WHEELING - A walk to celebrate mothers choosing life over abortion takes place Saturday morning in Wheeling.
Registration for the second annual "Mother's Day Walk for Life" starts at 9 a.m. at the McDonough Center at Wheeling Jesuit University, with the walk beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Participants will walk from the McDonough Center to the amphitheater at Wheeling Park, where they are expected to arrive at about 11 a.m., according to Linda Stiles, treasurer for the Wheeling chapter of West Virginians for Life. She said about 50 people turned out for the group's inaugural event last year, and organizers would like to see at least 100 walk this Saturday.
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Photo by Joselyn King
Martha Irish of Wheeling, from left, Debbie Smith of Wheeling and Linda Stiles of Warwood, all members of the Ohio County chapter of West Virginians for Life, are joined by Taylor Cameron, vice president of the Wheeling Jesuit Students for Life, as they plan for the “Mother’s Day Walk for Life” at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Wheeling Jesuit University.
There will be music and refreshments served after the walk at the amphitheater, as well as a short ceremony, Stiles continued.
"We want to celebrate mothers who chose life - sometimes in the face of difficulties or crisis situations," she said. "We believe abortion is murder, especially if you believe life begins at conception."
Debbie Smith of Wheeling, a member of the local West Virginians for Life group, said she sees many young women struggling in their efforts to conceive and have children. There are also many newborns with illnesses who fight to stay alive, she added.
Abortion "just doesn't make sense," Smith said. "It's the ultimate in child abuse."
Assisting in organizing the march are member of the Wheeling Jesuit Students for Life organization. Taylor Cameron, vice president of the group, said students are excited to have the event start on their campus, and many plan to participate.
"Someone has to be the voice for the unborn because they don't have a voice," she said.
