The Walk for Life, sponsored by the Vicksburg Center for Pregnancy Choices, will kick off at 9 a.m. May 2 at the Art Park at Catfish Row in downtown Vicksburg.

If you go

The Walk for Life will be at 9 a.m. May 2 at the Art Park at Catfish Row. Walkers can register at the pregnancy center, 1017 Jackson St., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday or the day of the walk. Anyone or any business can sponsor a walker for $5 or more. In case of rain, the walk will be moved to the First Baptist Church gym, 1607 Cherry St. Call 601-638-2778.

“This will be a good family event,” said Stacy Tennison, first-year executive director of the center. “We are here for the community — our services are to help women and families.”

The center is a nonprofit organization designed to offer free information to those facing an unplanned pregnancy. Confidential services provided by the center include prenatal and parenting education; information on adoption, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases; and pregnancy tests and peer counseling. The center also offers a program for parents-to-be called Earn While You Learn, through which new moms and dads can earn points toward baby products from the center’s Baby Boutique by watching parenting videos and attending classes.

The walk is non-competitive, and anyone can register. Anyone or any business can pledge to sponsor a walker for $5 or more. A registration day will be Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the center, 1017 Jackson St. T-shirts are available for $12 and were designed by Southern Belle, a Mississippi company with headquarters in Calhoun City.

After the walk will be a balloon-release to mark the number of abortions in Warren County last year. Warren County reported 135 abortions last year, said Tennison, making it the fourth highest in the state.

The Center for Pregnancy Choices operates through private funds. The walk has been an annual event for at least 10 years.

“A lot of people out there care about what we do,” said Tennison.

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Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchanprasith@vicksburgpost.com