Musgrave brings hope to pro-life movement

    “I am more hopeful than I’ve ever been.”
    The words of the Honorable Marilyn Musgrave gave hope to attendees as sanctity of life was celebrated at the annual fundraising banquet for A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center Saturday, Jan. 27.
    Musgrave explained to the hundreds seated at the Phillips County Event Center in Holyoke that she has been in the pro-life movement for decades and yet she still has hope.
    The former Colorado legistlator is now in Washington, D.C., serving as the vice president of government affairs for the Susan B. Anthony List. She is one of the organization’s lead lobbyists in efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and enact lifesaving legislation.
    “Science is on our side,” she said, pointing out that high-tech ultrasounds make it harder to ignore that an unborn baby is deemed worthy of life.
    “What is choice anyway?” Musgrave asked. “It sounds like you’re choosing chocolate or vanilla. No, you’re choosing a live baby or a dead baby.”
    She added, “This is a debate about our understanding of human dignity.”
    As someone who has made it her life’s work to protect the unborn, she is tired of people asking her to leave her faith at home when she goes into public. Musgrave challenged banquet attendees to show compassion and to be Christlike to people who are facing unplanned pregnancies.
    She has been encouraged to see more young people join the pro-life movement. She recently witnessed her own teenage grandkids experience the life-changing March for Life in D.C. “The beautiful thing is that the march is getting younger every year,” said Musgrave.
    The speaker got visibly emotional when she spoke of her unexpected encounter with Cecile Richards, who is stepping down as president of Planned Parenthood. While she didn’t say it aloud, Musgrave was thinking to herself, “I want you to know we are working for life as hard as you are working for death.”
    Musgrave concluded with this encouragement: “When you are in the pro-life movement, you will have a million voices thank you who have never been heard in this world before.”
    
Center serves 81 women
    Faye Barnhart, executive director of A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center, gave an update on the nonprofit’s work in 2017.
    The center served 81 women and their babies throughout the year.
    Some of the services offered include free pregnancy tests, a personal women’s advocate, infant clothing, adoption support, after-pregnancy care, community referrals and healing groups for women who are grieving abortions.
    While the nonprofit operates out of four locations in Brush, Holyoke, Sterling and Yuma, Barnhart was excited to announce that the center has begun fundraising for a mobile medical vehicle so specific services can be offered all over the six-county region. Dr. Jenn Lentz is also on board now as the center’s medical director.
    In 2017, more than 2,000 hours were spent in public schools as certified relationship educators provided classroom presentations on healthy relationships and sexuality.
    The annual banquet was another success for the center. Barnhart said 90 percent of the funding comes from individual donors.
    Caterers Lee and Martha Thompson were recognized for over a dozen years of service to the banquet. This was their last year coordinating the meal.
    Music entertainment was provided by the Jofre family, including Pedro, Erica and Gabriel, as well as Marcia Dalton.
    For more information about A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center, visit www.neco-cpc.org, email info@neco-cpc.org or call 970-842-4324.