Mountville Man Is a Finalist in PETA’s ‘Sexiest Vegan Next Door’ Contest

Rough-and-Tumble Martial Arts Instructor Has a Soft Spot for Animals

For Immediate Release:
April 17, 2014

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2014 contest is down to the wire, and 43-year-old Mountville resident Mike Weisensee could take home the grand prize. That’s because he has beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners—one male and one female—will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com.

“Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save the lives of more than 100 animals a year,” says PETA Special Projects Manager Alicia Woempner. “On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too.”

Weisensee grew up in Butler before settling in the Lancaster area. He went vegan in 1990 and has never looked back. “I can honestly say that I am in better health at 43 than I was at 19,” he says, and he proves it every time he completes an obstacle course as though it were a walk in the park or dives to check fish populations and reef health. He holds multiple black belts and owns Lancaster Family Martial Arts Center. He’s also one of the most active members of PETA’s Action Team, attending protests and keeping an eye out for animal abuse in his own neighborhood. His proudest moment was convincing his mother to go vegan and delay her scheduled surgery to have her gall bladder removed—23 years later, she still has it. His role models are Mahatma Gandhi and, not surprisingly, vegan ultimate fighter Mac Danzig. Weisensee earned a master’s degree in public policy from Carnegie Mellon University as well as a certificate in plant-based nutrition through Cornell University.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at noon EDT on May 2. PETA will select the winners based on several factors, including vote count. See the full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 6.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.