Generation Truth

IN THE YEAR 2003, the month of September, in a city called Troy, in a state called Michigan, Right to Life – LIFESPAN’s Oakland/Macomb Chapter office began a long journey of accepting the names and addresses of high school students (10th-12th grade) and youth group leaders who wanted to be kept informed on what was happening in the local area related to pro-life issues.

LIFESPAN received an invitation to be a vendor at a special event at Shrine High School, as they began their new school year. It was an event where students could go and learn more about various non-profit organizations in the area, so they could determine where they would like to be involved as volunteers.

Well, to my delight and surprise, 55 students wrote their names and addresses on the signup sheet I had sitting on the table!  These names and addresses began a brand new Youth Mailing List for LIFESPAN!  Since that time, the list of names has changed and grown so much!

The monthly Youth Mailing includes upcoming pro-life activities and events in the area, volunteer opportunities we have available, and updates on current pro-life news that related to the younger generation through regular “snail mail”.  Some young people may ask,“What is that?”

I know many of them communicate through social media all the time, but if they choose to give me their home address, I’ll be happy to send them a note the “good old-fashioned way” with pen, paper, an envelope, and a forever stamp.  Then I’ll put it in the mailbox, being sure to put the red flag up so the mail person knows to take that piece of mail to the post office!  They can see how the “ancient” system still works today!  It’s actually pretty neat getting something in the mailbox (that isn’t a bill or junk!!!!).

Fast Forward: IN THE YEAR 2016, the month of March, we are sending the Youth Mailing through e-mail to…(Get ready for this great news!!!!)……

1,898 junior high, high school, and college students, young adults, parents, teachers, principals, pro-life groups at high schools, youth group directors and pastors, directors of religious education, campus ministers, youth ministers, Life Teen groups, homeschooling groups, Oakland University, Eastern Michigan University, Madonna University, and Students for Life of Michigan groups, Crusaders for Life Detroit group, Operation Abolish Abortion group, Young Professionals for Life group, pastors, priests, deacons, and volunteers who work with young people!  We also post current pro-life events and news through Facebook.

The territory of LIFESPAN’s Youth Outreach has grown to cover Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties, the city of Detroit, the cities of Lakeport and Port Huron, and some cities in St. Clair County.  We do whatever we can to encourage young people to continue their mission of abolishing abortion through education, facts, and Truth, so they can bravely and passionately uphold the sacredness, respect, and dignity of innocent human Life, from the moment of conception till natural death! It is a beautiful thing to see the younger generation so full of energy, hope, love and Life! They are my inspiration! I know they will continue to press on and move forward carrying their candle, burning brightly, lighting the way in the darkness that is trying to cover them, to snuff them out.

Through e-mails, our website, and the social media avenues of Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, LIFESPAN offers “Generation Truth” many pro-life events and activities, volunteer opportunities, and material assistance to help them learn more about the various pro-life issues, including abstinence/purity, abortion, effects of abortion on women/men/families, adoption, euthanasia, assisted suicide, stem cell research, and human cloning. By offering all these tools, we hope to help them be not only learned, but peaceful pro-life activists as well!

Some of our activities:

Here is a list of activities and events we will continue to offer young people, their families, and their friends:

  • Celebration of Life Dinner in May
  • Mother’s Day Flower Project in May
  • Father’s Day Candy and Pen Project in June
  • 2000 Crosses Display in the Spring, Summer, and Fall
  • CIDER Walk for Life in early Fall
  • Life Chain in October
  • “Movement in Motion” Youth Bus Trip in January to attend the March for Life in DC
  • Baby Showers to benefit local pregnancy help centers in March
  • Pro-Life Vendor Booths at local schools and churches where there are conferences, fairs & festivals
  • Baby Bottle Project (“Change for a future) throughout the school year
  • Monthly Youth Mailings via e-mail
  • Support to Pro-Life Youth Groups, College/University Student for Life Groups, and Young Adult groups for their Pro-Life Event
  • Pro-Life Materials and Sources (including rubber bracelets, Precious Feet pins, envelope stickers, bumper stickers, and literature.  We also provide speakers for K-12 grades and college.

Some of the college students who supported us in their younger years are now part of pro-life groups on college/university campuses here in Michigan and in other states, and several of them who graduated from college are engaged or have gotten married, and some have started their own Pro-Life families! How totally wonderful it is to see them grow up and continue being dedicated to the cause of Life in many other ways!

The ideas and suggestions that young people offer us related to our activities and events is very important and valuable! With various projects, we bring together high school students, college students, and young adults to form planning committees for our activities and events. These committees assist with developing, organizing, and promoting our activities and events.

Elementary, junior high and high school students, and college students have volunteered their time in helping us in a variety of ways, including data entry; phone calls; taking our Baby Bottle Project to their faith communities and schools (this benefits our Youth programs and our Wee Care outreach to pregnant moms in need of assistance); counting and sorting LIFE Chain signs; working at conferences, fairs, and festivals; working at the Celebration of Life Dinner; cutting ribbons and tying them to tags for the Mother’s Day flower project; labeling candy bars for the Father’s Day Candy project; stuffing and labeling envelopes for mailings; and putting packets of information together for activities and events.  We always enjoy seeing their smiling faces and appreciate their energetic support!

Lynn Gura, Youth Director – Right to Life – LIFESPAN 248-816-1546

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