Defending life is what’s most important to the Center for Pregnancy Choices.

Thursday night. the center held its annual fundraising banquet in an effort to share its mission and goals with the community while raising money to fund operations.

“Most of the money that’s used to operate for the next calendar year is raised through this banquet,” former board president Lee Robertson said. “Either people give at the banquet, pledge to give or people sign up for monthly automatic withdrawal. This is by far our largest fundraiser every year… I would say probably 80 percent of our operating (budget).”

Executive director Priscilla Black said the Center for Pregnancy Choices’ goal is to know and be known in the community as well as to empower people to choose life and Christ.

The center’s mission is to serve families with pregnancy questions and sexual health concerns by offering prenatal counseling, parenting classes, resources, sonograms and more.

“We strongly believe that not only should we encourage women to keep their babies or to put their babies up for adoption, but we also feel we have a responsibility to see them through the early years of parenting,” Robertson said.

“They do a lot of mentoring of ladies to encourage them maybe to go back to college, let them see how they can raise a child and still have a life. There’s just tons of success stories.”

Black said having to make a choice about a pregnancy does not discriminate based on race, gender, socioeconomic status or age, and the objective is to offer complete confidentiality to anyone who comes to the center. Since last year’s banquet, Black said the center has served 196 new clients and given over 100 ultrasounds.

She is now looking forward at how the center can make a greater impact on the community in the years to come and is seeking to increase the center’s offerings.

“Our medical programing could be expanded in multiple ways to reach our goals including services intended to reach individuals before they experience unplanned pregnancy, extending our hours to reach those who are not free to come between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., or even offering same day sonograms,” Black said. “This will take personnel and equipment.”

Currently, she said the center is working on revising the parenting program curriculum, which opens a need for more volunteers.

Four young girls were recognized for their contributions to the center with the Defender of Life Award — Gracie Dennis and Linley Miles both spent their own money to buy baby clothes for the center’s baby boutique, and Melanie and Naomi Floyd used their seventh birthday for a party to support the center.

The keynote speaker was JJ Jasper, co-host of a national radio show on American Family Radio. He kept the mood light by telling jokes but eventually told the heartbreaking story of how his son died in a tragic accident. Jasper spoke fondly of his seven children, recounting memories of their childhood, and his family’s love for life and youngsters.

“God says babies are a blessing. They are our heritage, and they are a reward. They’re a gift from his own hand,” Jasper said.