Spend some time looking over our past winners and prepare to be blown away. After all, each vegan saves more than 100 animals a year—and therefore has every right to brag!
Name: Ellen
Location: Holmes Beach, Florida
An Emmy-winning news anchor and investigative reporter, Ellen is an outspoken and energetic advocate for a vegan lifestyle. She has written several books, including Paleo Vegan and Eat Vegan on $4 a Day. Ellen shares her love of vegan food by teaching cooking classes. And at 61, this brainy boomer is also the picture of health! She is a certified personal trainer and running coach, writes a column for Running Journal, and operates her own website, VegCoach.com. A longtime runner, Ellen is a medal-winning participant in the Gulf Coast Senior Games and the National Senior Games, and she credits her vegan diet with helping her lose 25 pounds and with quickening her recovery time after races.
Name: Edward
Location: Katonah, New York
An avid athlete who has climbed and then skied down Mount Rainier, Ed went vegan five years ago after undergoing emergency bypass surgery for a severe artery blockage, realizing how “the perils of [eating animals] … grind away slowly at one’s health.” He is writing a book about his experience and the health benefits of going vegan in the hope of helping others avoid the need for heart surgery. He says, “Although I’m older now, I have more energy than I ever had before I decided to forego devouring animal flesh.” This compassionate 70-year-old speaks out about factory-farm cruelty on social media and has sponsored orphaned elephants in lieu of receiving birthday presents. Ed has an architectural practice and enjoys photography, sailing, skiing, tennis, and reading.
Name: Carlyn
Location: Forest Knolls, California
This beautiful boomer has been “fighting the good fight” for more than half her life, as she went vegetarian more than 32 years ago, at the age of 18. In her entry, Carlyn described what being sexy means to her by saying that “sexy is doing something great for the world with your time and with the resources you have been given.” And Carlyn lives this truth every day, as she has committed her life to helping animals through her diet, attending local protests against KFC, rescuing abandoned animals, and speaking to her friends, family members, and clients about the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Name: Barry
Location: Franklin, New Hampshire
During his studies to become a veterinarian, Barry was required to take a “meats” class in which he would have had to witness the slaughter of an animal. He was horrified and refused to attend―and it nearly cost him his degree! It was then that he made the compassionate decision to become a vegetarian. Now more than 30 years later, Barry, whom many people affectionately refer to as “Doc,” has dedicated his life to animals by working as a vegan veterinarian. He even operates a local low-cost spay and neuter clinic in his community. Those animals sure are lucky to have him as their “doc”!
Name: Mimi
Location: San Diego, California
Author of the book Live Raw: The Natural Way to Good Health and Timeless Beauty, Mimi won PETA Prime’s Sexiest Vegetarian Over 50 contest at age 70. Because of all the attention she received after winning, she’s been able to help others get healthy. She’s still surprised when people ask about her longevity secrets. She thinks, “Why are they asking me? I’m only 72.” She doesn’t have aches or pains, and she’s energetic all day and well into the night, which she attributes to her vegan diet. When she hears people say, “It’s too late” or “Oh, that just happens when you get older,” she smiles to herself knowing that enjoying life in our later years pain-free, happy, and full of vigor is the way we were meant to live.