TEENS FOR LIFE

Did you know that there are approximately 50 million abortions a year worldwide? Did you also know that there are 4000 babies who lose their lives to abortion every day in the United States?

Hello my name is Holly Jones. I am a sixteen year old who attends St. John's Catholic Church in Loogootee, IN. I have come to the realization that Martin County needs a teen organization that takes a stand against abortion and euthanasia of the elderly and also supports adoption. I am planning to have a meeting in April 2003 to get organized. I am also looking for some adults to volunteer some time for the organization. Some goals to achieve are:
1. To get teens to realize that abortion isn't the only answer.
2. To get the area teens involved in an activity in which they will be free to voice their opinion.
3. A chance to make a difference in our community by bringing our now generation closer together.
A future goal I have set to achieve is to raise enough money to take a trip to Washington D.C. to attend the March for Life and protest Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal. Thank you for your time and God Bless!

MISSION STATEMENT: Abortion has claimed the lives of over 43 million of our peers. Over 1/3 of our generation has been killed and we must tell their story for them. It is the story of the greatest Holocaust in world history. If you were born after January 22, 1973, you’re a survivor of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion. You are a survivor of the Abortion Holocaust. It's time to take an active stand on behalf of the children who were never born, as well as the women who have suffered because of abortion, and resolve to do all we can for those who are currently in danger.

Teens for Life held their first meeting on Monday, April 21, 2003 in the lower level of St. John’s Center in Loogootee (across from St. John’s Catholic Church). Those attending the Teens for Life meeting were: Amanda Verkamp & Julie Verkamp(Dubois Co. Teens for Life), Holly Jones, Candance Crew, Tiffany Shoultz, Heather Jones and Perri Bateman. Julie Verkamp of Dubois County Teens for Life was the speaker. Julie shared many of her experiences. Among them were attending the annual March for Life in Washington D.C. and attending prayer vigils at abortion clinics in Louisville and Bloomington. Julie also gave the group ideas on how they can promote the sanctity of life. Holly reported that the group will be getting their own t-shirts, holding fundraisers, and will possibly be attending next year’s March for Life. Her goal is to make a difference in the community. Refreshments were served and door prizes given away. A second meeting was held May 19. Meetings will be held the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the lower level of St. John’s Center in Loogootee. All Martin County teens are invited to attend. For more information, please feel free to call Holly at 295-2297. Or e-mail her at Hagersr5@aol.com.

Martin County Teens for Life attend March for Life

Story by Heather Jones

Tiffany Shoultz, Holly Jones and I went to the March for Life in Washington D.C. the week of January 22 with the Dubois County Teens for Life. The March for Life was an awesome experience for us. The March was important to me because I knew that going and standing up for what I believe in will help accomplish my goal to end abortion. I am a member of the Martin County Teens for Life. Martin County Right to Life encouraged us to go to the March.

We went by bus and it took sixteen hours to get there, but we got to sleep and pray so it didn’t seem that long. We went to several neat places the day before the March. We went to Arlington Cemetery where we watched the soldiers change shifts at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We also toured the Lincoln Memorial. We toured the area for about five or six hours and met back at the hotel so we could attend Mass at the Basilica. The next morning we attended a teens’ Mass. From there we went to the March, which was an experience I’ll never forget. We waited for three hours because we got there early. Once we started moving, we were chanting cheers and saying prayers. We were in the middle of a huge crowd so some of us got split up. There were people there from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and many other states. There were also pro-life leaders from France, Italy, Poland, Ireland, and Britain. I am ready to go back next year. I thought it was really cool how I was in the same state as the President!

They estimated about a hundred thousand people at the March! It was a huge success. President Bush called in and spoke to the crowd. He stated: “I know that good folks have gathered there on the Mall from every corner of America to take part in the 31st March for Life. And I want you to pass on my best to each one of them in person, please, and tell them how much I appreciate their devotion to such a noble cause. You believe, as I do, that every person, however frail or vulnerable, is a blessing. Each of us has a special dignity, a place and purpose in this world. And in the Declaration of Independence, our founders stated this self-evident truth: the right to life does not come from government; it comes from the Creator of life. As President, I’ve signed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. Working with the Congress, we have refused to spend taxpayers’ money on international programs that promote abortion overseas. We’re opposed to the destruction of embryos for stem cell research. And last November, it was my honor to sign into law a ban on the brutal procedure of partial birth abortion. Earlier this week, I proposed that we double federal funding for abstinence education programs. We will continue to support crisis pregnancy centers, adoption, parental notification laws, and the vital work of faith-based groups. I strongly support the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which the House Judiciary Committee approved yesterday. And now the entire Congress should act on this bill so I can sign it into law. Above all, we must continue with civility and respect to remind our fellow citizens that all life is sacred and worthy of protection. I know as you return to your communities you will redouble your efforts to change hearts and minds, one person at a time. And this is the way we will build a lasting culture of life, a compassionate society in which every child is born into a loving family and protected by law.”

At the end of the day, we were told that we had walked a total of six to eight miles. We left Washington D.C. and ate at Cracker Barrel in Manassas, Virginia. We were really proud because we thought we accomplished a lot. I feel that I need to be more active in the Right to Life as well as the Teens for Life. I am proud to say that I am Pro-Life! I wear a sweatshirt that says “ABORTION IS HOMICIDE” to school and get several comments on it. I believe that if any person feels strongly about ending abortion, they should attend the March for Life!

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