Heartline Pregnancy Center Holds Gathering Of Hope Event
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Heartline Pregnancy Center held a Gathering Of Hope event Thursday night to honor those who have provided service to the organization. Attendees donated $64,000 for Heartline during the event at First Christian Church, Warsaw. Heartline was started in 1985 and served more than 5,000 clients last year, according to Don Roulo, Heartline board vice president and event MC. Heidi Beer received the Volunteer Of The Year Award. She is a registered nurse who has volunteered her services at Heartline for over a year, providing clinical services and holistic care to clients. Marina Magnes, Teens and Tots Childcare and Preschool high school graduate, was honored for her usage of the program. Magnes gave birth to her daughter as a freshman in high school. She entered the TNT program and began peer support groups and mentoring with TNT staff. She will graduate from Warsaw Community High School next week and plans to continue on to Ivy Tech Community College to pursue her degree in radiology. Her daughter, Ellie, will soon be 4 and enter pre-kindergarten classes at TNT. Larry Long also was recognized for serving on the board of directors for the past six years, as both president and vice president. He currently serves on the finance committee and chairs the volunteer committee. He also volunteers in the center as a men’s mentor in the Rock Solid Fatherhood program. Nikki Hills, Heartline client services coordinator, was recognized for her services. She is leaving the organization to do missions work in China. Featured speaker Abby Johnson, former Planned Parentood executive director and now pro-life advocate, gave her testimony. Johnson is a frequent guest on Fox News and author of the nationally best-selling book, “Unplanned.” She worked for the organization for eight years in Texas and then left after 2009 when she was asked to assist with an ultra-sound-guided abortion. She said she watched as a 13-week baby fought and lost its life at the hands of an abortionist. “The worst part was not standing there, but doing nothing,” Johnson said. She encouraged pastors to preach on abortion as a sin. “Our silence on this issue in our churches is deafening,” Johnson said. “Where is the justice for the 3,500 children aborted every day?” She said anti-abortion advocacy is not just about saving babies, but growing a family. Johnson said Heartline has a ministry like no other she has seen in the county. “That is something to be proud of and we need more innovative ideas across the country,” Johnson said. For more information about Heartline visit heartlinepregnancycenter.org
