DeVolder, Burtoft Honored At Right To Life Dinner

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jennifer [email protected]

WINONA LAKE - Father Phil DeVolder and John Burtoft were honored Monday with the Mary Louise Lowe Life Award for their commitment to the pro-life movement.

The dinner was attended by about 700 people, and Pennsylvania comedian Gordon Douglas entertained the audience with jokes. Dr. Steve Hollar served as emcee for the dinner, and No Name Quartet performed.

The award was presented during the 2010 Legacy of Life Banquet hosted by Kosciusko County Right To Life at the Orthopaedic Capitol Center in Winona Lake.

Brian Catron, KCRTL president, presented the awards.

Lowe founded Kosciusko County Right To Life in 1973, and she remains a board member of the organization.

Recipients of the award are chosen from nominations made by people in Kosciusko County and the KCRTL board. Recipients have in some way made a pro-life impact on the county.

DeVolder was the pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the late '90s before he moved to Elkhart to take over the pastoral responsibilities at St. Vincent's Catholic Church.

When DeVolder lived in Warsaw he was a supporter of KCRTL and the pro-life movement. In the past his pro-life movements led him to participate in pro-life vigils outside of abortion clinics in various states.

DeVolder is now back in Warsaw and is promoting his pro-life beliefs to the Hispanic community through his leadership at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Warsaw.

Burtoft has been a supporter of KCRTL since the 1990s. When his business, Tokens 'N' Tickets, opened he was ready to promote KCRTL with posters and fliers.

He has spent many hours standing on the sidewalks of Planned Parenthood with pro-life signs. He also was instrumental in the success of the 40 Days of Life prayer vigil in Warsaw last fall.

Dave Koontz, Kosciusko County Right To Life director, said Kosciusko County has seen a dramatic drop of 56 percent in the annual number of abortions since 2000. The statewide rate has dropped by 13 percent during that time.

Deb Hall, Goshen, told her story of how she had an abortion in her 30s.

She said she had two teenage boys from her first marriage and then divorced.

While she was divorced she said she was not leading a Godly life and got pregnant and had an abortion.

She said she prayed to God to have him share her message with others who were considering abortion.[[In-content Ad]]Angie Wood, Heartline Pregnancy Center executive director, said she attended a conference in Orlando in May and Heartline was one of four centers that was recognized for 25 years of life-affirming service.

For more information about Kosciusko Right To Life, visit www.kcrtl.org

WINONA LAKE - Father Phil DeVolder and John Burtoft were honored Monday with the Mary Louise Lowe Life Award for their commitment to the pro-life movement.

The dinner was attended by about 700 people, and Pennsylvania comedian Gordon Douglas entertained the audience with jokes. Dr. Steve Hollar served as emcee for the dinner, and No Name Quartet performed.

The award was presented during the 2010 Legacy of Life Banquet hosted by Kosciusko County Right To Life at the Orthopaedic Capitol Center in Winona Lake.

Brian Catron, KCRTL president, presented the awards.

Lowe founded Kosciusko County Right To Life in 1973, and she remains a board member of the organization.

Recipients of the award are chosen from nominations made by people in Kosciusko County and the KCRTL board. Recipients have in some way made a pro-life impact on the county.

DeVolder was the pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the late '90s before he moved to Elkhart to take over the pastoral responsibilities at St. Vincent's Catholic Church.

When DeVolder lived in Warsaw he was a supporter of KCRTL and the pro-life movement. In the past his pro-life movements led him to participate in pro-life vigils outside of abortion clinics in various states.

DeVolder is now back in Warsaw and is promoting his pro-life beliefs to the Hispanic community through his leadership at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Warsaw.

Burtoft has been a supporter of KCRTL since the 1990s. When his business, Tokens 'N' Tickets, opened he was ready to promote KCRTL with posters and fliers.

He has spent many hours standing on the sidewalks of Planned Parenthood with pro-life signs. He also was instrumental in the success of the 40 Days of Life prayer vigil in Warsaw last fall.

Dave Koontz, Kosciusko County Right To Life director, said Kosciusko County has seen a dramatic drop of 56 percent in the annual number of abortions since 2000. The statewide rate has dropped by 13 percent during that time.

Deb Hall, Goshen, told her story of how she had an abortion in her 30s.

She said she had two teenage boys from her first marriage and then divorced.

While she was divorced she said she was not leading a Godly life and got pregnant and had an abortion.

She said she prayed to God to have him share her message with others who were considering abortion.[[In-content Ad]]Angie Wood, Heartline Pregnancy Center executive director, said she attended a conference in Orlando in May and Heartline was one of four centers that was recognized for 25 years of life-affirming service.

For more information about Kosciusko Right To Life, visit www.kcrtl.org
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092

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