas are cuter before one of our documentary showings (otters surely!) and our Ann Arbor trip, with our discovery of Jazzy Veggie and some serious shopping.  These are all important because they're how we get to know each other. These are how Veg Club comes to feel like a community, a family. I wish Veg Club all the best for next year. Stay idealistic. Stick together.