Tzu Chi Promotes Vegetarianism at the
12th Atlanta Asian Cultural Celebration
ATLANTA, USA - During the 12th annual Asian
Culture celebration in Atlanta, more than forty Tzu Chi volunteers
took part in helping at Tzu Chi's
vegetarian stall.
The
volunteers work together at the vegetarian stall. Some are
in selling, some are in charge of money transactions, and
some handle the cooking.
Among the different stalls set up by representatives from
twelve countries, Tzu Chi's stall was the only vegetarian
stall. As per previous years, the objective of Tzu Chi's vegetarian
stall was to promote a healthy vegetarian diet that is conscious
of compassion for animals.
When people approached the vegetarian stall
to buy food, Tzu Chi volunteers introduced them to Tzu Chi's
missions. (The four main missions are Charity, Medicine, Education,
and Culture - the spirit of Tzu Chi's humanity). The volunteer's
hearts were touched by the sincere donations of some visitors
to support Tzu Chi's community projects. Master Cheng Yen,
the founder of the organization, said, "Giving is not
a priority of the rich, and it is the sincerity of the heart
that counts."
Even though the July 10th Dennis Hurricane
reduced the number of visitors, Tzu Chi's stall still managed
to raise around US$850 from two days of charity food sales.
Held at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the
celebration of Asian culture in Atlanta has become one of
the most significant events in the community. The yearly visitors
number more than ten thousand. There were approximately nine
hundred participants including various charity organizations
from the Asian community and individuals. Each country was
allocated with two stalls for cultural-art and local food,
and every stall and performance displays the culture and uniqueness
of each country.
