The Choices Pregnancy Center’s goal is to change the way Hall County handles abortion by offering assistance to women who are considering that route while following it up with spiritual advice.
Choices gathered for its annual fundraising gala in Flowery Branch on Thursday, March 22, with a crowded room of more than 100 guests in attendance. Marc Newman, an anti-abortion advocate and president of Speaker for Life was there as the keynote speaker for the second year in a row.
“Last year we saw over 450 individual pregnancy test clients,” Newman said. “This year, we are on track to see over 500 pregnancy test clients.”
He said more than half of those clients that had a positive pregnancy test were considering abortion, but after talking with counselors at Choices, more than 75 percent chose not to have an abortion.
Choices Pregnancy Care Center
More info: 770-535-1245
Gainesville location
When: Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
Where: 434 Green Street Place, Gainesville
Flowery Branch location
When: Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday
Where: 4591 Winder Highway, Flowery Branch
During the gala, it showed two testimonials from women who have recently benefited from Choices and have their babies with them today.
“We are about physical life, but we are also about eternal life,” Newman said. “And that is what you get when you partner with Choices, but more work needs to be done.”
Throughout his speech, Newman talked about what he sees as the problem with abortion across the nation and how it can be changed. Most of it starts with education and awareness of options, he said. And the reason they were gathered at the gala on Thursday was to raise money to make both of those things possible.
Choices Pregnancy Center has two locations: Gainesville and Flowery Branch. Its facilities need to be updated, though, so Newman read a number of things that need to change.
“Choices Pregnancy Center is doing great work, but we also need to grow,” Newman said.
He said Choices needs to hire a new full-time nurse, which would cost about $55,000. It also needs $10,000 for outreach material. He said after some surveys, most people don’t know where to refer women who have questions about pregnancy.
So at the end of the night, guests stopped to pray, and after consideration, wrote checks to support Choices Pregnancy Center.
“We do this by rescuing before we get to that abortion decision,” Newman said. “And fortunately, you’ve got an organization here that will do that. Let’s be honest, forgiveness is always possible, but preemption is always better.”