HISTORY
Jackson County Right to Life
Projects --- Current Needs & A Short History
The history of our chapter is the history of committed individuals in Southern Oregon working together to change hearts about the inherent dignity of human life. A review of the projects we've undertaken will give you a flavor of our determination as a group, and what we invite you to join.
The political landscape of the ruling majority has been very hostile to the pro-life cause since 2008. But the hostility that we've seen from pro-abortion forces has strengthened us, as adversity will do. As the truth becomes known, more and more Americans are waking up to the inherent evil of abortion and are identifying themselves as pro-life. The results of the 2010 mid-term election are heartening.
Regarding our local chapter, we ask you to prayerfully consider if you can carve out an hour and a half each month (our normal meeting length) to join us in active membership. Many important projects that we would like to undertake go by the wayside because we don't have enough active members.
And now, here is where we want to go and where we’ve been:
Life Talk Pro-Life TV Program
Life Talk is a pro-life television program produced monthly by Life Dynamics (www.LifeDynamics.com). In it, host Mark Crutcher interviews pro-life leaders around the country, takes questions from the studio audience on this most critical moral issue of our day, and provides the pro-life community with the latest news on the abortion battle. Life Talk is sent out monthly on DVD to subscribers and is ready to be placed on cable TV. Life Dynamics also offers a quarterly one-hour special, free to broadcasters that want to air quality pro-life programming.
We have an opportunity to flood the local airwaves (free of charge) with pro-life programming on Rogue Valley Community Television (RVTV), a community resource of SOU. RVTV produces and distributes community, campus, and student-made TV programs for playback on four local cable channels and two wireless channels. There are many open and unused time slots on these four channels, and this represents a huge wasted opportunity for the pro-life community.
Other Pro-Life TV Programming
Other pro-life TV programming exists that could also be placed through RVTV.
RVTV programming is managed by SOU, and SOU would train our chapter member in what to do and how to do it using the SOU broadcast facilities in Ashland. That chapter member would then be appropriately trained so that pro-life programming that we obtain from outside pro-life sources is formatted properly for RVTV (ready to broadcast to meet their criteria). Are you that reliable, trainable, committed pro-lifer? If you think you might be the ONE, please contact us! Imagine what a difference you could make, if YOUR donation of time allowed us to be able to flood the cable airwaves with pro-life programming, both for basic cable packages as well as premium cable packages.
HISTORICAL ACTIVITY
ONE-TIME PROJECTS
Love Life Conference (assisting Josephine County Right to Life)
In 2003, our chapter assisted Josephine County RTL in hosting the Love Life Conference, in which we brought in pro-life speakers from around the country to address a sizeable crowd of pro-lifers. It was educational and uplifting!
Display Ad
In late 2004, Planned Parenthood opened a large new facility near Rogue Community College in downtown Medford that received much positive media attention. Our chapter, with the assistance of ORTL’s design firm and KDOV radio, decided to counter with a full-page display signature ad in the Medford Mail Tribune. The cost of the design work was borne by ORTL, as they saw the opportunity to re-use the ad layout in other communities. The total cost of the project for us (the advertising cost of approximately $3,000) was borne by $5 donations from 600 pro-life signers. As an added bonus, the ad itself generated one additional large donor, who paid for the ad to be run a second time at a later date.
Operation Ultrasound
In May 2005, our chapter decided to take advantage of statistics showing that an overwhelming majority of women contemplating abortion who are able to see an ultrasound of their baby change their minds. We partnered with a local private ultrasound business with the goal of providing basic ultrasounds free of charge to pregnant women who would otherwise seek a free ultrasound from Planned Parenthood. We wanted for all local women to be able to receive an ultrasound in a pro-life setting where they could be advised of pro-life options. Our chapter would pay the modest cost of the ultrasounds.
The fundraising kick-off took place in May 2005, at which time we conducted a radio telethon on local Christian radio KDOV and raised over $15,000 in 10 hours, through donations of $30 increments. The project moved along smoothly as planned, but came to a halt when the ultrasound business relocated, and we were left to guard the remaining funds (the majority of the money raised) while we waited for the right local ultrasound opportunity.
In 2008, we offered our Operation Ultrasound funds as a matching contribution to Rogue Valley Pregnancy Resource Center to assist in their effort to raise funds for an ultrasound machine. In early 2010, we transferred to RVPRC the bulk of the money raised for their startup expenses on this most worthy of projects. Thank you for your prayers and generosity!
The rest of this story is that in 2010, the Oregon Knights of Columbus (a Catholic men's fraternal organization with a worldwide presence of local councils) raised and donated all of the funds necessary for the Rogue Valley Pregnancy Resource Center's ultrasound machine, freeing the other funds for the substantial related costs. As of Spring 2011, we are awaiting the final news from RVPRC about the ultrasound machine.
ANNUAL OR RECURRING PROJECTS
Annual County Fair Booth
This is our primary method of pro-life educational outreach. We have a variety of pro-life materials, displays & videos for all ages. For years, we have used ORTL’s fetal model display, showing fetal development through the nine months of gestation. It provides a great teaching moment for families who come by with their children, and our volunteers are there to answer questions and provide information. In addition, it provides opportunities for us to engage in compassionate outreach to people who have experienced abortion.
January Rally
Every January, our chapter commemorates the babies lost to abortion since 1973's Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision with a Rally. Prior Rallies have been at the Justice Building with pro-life speakers, music provided by the Cascade Christian High School Choir, and the annual award of Pro-Life Champion of the Year. In recent years, we have also awarded those in attendance who have survived Roe v. Wade (those born after 1973) with a Precious Feet pin.
In 2011, we made a major change. The Rally was held at Vogel Park in downtown Medford and featured a 50' wall of baby names --- representative of the 11,861 abortions that were conducted in the State of Oregon in 2007. (This wall was designed and created by the OSU Right to Life chapter, with financial assistance from Corvallis Right to Life.) In addition, we had a large 4-sided monument (visible to foot and vehicle traffic) providing additional information about the current state of abortion in Oregon. For eight hours, this display was available for members of the public to experience the enormity of the numbers as they viewed and walked around the wall and monument. There were no speakers, the wall and the monument spoke volumes silently.
School Essay, Drawing & Oratory Contest
Sponsored by ORTL as part of a national contest, and held in February & March, the School Essay, Drawing & Oratory Contests have an annual theme. A chapter volunteer has organized the local Drawing & Essay contests. Our chapter forwards older students who are interested in the Oratory Contest to Josephine County RTL for their Oratory Contest. The contests are organized by age, with children having the opportunity to apply their imagination to the current year’s theme. Our members judge the entries at a chapter meeting. Winning entries are forwarded to ORTL for judging at the state level, and state winners move forward to national competition.
Shopping Spree Raffle
In 2002, our chapter decided to institute an annual raffle to raise funds to better support our annual fair booth and other pro-life educational activities. We sell 250-300 tickets for $10 each, and one winner wins a $1,000 gift card. Originally, the gift card was to the local mall. It is currently a gift card to Wal-Mart. After expenses, we raise approximately $1,300.
Life Chain
Each October, in conjunction with the National Life Chain, pro-lifers gather at McAndrews & Biddle (our busiest intersection in the Medford area) to pray silently and publicly for an end to abortion. A chapter member oversees this effort.
StandUpGirl.com Banquet
Starting in 2005, ORTL has held a benefit banquet at the Rogue Valley Country Club to raise funds for its highly successful pro-life website StandUpGirl.com. Attended by pro-lifers from a two-county area, the event includes the latest information about the interactive website. The most recent banquet was held in March of 2010.
Donation to Annual ORTL Auction
Each October, ORTL holds a benefit auction in Portland. For the past several years, our chapter has donated a recreation and lodging package at desirable locations in Southern Oregon.
Billboard Ads
Our chapter has received generous donations from local pro-lifers that have allowed us to fund pro-life billboard ads at different times. One of our billboards coincided with the kick-off of the pro-life organization Silent No More. Other billboard ads have been placed in election years (Vote Pro-Life). In 2008, with the assistance of three generous donors, we were able to place four Vote Pro-Life billboard ads.
ONGOING PROJECTS
PregnantNow.org Website
An offshoot of Operation Ultrasound, this website is designed to reach young women searching the Internet for information about pregnancy, and provide pro-life content. The specific goal of the website is to draw in young women who are facing unintended pregnancy and make a compelling case for seeking assistance from pro-life resources through the use of short videos. This has been of limited success, due to the lack of a project manager with strong skills at Internet marketing. The project remains ongoing, despite dismal website activity, as we hope to gain new member/s with those skills who could market it more effectively.
Letters to the Editor Project
In 2005, one of our chapter’s members spearheaded a project to ensure that pro-abortion letters to the editor always have a pro-life response. This has been very successful, and the project manager emails participants pro-life and pro-abortion letters appearing in various Oregon newspapers for the opportunity to respond.
Monthly Email Communication
One of our members oversees email communication with local pro-lifers. His efforts ensure that our pro-life community keeps abreast of local pro-life efforts.