Takoma Park Mayor Bruce Williams last week signed a proclamation officially declaring April 23-29 as “VegWeek 2012.”

Williams and City Council members Kay Daniels-Cohen, Seth Grimes, Terry Seamens and Fred Schultz pledged to take the seven-day Veg Pledge, during which they will stick to a vegetarian-only diet.

State Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park in 2009 was one of the first to take the challenge. The event is sponsored by Compassion Over Killing, a nonprofit animal protection organization based in Takoma Park.