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Spring 2015
“ It is the Right of every pregnant Woman to give Birth and the Right of every Child to be Born”
In This Issue
“ It is the Right of every pregnant Woman to give Birth and the Right of every Child to be Born”
From the Director’s Desk — Sandra Baker
Over the last few months it seems that people on limited and/or fixed incomes
are having more and more difficulty making ends meet. This is particularly true
of many of our Birthright clients and is reflected in the fact that we are receiving
many more requests for emergency help with things such as diapers and formula.
The days of using cloth diapers are gone; it is difficult to even find them on the
market and even if our clients were in possession of some, most do not have
laundry facilities in their place of residence and would have to deal with trans-
porting them to a Laundromat as well as the cost of washing them there.
The Food Banks do provide both diapers and formula but their supplies
are limited and babies cannot be constantly switched from one brand of
formula to another just because that is what is available.
Formula is another whole issue. At Birthright we try to encourage our
clients to breastfeed because it is healthier for both mother and baby, pro-
motes bonding, and is of course much less expensive than buying for-
mula. However, it appears that there is limited support at the hospital for
first-time mothers who wish to breastfeed. For a time there was no lacta-
tion consultant available and although I am informed that there is now
one there, I’m sure that it is difficult for one person to provide support
for all the patients who could use the help. In addition, new mothers
spend such a short time in hospital after giving birth that it is difficult to
establish breastfeeding before they go home. There are several organiza-
tions in the city that will provide help to new mothers who
wish to breastfeed but again it is an issue of providing the
right information at the right time.
In the coming months Birthright Lethbridge plans to place
a major focus on breastfeeding, encouraging all our preg-
nant clients to consider breastfeeding, and hopefully pro-
viding them with literature which will inform them and
encourage them to breastfeed.
Our individual donations have been down somewhat in
the last year while our expenses for client support have
been up. We hope that you will consider donating in order
to help our clients in need and especially to help in this
breast feeding initiative because it is a major health issue as
well as a financial one.
From Director’s Desk 1
Annual General Mtg 1
Bingo Report 2
Is There Room in this World? 3
Why I Volunteer 3
I am a Mother 4
.Contact Information 4
New Treasurer 2
People Touch our Lives 3
Birthright 35 yeas Celebrate 2
Birthright Lethbridge AGM
When : Wednesday, April 29,2015
Time: 7:00 pm
Where : CASA Community Room
Speaker: Denise Fedunec
—Volunteer Resource Coordinator-Topic: " “Building Healthy Children, Healthy
Families, Healthy Communities”
Refreshments — Everyone Welcome– door prizes
35 years in Lethbridge 1979—2015
Page 2 The Birth Writer
Bingo Report
The bingo event continues to be a reliable source
of $1,200, or more, monthly income for Birth-
right. In order to give the dedicated volunteers a
bit of a break, the Birthright board recently de-
cided to roll back from 12 events per year to 10
per year. As a result there is no July or January
event and most of our bingos fall upon Monday
evenings between 5 and 10 pm.
We are always in need of volunteers. It takes 14
workers to run a bingo. If you or someone in your
family would like to volunteer, please give Shaun
Ward a call at 403 381 2965 or
[email protected]. The only requirement is to
be over 18 years of age; have a comfortable pair of
shoes and a desire to help Birthright provide a
listening ear and some resources to girls and
women who have difficult decisions to make.
This year marks 35 years of Birthright activity in
the city of Lethbridge. That would not have hap-
pened without dedicated staff and volunteers. Nor
would it have happened without a reliable income
stream from donors and fund raising efforts such
as bingo. Thanks to all Birthright volunteers every-
where
The color and beauty of Spring enrich us
in ways no other season can.—Rosemary Winters
Birthright Lethbridge New Treasurer
— Cassandra Vanee
I am honoured to become Treasurer of Birthright
Lethbridge and am looking forward to networking
with new people and serving in the community.
I was born and raised in Fort Macleod and love South-
ern Alberta living. I am married to a wonderful hus-
band and we have 4 grown children, 3 of which are
married, so we have almost doubled our family
size. We also have one grandson who is our pride and
joy.
After graduating high school I was hired at Young
Parkyn McNab LLP Chartered Accountants and re-
main there still after 27 years. I love accounting and
numbers and love being able to help clients solve their
accounting problems.
I have recently taken up the game of golf, it has
proven to be both rewarding and frustrating at the
same time. I also enjoy reading, scrapbooking and
camping .
Birthright Lethbridge to Celebrate 35th Anniversary
The "Top of the Grandstand" at Exhibition Park has been booked for Saturday, 27th June, 12.30 pm to
4.30pm for a celebration to mark 35 Years of Lethbridge Birthright.
The celebration will take place in the privacy of the Colonel MacLeod Room on the 5th floor of the Grand-
stand with a clear view of horse racing.
A wide variety of warm and cold "finger foods"; cheeses; pastries, deserts and refreshments will be available.
Adults and children should be able to find something to suite their taste.
Door prizes may include the opportunity for the winner's family and friends to have their photo in the
winners circle with a winning horse and owner.
Those interested in placing a small bet ($2 minimum) on a horse of their choice will be able to get help from
"Betting Buddies" who will be on hand to lead novice bettors through the intricacies of Win, Place, Show as
well as how to read the Racing Program.
A free "Racing Program" showing all the races, horses and jockeys will be available for guests.
(Continued to Celebrate on page 3)
Page 3 The Birth Writer
People Touch Our Lives
People important to you, people unimportant to you,
cross your life, touch it with love and carelessness,
and move on. There are people that leave you, and
you breathe a sigh of relief, and you wonder why you
every came in contact with them. There are people
who leave, and you breathe a sigh of remorse, and
wonder why they had to go and leave such a gaping
hole.
Children leave parents, friends leave friends, ac-
quaintances move on. You think on the many who
have moved into your life with hazy memory. You
look on those present and wonder.
I believe in God’s master plan for our lives.
People move in and out of each other’s lives, and
each leaves his mark on the other. You find you are
made up of bits and pieces of all who have touched
your life, and you are moved because of it, and you
would be less if they had not touched you.
Pray to God that you can accept the bits and pieces in
humility and wonder and never question, and never
regret.
Is There Room in This World for Me?
by: Louise Summerhill, Founder of Birthright
Is there room in your life for me
For the child you still cannot see
I’m not very strong, only two inches long,
But I know God wants me to be.
Is there room in your heart for this-little boy
I know I can bring you a great deal of joy
I have so much to give, if you just let me live
I promise not to annoy.
Please tell my mother for me,
Tell her this is my plea,
I want my Birthright, I'm so small I can’t fight,
Tell her God wants me to be.
Help my mother to cope,
Love her and give her some hope
To make room in her life
To mike-room in her heart
To make room in her world for me.
BIRTHRIGHT LETHBRIDGE is on FACE-
BOOK
Come and join as a friend or fan of Birthright. at
http://www.facebook.com Stay connected!
Why I Volunteer With Birthright
Lethbridge —- Anna – A New office Volunteer
I first heard about Birthright from another volun-
teer, Lidia. She told me of this wonderful oppor-
tunity that she’d gotten and how fulfilling it was.
The thought of volunteering at Birthright ap-
pealed to me because I really wanted to partake in
a volunteer commitment that would enable me to
interact one on one with people and to truly
make a difference in their lives. After all, preg-
nancy is a very critical period in the life of a
woman. Having a good and caring support system
can make an immense difference for women go-
ing through such a sensitive time. It is also won-
derful because the values of Birthright coincide
very much with mine. Too often women think
they have no other option save for abortion due
to simply not being aware of the help that they
could receive in keeping and raising their child.
This is why it is so important that there is a re-
source such as Birthright and it makes me very
excited to be part of the team!
For younger children there is a playground and
mini-petting zoo to the south of the grandstand.
Post time is 1 pm for the first race.
Birthright volunteers, office staff, bingo volun-
teers, their families and supportive friends are
all invited to this free Gala Event to celebrate
35 years of Birthright service in Lethbridge and
district.
Birthright invites every supporter to "come and
go as you please" to this unique celebratory re-
ception at the "Top of the Grandstand".
(Continued from Celebrate page 2)
The Birth Writer Page 4
Birthright Lethbridge Direc-
tors
Exec-Director -Sandra Baker
Past Director Barbara Spiess
-
Board of Directors
Kathy Tratch
Margaret Humphries
Joanne Krywalt
Christian Loew
Cassandra Vanee
Gerald Wright
Sr. Bernie Gaetz
Larry Spiess
Newsletter Editor
Larry Spiess
Free Services Offered:
Caring & Listening
Personalized Support
Referrals to Community Services
Maternity Clothes
Baby Clothes
Newborn Layettes
Pregnancy Tests
Birthright is:
Confidential
Non-political
Non-judgmental
Inter-denominational
All Volunteer
A Registered Charity
Referrals for Assistance include: Medical Financial Education & Job Options Nutrition , Housing
We make the commitment to help
women in crisis, single or married,
regardless of age, race or religion.
BIRTHRIGHT BIRTHRIGHT BIRTHRIGHT BIRTHRIGHT
LETHBRIDGELETHBRIDGELETHBRIDGELETHBRIDGE
#503, 740 4 Ave S
Lethbridge AB T1J 0N9
Ph 320-1003 Fax 320-1008
Hot Line 1-800-550-4900
www.birthright.org
Email: [email protected]
Birthright Serving
Lethbridge and District
for over35 35 35 35 years
I am a Mother
She is scared, she is alone. She may be
a teen; she may be in her twenties or
thirties. She loves her baby, but she
feels she has no choice. The world, the
media, popular culture, her friends,
her family -- even the baby's father -- all
tell her she has no choice. A baby is a
burden. Enjoy your life, don't be
weighed down. We cannot -- we will
not -- support you. Abort that "thing"
and move on.
But something inside her tells her
"no!" She knows she is carrying a hu-
man life. She knows she is carrying her
baby.
That little voice inside her head -- that
instinctive feeling that something is
wrong -- that is the work of grace. That
is the power of your prayers. That is
the power of her guardian angel plead-
ing with her soul to love her baby.
She is a mother, and she knows it. The
healing power of that small yet life
changing powerful epiphany is beyond
measure. She is a mother. She will love
her baby, she will keep her child and
she will raise her baby as only she can.
Those powerful moments -- those in-
stances that save lives -- come as a re-
sult of our faithfully praying for her.
We must never stop.
This Mother's Day as you think about
how beloved and cherished your
mother is to you, know that this same
love can transform lives. Those women
who are afraid -- who have been lied to
by the world -- need our prayers. "I am
a mother" changes everything. Our
prayers for her can make all the differ-
ence. Our prayers for her can be the
trumpet of truth that opens her heart
in that beautiful moment where she
realizes, I am a mother.
Please join us this Mother's Day as we pray for
mothers everywhere who are at risk to the
horrors of abortion. Mothers deserve better,
they deserve the beauty and majesty of that
little life they are nurturing.
Our prayers work and save lives every day.
Join us in a Mother's Day prayer for those
beautiful women most at risk that they hear
that tiny voice that says, "I love you mommy."