Say No To V
June 12, 2009
The harvest and sale of vampire blood on the black market is perhaps the greatest common danger affecting vampires and humans. Not only does this barbaric practice spread disease and addiction, but it drives a wedge of fear between us. Please, stay free of vampire blood. It’s no way to live.
Honoring the Dead
June 11, 2009
At the recent D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, a number of vampire veterans who fought secretly in WWII were decorated by the U.S. military.
Among them, Sgt. Andrew Billows, who was turned by a vampire in Marseille during Operation Dragoon, was honored for his sacrifice and patriotism during the conflict. Even after becoming a vampire, Billows continued to follow his unit in the shadows, doing his best to protect his men through the night.
“I did whatever I could to try to keep them alive,” he says, “but it was a mess out there. I’ll never forget the evenings I woke up in some farmhouse or mill to find out we’d lost a man while the sun was out. Even with an eternity to come to terms with it, I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for letting them down.”
But when Billows was reunited with the surviving members of his unit — and fell into their grateful embraces — he was moved beyond words. Fellow soldier Richard Tomkins, however, spoke for everyone: “We never would have made it through France without Andy’s help,” says the 86-year-old veteran. “I don’t know a lot about this whole vampire thing, but after what Andy’s done for me, I don’t care if he turns into a goddamned leprechaun — he’ll always be my brother.”
A Cold Hand: AVL Reaches Out to the Less Fortunate
June 5, 2009
With the global economy in shambles, humanitarian groups have been scrambling to help Americans who have lost everything in the downturn. Often forgotten, however, are the countless vampires affected by homelessness in our country, many of whom have literally gone underground — burying themselves in dirt as the only way to seek protection from the sun.
Because relatively few vampires were able to find any regular employment after “coming out,” most have relied almost exclusively on stock and real-estate investments made over their generations of existence. With both those markets crashing, an increasing number of vampires are finding themselves thrown out in the street with no safety net and no employment prospects.
To alleviate this problem, the AVL is spearheading LAIR — the first vampire-centric homeless outreach program in America. Utilizing abandoned waterfront properties in major cities, the AVL has managed to provide clean coffins and warm bottles of Tru Blood to thousands of vampires in need. These initiatives would not be possible without the continued support of members like you.
