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Fish fry funds First Choice

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

(Photo)
Nearly 1,000 people attended the fish fry and silent auction Saturday, which benefitted First Choice Pregnancy Counseling Center.
(T-G Photo by John Philleo) [Order this photo]

Nearly a thousand supporters attended the annual fish fry and auction to benefit First Choice Pregnancy Counseling Center at Walnut Ridge Farms Saturday, according to organizers.

"It went great," said Pam Cooper, co-director of the center, on Monday. "We were very pleased (with the turnout) and very thankful for the weather. It was beautiful and we think everyone had a good time."

The center provides free pregnancy tests and counseling, encouraging expectant mothers to choose life -- either to keep the baby or put it up for adoption. That is the first choice for which the center is named.

(Photo)
Ronda Clanton, left, and Pam Cooper take tickets at the fish fry.
(T-G Photo by John Philleo)
[Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]
"Choose life," Cooper said.

Family event

Because the center focuses on family, the fish fry was intended to be a family-oriented event.

"We were looking to have just good clean fun, and that's what it turned out to be," Cooper said. "Nobody was hurt or injured -- it was just a great day and we're very thankful for it."

There were plenty of activities for children, including a zip line, an inflatable bouncy house, face painting, a petting zoo, and a bubble world.

There was also tons of food, with fried catfish, grilled chicken and pork barbecue being the main dishes, with all the side dishes and desserts.

"We're very grateful for the cooks and we had a lot of compliments about the food," Cooper said.

Funds raised

Last year, the event tallied about $34,000, she said, and the center's staff hopes the figures will be comparable this year once everything is tallied.

"I know that just on (Saturday) we raised about $7,000, but that doesn't include our sponsorships and our pre-ticket sales," she said.

"We're hoping, but a lot of the donors were not able to give this year because of the financial situation.

"We just take it from year to year and we're thankful for what we get. We're just praying we come to the same amount that we did last year."

Other services

"What we try to do is just help the community by ministering to the families and their children and just try to set a good example for others," Cooper said.

In addition to testing and counseling, the center also gives parenting classes, which expectant parents can attend in order to get Baby Bucks that can be exchanged in the center's Baby Closet for maternity clothes and baby items.

The center also teaches abstinence/character education beginning in sixth through tenth grades.

"We're in every junior high school and high school in the county," Cooper said.

Post-abortion classes are also provided by the center to help emotionally heal those who have had an abortion.

"They're dealing with the trauma of abortion," Cooper said.

Funding needed

Two years ago, ultrasound equipment was donated to the center, but because of the tight budget, it has not yet been able to be used.

"We've got the ultrasound equipment; we just don't have the funds to operate it," Cooper said.

"The equipment would be used to verify that a person is pregnant, and show that the fetus is a human being ... we would just use it to show that life is there."

And that means hiring an extra paid position who is qualified to operate the ultrasound equipment, and money to keep it going.

"And we're in financial stress right now just keeping the center open," she said. "We just need people to remember us in their prayers and in their giving, too."

What you can do

For more information on First Choice Pregnancy Counseling Center, or to make a donation, call 680-0066.


Comments
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That's tacky Lamey, but possibly the funniest joke ever told.

Folks, if you have never watched South Park don't even try to understand this......

-- Posted by PoorMe on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 1:10 PM

haha i just found the episode, tacky but funny...poor kanye

-- Posted by relicdigger on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 1:59 PM

What are you people talking about? No, I haven't watched South Park and judging from your conversations, I'm glad I haven't. Maybe you should take up Public T.V or better yet Sesame Street or the learning channel. Why take up space being ridiculous when there is SO much good that can be said of this event. It is one of the best attended, community supported, and worthwhile agencies this county has to offer. The Cooper's beautiful hillside farm, the hard-working volunteers, the poor fishermen who have to fish all year to catch enough fish and then clean them and cook them for half of the county, all the planning, cooperation, donations and plain old hard work are to be commended on everyone's part who participated. It is a pleasant time for families and friends to gather and socialize and take time out of busy schedules to enjoy the beautiful country scenery. The weather was beautiful and the beautiful sunset just seemed to say lights out on a job well done.

-- Posted by writeattitude on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 5:18 PM

writeattitude,

Really, it was a joke. No-one was offended but you. Oh but you don't know what he was talking about so why did you even post?

-- Posted by Evil Monkey on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 5:59 PM

How old are you people anyway? 14?? Posting a joke from South Park? GROW UP.

-- Posted by oh my on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 8:47 PM

I am confused about how a gay joke relates to this article?

We probably could have done without it.

-- Posted by jaxspike on Wed, Jun 3, 2009, at 8:30 AM

Yes, it was tacky and we probably could have done without this joke.

We should all restrict our TV viewing to Public TV, Sesame Street or NBC News so we can have productive and meaningful conversations with writeattitude.

Let me be the first to offer an apology to writeattitude and I sincerely hope you enjoy fish sticks for many years to come.

-- Posted by PoorMe on Wed, Jun 3, 2009, at 1:20 PM


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