By Matthew Wagner, Education Director
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
Thursday, a week ago was the 2018 Celebrate Life Banquet to benefit the lifesaving work of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation Education Fund. Once again this year it was a night for pro-lifers from around the state to gather and be inspired and energized for the work ahead.
You could power a city with the energy provided by our keynote speaker, Ann McElhinney. She co-authored the book Gosnell: The Untold Story of America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer and co-produced the movie Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer released nationwide recently. Ann vividly described the “house of horrors” run by Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. He often induced labor, and when the baby was born used scissors to cut the baby’s spine. She talked about the deplorable condition of the facility, including human and cat urine on the walls and floors, and unsanitary equipment reused repeatedly. She criticized the government officials who were complicit in allowing Gosnell to operate without a health official crossing the facility’s threshold for decades, despite multiple complaints to the Department of Health. She also addressed many of the challenges the producers have faced distributing and publicizing the film. She likened this to the way the mainstream media largely ignored the trial and conviction of Gosnell.
Ann also provided mega doses of inspiration to the nearly 500 pro-lifers in attendance. Her stories of those heroes who did expose the truth about Kermit Gosnell including Detective James Wood, Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore, and journalist JD Mullane galvanized those present to fight even harder. She reminded attendees that one picture of the empty courtroom shamed the main stream media into the little coverage they gave the case. Similarly, we may never know what one simple act will do to save lives.
Equally inspirational were this year’s award winners. Reverend Clenard H. Childress Jr. was awarded the 2018 Pennsylvania Pro-Life Lifetime Achievement award for his tireless dedication to exposing the truth about the Black Genocide which destroys the lives of a disproportionate number of innocent preborn Black babies and devastates their mothers in body, mind, and soul. Receiving the 2018 Pennsylvania Pro-Life Leadership Award was Senator Joseph Scarnati. Senator Scarnati has been instrumental in protecting the right to life in the Commonwealth through legislation and public policy that has reduced abortions, closed abortion centers, and provided assistance to abortion vulnerable women.
Thank you to all who attended this year’s Banquet! The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation could not do its lifesaving work without you. Please share your pictures from the event with us by emailing them to lifelines@paprolife.org or by sharing them on the Facebook event page here.
We have posted videos and photos from the event here.
Couldn't make it to the Banquet? You can still help by donating to our life-saving work here.
Pregnant, need help or know someone who does?
National Hotline: Call 1-800-712-HELP or Text 'HELPLINE' to 313131.
In Southeast Penna: Call the Community Women's Center at 215-826-8090
If you or someone you know is suffering after abortion, confidential non-judgmental help is available. Call Project Rachel's national toll-free number 888-456-HOPE (4673) or visit hopeafterabortion.org.
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