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MADISON — The volunteer meeting for Madison’s 40 Days for Life vigil was highlighted with the news of an abortion clinic ceasing operations in Green Bay. That development is serving as motivation to help the same thing happen here.
The next 40 Days for Life is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 3. The effort calls for people to come out and pray near abortion clinics to help end abortion.
Volunteer meeting
The group Vigil for Life recently held its meeting to introduce people to this year’s efforts and get active volunteers.
A special guest speaker at the meeting was Jim Ball. Ball is the 40 Days for Life leader in Green Bay.
In early August, Green Bay’s lone abortion clinic was bought out by Bellin Health and will no longer perform the procedure.
This came after a multi-year effort from pro-life supporters. The group will now focus its efforts on the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Green Bay. No abortions are performed there, but the facility does provide birth
control and emergency contraception.
Ball spearheaded a campaign to massively increase the number of volunteers. He shared his experience with the Madison group, in the hopes of encouraging the same results.
As the meeting started, Ball was choked up with emotion announcing the end of the “abortion mill” in Green Bay. This was met with loud applause by the crowd of about 40.
Men ‘sleep no more’
One of Ball’s biggest efforts was getting more men involved in the vigils. Ball said men need to start taking responsibility and being protectors of the family.
Ball’s campaign for men is called “Sleep No More.” The name recalls times men would stay sleeping while their wives would get out of bed for a crying baby. Now men are volunteering in the overnight hours to protect life.
Ball said men would be more active in the pro-life movement and 40 Days for Life if you “give them something to fight for.” He added, “If you give us a challenge, we’ll respond to that.”
More volunteers means more people who have never come out to the sites to pray yet, for various reasons. Ball said saving the lives of the unborn is a way of doing what God is asking.
“You will not believe the blessings you receive when you say ‘I am yours,’” he said.
Filling the schedule
Vigil for Life in Madison needs help in five areas to fill the schedule of volunteers before 40 Days for Life starts next month — which is this year’s goal.
One of the needs is men volunteers for the previously mentioned “Sleep No More” efforts. Active groups like the Knights of Columbus or Knights of Divine Mercy, or even just groups of parishioners or friends, are asked to take a weekly two-hour shift per week between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Ball tried to rally the men in the room by saying, “We’ve been created to do this.”
Church liaisons are also needed. With the approval of the pastor, church liaisons are asked to choose a two-hour time slot each week during the daytime hours. The hope is to have parishes fill the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. time slot during 40 Days for Life.
Vigil captains, emergency coverage, and volunteer callers are also needed as in years past. The captains will fill shifts not taken by men or churches. The emergency volunteers will be on call in case of any illnesses, emergencies, or other unseen circumstances. Callers will help contact past participants and invite them back for this year’s campaign.
Vigil for Life says the main point it wants to get across is, “We need a lot of people doing a little so a few people aren’t doing a lot.”
More information
The abortion clinic in Madison is located on Orin Rd., near Madison College and the Dane County Regional Airport. The Women’s Care Center was opened in 2012 across the street from the clinic.
For more information on 40 Days for Life and Vigil for Life, visit vigilforlife.org or call 608-358-5963.