Whitewater plans to launch the “Saving Life” organization next fall to spread awareness about the anti-abortion movement.
“Saving Life” is not yet an official organization and is still sorting through the renewal process to finalize the group.
Chairman and Founder Jordan Debbink said pro-life advocates are able to speak the voice for a child who is unable to speak yet.
“The organization will be focused around spreading awareness about advocating life,” Debbink said. “We also will offer many resources and counseling to help women in pregnancy situations.”
Vice Chairman Stephanie Abbott said the organization is a great way for students to network and get involved with this topic.
“It is a great opportunity to deal with one issue specifically without a partisan connection and something Jordan and I would love to share with students on campus,” Abbott said.
Saving Life plans to be actively involved in the community and many campus-sponsored events next fall to spread their message.
“We hope to be apart of National Retro Life day next year by flagging the ground with the number of aborted children in the last year,” Debbink said. “Campus debates will be held about the best ways to spread awareness to this movement.”
Debbink and Abbott both have strong personal connections to the pro-life movement. Debbink was adopted at an early age.
“My birth mother chose to have me, even though she knew it would be hard,” Debbink said. “She then chose to give me up so I could have a better life.”
Abbott is the child of a teen mother.
“My mom had me when she was a teenager in 1990 when it was perfectly legal to have an abortion,” Abbott said. “It is really difficult for me to think about because I wouldn’t be here if she would have made that choice.”
Debbink said a majority of the younger generation today avoids talking about their life views on abortion.
“If people are not talking about this issue it then is just being shoved under the rug and nobody is really standing up for anything,” Debbink said.
Debbink said abortion is a touchy subject in our society, and “Saving Life” does expect to see some retaliation among the pro-abortion members.
“Everyone has a voice and their opinion on the issue and Saving Life will respectfully disagree,” Debbink said. “This organization’s goal is to only spread awareness to pro life and not intended to create controversial fights between the two sides.