(Oregon Right to Life) — Oregon Right to Life Education Foundation’s annual fundraiser, A Night for Advocacy, delivered a much-needed sense of purpose and inspiration to the hundreds of committed pro-life advocates in attendance Saturday night.
Radio host and local celebrity Georgene Rice emceed the event, which was held at the Salem Convention Center on Saturday, September 21st. Live Action founder and president Lila Rose, a prominent and fearless pro-life advocate, took the stage as the keynote speaker.
In her speech, Rose encouraged attendees to remember and celebrate the landmark overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. She reminded pro-life advocates in Oregon – where abortion is allowed throughout all nine months of pregnancy for any reason – that legal abortion violates the founding documents of the United States. The right to life, she pointed out, is explicitly recognized in the Declaration of Independence. And the Fourteenth Amendment makes clear that no state has the right to deprive anyone of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
Rose also shared a short video produced by Live Action in which ordinary Americans, who originally identified themselves as pro-choice, changed their minds in real time when shown videos that explain and depict how abortion procedures are performed. Rose also presented another video, “Baby Olivia,” that depicts the growth and development of an unborn baby in the womb. Around 10 states have now introduced legislation to make “Baby Olivia” part of their public school curricula.
And Lila Rose wasn’t the only speaker to share important information and insights with the audience.
A Night for Advocacy attendees also heard from Oregon Right to Life executive director Lois Anderson, who reminded Oregon’s pro-life advocates that, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, almost two dozen states have now implemented laws protecting unborn lives.
“Those laws are saving lives, and babies and mothers are being protected,” Anderson said, promising that Oregon Right to Life will not stop working until Oregon becomes one of those states. But she added that Oregon Right to Life isn’t “just waiting for a bill to pass to advocate for and save innocent lives” but is instead actively engaging in the community.
She noted that abortions have actually gone down in Oregon since the late 1990s, despite an overall increase in population and a lack of pro-life laws making it through the legislature.
The reason for the decrease?
“There is no doubt in my mind that lives were and are being saved because of the work of pregnancy centers, maternity homes, Oregon Right to Life chapters, Respect Life groups, and many others,” Anderson said.
All across Oregon, vital pro-life work is being carried out, supported, and facilitated by Oregon Right to Life’s Education Foundation, and particularly through the efforts of Community Outreach Director Makyra Williamson and Community Outreach Coordinator Shannon Garlitz.
During the evening’s program, Williamson and Garlitz spoke about the work the Education Foundation is doing to reach Oregonians with the pro-life message, including publishing pro-life resource guides for at-risk families and having important conversations about abortion and the pro-life message at county fairs and events throughout the state.
Williamson and Garlitz also spoke about the Education Foundation’s most recent initiative in Eastern Oregon, a region at special risk of becoming an abortion destination due to its proximity to the border of pro-life Idaho. After Idaho passed its strong pro-life law following the overturning of Roe, Planned Parenthood established an abortion facility in Ontario, Oregon, to encourage women experiencing unsupported pregnancies to cross the border and obtain abortions. Oregon Right to Life is working to strengthen pro-life resources in Eastern Oregon to counter Planned Parenthood’s efforts and provide women and families with real, life-affirming alternatives. Oregon Right to Life’s first ever Eastern Oregon Pro-Life Summit will take place October 19.
At the end of the evening, pro-life advocates were given an opportunity to consider giving financially to support the vital work of Oregon Right to Life’s Education Foundation. They were also informed that a generous donor had pledged to match the first $50,000 in donations given during the evening.
Oregon Right to Life relies on the generosity of committed pro-life advocates to continue its work to build a culture of life in Oregon. To all those who gave during the evening’s event: Thank you. To all those who have supported us in the past or who are considering supporting us in the future, we also extend our warmest gratitude.
Reaching women and families with the pro-life message simply wouldn’t be possible without you.
If you didn’t get a chance to give to support the Education Foundation during this fundraiser, click here to give a financial gift now.
