Pam and Woodie organized a "VS Chicago" exhibitor's table at this year's fair. Ross, Gina, Jon and Mike volunteered to help staff the table throughout the ten hour conference.

Pam, Woodie and Mike created the table's display from various simplicity related books, news articles and quotes. We had an excellent location (at the end of the east wing of tables) easily seen by everyone from the exhibit hall entrance, AND adjacent to one of the two lunch rooms. Quote banners, two display boards, and a large "SIMPLICITY" sign (hung eight feet above complete with hearts -- thank you Pam!), distinguished our table from the other fourteen exhibitors. We also had fun with two large framed posters directly behind our table (announcements from previous speaking events), by fashioning two quotes as "bubble quotes" emulating from pictures of the speakers. My apologies to those speakers and my thanks to Ross for the idea ("...since we can't hide the posters, let's use them!").

The Conference was well attended and well planned. VS Chicago regulars Sharon, Laura and Ken stopped by to say hello. Speakers included John Robbins (Diet for a New America & The Food Revolution), Howard Lyman (Mad Cowboy), Robert Cohen (Milk: the Deadly Poison & Milk A-Z), Rev. James Bevel, Marc Bouvier, Jenny Stein & James LaVeck (award winning documentary, The Witness). The speakers addressed issues related to the environment and health, and to taking compassionate action for all life on earth. How do you impact a positive future? Take individual action, be an example for others to follow (sounds like something from our October VS Meeting...). They often emphasized the simplest action is voting with each our dollars in the choices we make.

The Conference for Conscious Living was a perfect fit for simplicity and VS Chicago. Our table was very well attended, and we talked with many folks both at the table and throughout the conference areas. Approximately fifty VS Chicago Info Brochures (thank you Woodie for putting them together!), and a one inch stack of Getting A Life, Simple Living and Seeds of Simplicity postcards were picked up by the attendees. Fifteen folks also signed on to a "VS Chicago E-mail List" we had posted on the table (Mike will forward them meeting info). Questions included;

• "What is Simplicity?"
• "What is VS Chicago about?"
• (after seeing VS Chicago meets at Old St. Pat's Church)
• "Is this a religious group?"
• "Are you the authors of any of these books?"
• (No)
• "If you're not the authors, then what are you selling here?"
• (Nothing, we're just offering a venue to continue discussion and learnings about living a more conscious life)
• "Do most folks who attend your meetings already live a simple life?"
• various questions about Your Money Or Your Life
• "What's it about?"
• "Oh I've read that. Do you know anyone doing the steps?"
• "I read that and started doing the steps but..."

Quite often picked up/recognized items on our table were; More Fun, Less Stuff (Center for a New American Dream Starter Kit handbook -- we'll have some to hand out next time), Getting A Life, Your Money Or Your Life, The Simple Living Guide, Voluntary Simplicity. We cleared out of the hall at 6:15pm and continued discussions in the parking lot until 7:00pm.

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Reported by: Mike Lenich

Chicago EarthSave Information: 773-525-4032 or,
http://chicago.earthsave.org/2001conf/aboutconf.html