2 minute read
Celebrating 25 Years
Pagoda Hotel, 16th October, saw Pregnancy Assistance host our Gala celebrating 25 years of helping pregnant women, and those in grief having been impacted by abortion. There were around 140 people in attendance, including His Grace, Archbishop Emeritus Hickey and Sharon Balsarini, a founding member. Tom Seeber, our new Chairman of the Board, provided an excellent and funny MC for the evening.
For those of us who were relatively new to Pregnancy Assistance, it was an altogether enlightening moment, when His Grace stood up to speak about how it all began, sharing the vision he first had for the work, and the finding of Lord Street as a base. It was also very impactful when Sharon then spoke of the early days, with the difficulties, and also the victories. One comment she made that struck a chord with many of us, was that today there are people getting on with their lives who are abortion survivors, in that PA was able to help the mother continue with the pregnancy against sometimes insurmountable odds.
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Another moving moment was a video from Melissa Ohden, from the US, who actually survived her own abortion. Her testimony, though powerful and emotional, was full of hope and gratitude to God for her own survival, and encouragement for us all in the work that we do.
We had a silent auction, with some marvellous prizes, all of which were so generously donated. One such was a beautiful icon, painted by Elizabeth Gourlay, that created much interest and fun in the bidding for it, and was eventually ‘won’ by Fr Mark Baumgarten, much to his delight. A huge thanks to Carina McPherson for all the great organisation it must have taken to create such a fabulous evening for everyone.
All in all, for many of us ‘newbies’, as well as the stalwart long termers, it was an evening to remember, and as usual where Pregnancy Assistance is concerned, the hand of God was on it all, and we came away having once more received far more than we had given.
We look forward with joy to the next Gala!
Liz Bergmann Pregnancy Care Consultant
