Anti-abortion leader to speak

Region

September 26, 2010

David Bereit is a director of 40 Days for Life

BY SHERI McWHIRTER smcwhirter@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Sun Sep 26, 2010, 07:14 AM EDT

ACME — A nationally known anti-abortion leader will speak at the annual benefit dinner for Grand Traverse Area Right to Life.

David Bereit is national campaign director for 40 Days for Life, an anti-abortion campaign that involves 40 days of prayer, fasting and a constant vigil at abortion facilities across the country. He will speak about his experience as a leader in the anti-abortion movement, as well as what he describes as solutions to abortion.

"I really want to help people understand the crisis that abortion has caused in our country," Bereit said. "It's not only (children's) lives that are lost. It also creates problems for women who had an abortion. It's detrimental to women and destructive to the life of the child."

Bereit became involved in anti-abortion activities after Planned Parenthood — the nation's leading sexual and reproductive health care provider — announced plans in 1998 to build a clinic in his Texas hometown. He launched nonprofit Coalition for Life, a local organization including 60 churches and thousands of members dedicated to ending abortion and speaking for the unborn at risk of abortion.

"A lot of people focus their energy on the political realm and a lot can be done there, but the reality is people are procuring abortions in the areas where they live," Bereit said. "By intervening and helping mothers where they live, they can help pro-life efforts in individual communities."

Much of Bereit's efforts involve praying and fasting for an end to abortion, he said.

"We hold round-the-clock vigils outside abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood offices. It raises awareness and tells those mothers who are about to have an abortion that there are people out there to support them and bring them to local pregnancy help centers to help them throughout their pregnancy and after the child is born," Bereit said. "It's important to make sure no mother feels that abortion is her only choice."

The 40 Days for Life program is active in 238 cities in 46 states and five foreign countries. Vigils outside clinics stopped more than 2,800 pregnant women from proceeding with scheduled abortions since 2007, Bereit said.

Bereit will speak during the Grand Traverse Area Right to Life group's 22nd annual benefit dinner on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Governor's Hall at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme. A social hour begins at 6 p.m. outside the hall.

"A lot of our reason for doing the dinner is for awareness of the issue," said Carol Tondreau, executive director of the local Right to Life chapter. "We have the benefit dinner to keep our mission alive."

Organizers expect to sell about 750 tickets for the dinner and hope to raise $100,000 for their cause. Dinner tickets cost $60 per person.

Call (231) 946-9469 or send e-mail to office@gtartl.com for more information, or to register.