I have been told by
those we left behind, the six weeks we were gone felt like a long time.
For us the trip was too short. We covered 14 states and met with
legislators and support groups in 13 of them. Unfortunately, we could not
get a group together to meet with in MA; although, we had a lovely visit
with Marla Collins, Director; Compassion Pregnancy Center of Worcester
Massachusetts. There is no way I could even give you a taste of all the
great things that happened on this trip, but I have tried to let you get
some of the flavor and give you a few pictures, as well. First of all we
owe a big “THANK YOU!” to the many supporters who hosted us on this trip.
Because of your hospitality, we were able to be on the road for 43 days
and only pay for motel accommodations 8 nights. I believe Jill has sent
each of you a personal note of thanks, but if we overlooked anyone, please
know the trip could not have happened without your generosity.
We left June 17 and
returned home July 30, 2002. Needless to say, it has taken me until now to
even find the time to put some words together for you. Whenever we go on a
long trip, my daughter Kim DeHart does a great job of “holding down the
fort”, but it still takes me several weeks to dig out from under all the
administrative work awaiting me upon our return.
We met with
legislators in NC, VA, NJ, MD, PA, NH, KY, IL, and MI. We met with
supporters in NY, CT, IN & OH. We had several fruitful meetings in DC with
conservative groups and lobbyist who agreed to help spread the word about
the Choose Life license plate effort. There should be Choose Life license
plate bills in the legislatures of NC, VA, NJ, PA, NH, KY, IL, CA, TX, AK,
OH, and GA next year. We are currently talking with a few folks in RI, MA,
WV, MO, NV, OR, AZ, MN and a few other states I can’t remember, about
starting up a Choose Life license plate effort.
The Choose Life plate
is now law in FL, LA, SC, AL, MS, OK and HI. The plates are currently
available in FL, MS & HI. So you can see the Choose Life tide that has
been rolling across the country, has now sailed across the ocean to our
island state.
Choose Life, Inc. has
purchased all the domain names for the 50 states using their two letter
state abbreviation, i.e. Florida = FL, Illinois = IL, followed by
choose-life.org. Therefore, the Illinois Choose Life group will soon
have as their web address
www.ilchoose-life.org. As groups come on line, they can get the domain
name and either use it as their site address or point it to their existing
site address. This way folks in every state will be able to find the
Choose Life group by placing their two letter state code in front of
choose-life.org.
One of our friends
called and asked if we had met anybody famous yet. I told him we had met
lots of famous pro-life folks, but since he was not involved in any
pro-life activities, he probably would not recognize any of them. I said
we did meet Bill Murray, the son of Madeline Murray O’Hare. He said, Wow!
Bill Murray the actor. I guess he was too young to remember the infamous
atheist who helped take the Lord’s Prayer out of American schools. Her
son, Bill, is now a Christian and working hard to undo some of the damage
he believes his mother caused.
Here are a number of
other pictures taken of some of the wonderful folks we met and are working
with to spread the Choose Life license plate to other states. There were
far too many to try to show everybody, so please forgive me if you didn’t
make it into the “Rogues Gallery.”
We met with Alvin
Williams who is the President and CEO of BAMPAC
www.bampac.org (Black Americans Political Action Committee). He
graciously agreed to do all he could to help spread the word about the
Choose Life license plate’s national effort.
Young Charles Rex is
the son of Charles Rex, concert violinist Charles Rex and Dr. Elizabeth
Rex, President and Founder of The Children First Foundation
www.thechildrenfirst.org. Dr. Rex is working to get a Choose Life
license plate approved for New York and her son Charles holds the first
membership card issued to the foundation. If you would like to become a
member of this organization, you can contact Dr. Rex at
ebrex@acninc.net and you will be eligible to get one of the first run
of Choose Life plates for NY when they are approved.
Dr. Elizabeth Rex,
Chris Slattery, Director Expectant Mother Care (917) 763-8367 & Tim
Jaccard, Founder of Children of Hope Foundation helping to establish “Safe
Haven” laws in every state (516) 781-3511
www.amtchildrenofhope.com.
Father Frank Pavone is
the National Director of Priests for Life
www.priestsforlife.org.
Illinois Choose Life
President Jim Finnegan and his wife Phyllis. The owners of the Chicago
Bears football team have agreed to be on their Board of Directors.
Mike Fichter,
Executive Director of Indiana Right to Life
www.indianalife.org will be looking into ways to promote the Choose
Life license plate for Indiana. He will be selling the replica Indiana
Choose Life license plate as a fund raiser and folks interested in
obtaining one should call (812) 474-3195.
Ken Connor, President
of Family Research Council
www.frc.org congratulates Choose Life, Inc. and agrees to continue to
promote the Choose Life license plate across the USA.
Part of the formation
group for the New Hampshire Choose Life, a gathering of 50 folks. The
leaders are Joan & Charles Espinola
Grammy4nc@aol.com and they welcome all supporters to this great cause.
Out of the 43 days on
the road, we had 3 or 4 to ourselves to see some of the sights. Dr. Rex
took Jill and me down to one of the most infamous landmarks of the 21st
Century. I am sure Ground Zero needs no further explanation. We were so
impressed by the size of the buildings around the site, realizing that
what stood on this site towered over these remaining buildings. The loss
of life reminded us that the Choose Life license plate effort will save
many children and place them into the loving arms of adoptive families
across this country.
You have helped make
this trip possible by your support through contributions and the purchase
of the Choose Life license plate promotional items
www.choose-life.org/order.html. Please continue to do so and we will
pledge to continue to spread the Choose Life message across America.
