Thousands are raised for pregnancy center
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on June 7, 2015 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Cathie Fields, dressed as Wonder Woman, and her grandchildren Alex, 4, dressed as Batman, and Abigail, 7, dressed as the White Tiger, finish a fun walk fundraiser for the Wayne Pregnancy Care Center held on Saturday at Walnut Creek.
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Casie Butts, dressed as Thor, jumps for a photo-finish end to the Wayne Pregnancy Care Center "Heroes Run for Life" 5K held at Walnut Creek on Saturday.
Gracie Johnson cried at the end of the mile walk -- that's a long way for a 6-year-old to walk.
But even though her effort ended with a little injury, the little girl was happy, too. She helped raise $125 for the Wayne Pregnancy Care Center.
Next year, however, she says, she will raise a "quadrillion" dollars for the pro-life charitable organization.
Gracie participated with her mom, Charity, in the first-ever Heroes Run for Life Saturday at Walnut Creek to benefit the Wayne Pregnancy Care Center.
"The center is important because of their community support for all," Mrs. Johnson said. "It's for girls from 13 all the way up, a support system, regardless of their choice (abortion or having the baby). We raised only $125 this year, but we just started last week. Next year, we're going to do a lot better and try to raise $500."
Mrs. Johnson's husband, Wes, is a Wayne Pregnancy Care Center board member. His father was on the board when it was founded and served as president several times. When his health failed, it was only natural that his son take his place.
Wes, who is the pastor at Harvest Baptist Church in Goldsboro, said he believes in the pregnancy center's cause and believes it should be very important to everyone.
"Life is important," he said. "Life is precious. It says that in God's word, so I'm doing everything I can to support this organization. Not only are they pro-life, but they're also supporting women who are dealing with pain due to past abortions. They're helping people who are victims of sex trafficking and prostitution. They help the whole family. That's why I'm very passionate about this organization."
Johnson said the organization is very much needed in the community.
"No. 1 because there are women who are hurting in our community. No. 2 because there are families that need an organization like this that helps to bring healing, helps to train them in areas such as finances, helps show them how to be a strong husband and a strong wife and how to raise their children. It's not just about pregnancy. It's not just about abortion. That's why it's important to me."
Stephanie Randall agreed and that's why she walked in the fundraiser with sons Mason, 3, and Austin, 5. Her husband, Christopher, ran at the event.
"We did it to raise awareness for the pregnancy center about the wonderful organization that it is," Mrs. Randall said. "I really truly believe in saving babies' lives. From the moment they are conceived, they are a child from God. They deserve to live."
For the past month, Mrs. Randall has been posting on Facebook about the event.
"Everybody sees it and somebody out there might have been struggling and thought that's somewhere they should go," she said.
Les Aycock was the oldest participant at 75. He ran because it was for a good cause, raising $100 by himself.
Raising $2,600 was the Goldsboro Worship Center team of 50.
"We believe in outreach and in people and in these babies and the moms and families that are affected by this," pastor Danny Johnson said. "The center is saving lives. The babies may have come to this world through precarious situations, but nonetheless, it's a life and that life matters."
The center's client services director, Jennifer Marchant, said a lot of the group's clients took part in the fundraiser with their babies.
"The mom's team was called Supermoms and the babies were Mommy's Little Sidekick," she said. "People got into the theme by dressing like superheroes -- Wonder Woman, Batman, Spider-Man and others."
Ms. Marchant said the group's goal at first was $10,000, then it was bumped up to $15,000. As of Friday, the total had surpassed $20,000. At the event, the total was more than $32,000. And money is still trickling in.
"It's important to us to stop unplanned pregnancies in this area," she said. "And to teach kids about waiting until they're married to have kids."
Ms. Marchant knows how important it is to give pregnant women options other than abortion.
"At age 17, I thought abortion was my only option and did not have a pregnancy center to go to and went straight to an abortion clinic in Jacksonville," she said. "I walked out of that clinic knowing I'd made the biggest mistake of my life."
Executive director Beverly Weeks said the money raised will help women and families who are facing an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. The center provides free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, free STD testing information, post-abortion counseling and healing services for anyone regardless of race, religion or income.
There have been more than 1,200 people who have used the pregnancy care center since Jan. 1, Ms. Weeks said. The center has given out more than 150 free pregnancy tests to women in this community.
"And we've seen 50 salvations, people who have come to know Christ just from coming through the center," she said. "And 30 babies have been saved from abortions. These women walked through our doors and thought that abortion was their only option. They had lost all hope. But then they actually chose life for their unborn baby."
"We are making a difference in this community," Ms. Marchant said.