BIRTHRIGHT NATIONAL DIRECTOR SPEAKS AT STATE CONVENTION

FRUITLAND -- Birthright national director Terry Weaver shared words of encouragement and inspiration with more than 100 volunteers during the state convention held in Fruitland over the weekend.

Weaver was the keynote speaker during the two-day convention held at the Bavarian Inn. She and other speakers shared their experiences and encouraged volunteers to continue to keep their focus on providing women with the support they need during their pregnancies.

Birthright is an nonprofit organization created in 1968 as crisis center for women dealing with unplanned pregnancies. The organization offers pregnancy tests, counseling, and financial and other types of support.

"Our primary goal is getting women immediate help," Weaver said. "Instead of telling people not to have abortions, we're working to help girls and women have healthy babies."

Weaver said convention participants discussed concerns the organization would face in the near future. Topping the list is how volunteers can help meet increased demands as welfare reform begins to take effect, she said.

"We're basically trying to figure out how we can paper clip it and bubble gum it to get the help to them," she said. "We don't know what's going to happen. The girls and women may turn to abortion if they think there's no one out there who's going to help them through an unplanned pregnancy. We want to be there for them."

Birthright was created by a pro-life activist who had tired of the political battles, but Weaver said the organization now stays away from political issues.

Religious affiliations and contraceptive and chastity issues are also shunned by the organization, she said.

"We don't get involved in the political side of this issue at all," Weaver said. "We stay away from side issues. Our whole mission is a girl needs help and we have the resources to help her get on her feet."

Birthright survives because of community support and individual contributions. Weaver said the Cape Girardeau organization seems to have an admirable amount of community support. This was especially evident in the number of organizations who contributed financially and with donations of time from area civic and religious groups, she said.

"It was a big community effort here, which I always find impressive," she said. "The sense of family and community support is just fabulous here. I'd like to package that and take it with me."