On Saturday,
May 22, 2004, New York's famous Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom filled with
almost 500 celebrity guests and presenters, legislators, and activists
in support of farm animals at the Farm Sanctuary Gala 2004. Gala Chairperson
Mary Tyler Moore kicked off the night with a special screening of a
documentary she produced with Farm Sanctuary, "Life Behind Bars,"
exposing the cruel confinement of cows, pigs and chickens on factory
farms in America. Following the film, her uplifting speech about the
progress of efforts toward ending farm animal abuse garnered a standing
ovation from a teary-eyed audience.
Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders gives a moving performance of
"I'll Stand by You."
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Singer
Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders was presented with a "Voice for
Farm Animals" award for speaking out against factory farm cruelty,
and treated guests to a powerful solo performance of the song "I'll
Stand by You," with a backdrop of images depicting farm animal
abuse contrasted with heartwarming shots of activists carrying battered,
suffering animals to shelter. As presenter Elisabeth Moss of "The
West Wing" noted, "'I'll Stand By You' is a song that is in
many ways an "anthem" for the animal protection movement.
This beautiful song celebrates the incredible bond between humans and
animals, and our dream of a more humane world."
Linda Blair presents the Legislative Friend of Farm Animals Award
to New York State Senator Liz Krueger.
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New York
Senator Liz Krueger was honored with the "Legislative Friend of
Farm Animals" award for her bold stance opposing the trade of "downer"
animals. In the fall of 2003, Senator Krueger introduced legislation
(S 5735) in New York state to ban this cruel, and all too common, industry
practice. "Downers," sick, injured and diseased animals too
weak to even stand, are often thrown onto dead piles, dragged with chains,
pushed with forklifts and turned into human food. Her proposal requires
critically ill and injured animals to be humanely euthanized or provided
with needed veterinary care and would also prohibit their slaughter
for human food.
Judy Borsellino, who rescued Liberty the bull, accepts the Freedom
Fighter for Farm Animals Award on his behalf.
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New York
City activist Mary Max, wife of artist Peter Max, was presented with
the "Outstanding Activist for Farm Animals" award for her
tireless efforts to raise awareness about factory farming abuses and
promote compassion — including convincing dozens of upscale Manhattan
restaurants to remove cruel veal from their menus. Our
final award presentation was to Liberty, a bull who bravely ran for
his life and escaped a slaughterhouse in New Jersey.
Eleven-year-old
actress and vegetarian Hallie Kate Eisenberg joined with her like-minded
acting classmates for a special performance of poetry, sketch comedy
and song about being vegetarian kids, including a humorous spoof of
the "The Brady Bunch," entitled "The Brady's Lunch."
The
B-52's Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson lit up the room and had
the crowd roaring with excitement with popular songs such as
"Love Shack" and "Roam."
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The night
was complete with a performance by the B-52s' Kate Pierson and Fred
Schneider — who lit up the room and had the crowd roaring with
excitement with popular songs such as "Love Shack" and "Roam."
Special
guests and presenters included Daytime Emmy Nominees Grant Aleksander
and James Reynolds, Linda Blair, Emma Caulfield, Corey Feldman, Jill
Larson, Patrick McDonnell, Peter Max, Elisabeth Moss, Toby Parker, Ally
Sheedy, and Persia White.
Emcees Mimi Kennedy of "Dharma and Greg" and Dan Piraro,
"Bizarro" cartoonist, led the show with humor, wit and
heart.
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Emcees
Mimi Kennedy of "Dharma and Greg" and Dan Piraro, "Bizarro"
cartoonist, led the show with humor, wit and heart...leaving guests
laughing one moment and crying the next.
On this
night, many hearts and minds were opened to the suffering of farm animals,
new activists and vegetarians were born, and our efforts to end factory
farm abuse were strengthened. We gathered in honor and in defense of
each farm animal on a factory farm, stockyard or slaughterhouse, and
we made a great leap forward on their behalf — toward a more humane
future.
Thank
you to all who made
this night possible.
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