The members attending the Plant Based Plainsman meeting flocked to the table at the front of the room and chattered about the colorful display of free food. Each of them patiently waited for their plateful of vegan food — options ranging from vegan tacos to sushi to vegan cake. 

The Plant Based Plainsman, founded in February 2018, is an Auburn University club that is centered around providing vegan options and a plant-based community to any person who wishes to participate. 

Meeting at 5 p.m. every other Friday in Student Center Room 2216, the founders generally begin with short, introductory lectures about the appeals and benefits of a plant-based diet. Then, members will host a potluck by providing vegan dishes to any individual who wishes to sample them. These vegan potlucks provide a variety of options for every individual’s tastes. 

This potluck, according to club member Kaitlyn Logan, fulfills two of the club’s goals: showing students that vegan food tastes just as good as non-vegan food and raising awareness for veganism. 

“It’s just a good social opportunity to find like-minded people,” said Julia Seegles, club member. 

Beyond holding biweekly meetings, the club hosts multiple events both on and off campus throughout the year. One event is a trip to Full-Circle Animal Sanctuary, located in Warm Springs, Georgia. Volunteers assist the sanctuary in a variety of ways, from cleaning horse stalls to feeding rescued animals. Afterward, a vegan potluck is hosted on site for all volunteers.

The Plant Based Plainsman also cooperates with animal rights activists at Auburn to host a series of eight events throughout the year. This upcoming November, they will host “iCalf,” an event where people walking along Haley Concourse can use virtual reality goggles to, according to Logan, “essentially become a baby cow in a slaughter house, so [they will] experience what it’s like to live the life of a baby cow being taken away from its mother.” 

Despite each individual’s personal beliefs, the Plant Based Plainsman is open to all who wish to investigate the benefits of embracing a plant-based diet or even those who simply want a free dinner.