GALLERY: 2017 March for Life a Booming Success

WINNIPEG, MB. – Thursday, May 11^th marked Life’s Vision Manitoba’s 2017 ‘March for Life’. In an event that organizers are still calling, “awesome” and “exhilarating”, upwards of 650 participants gathered at the Winnipeg Legislative Grounds, before taking part in a pro-life march and listening to speeches and testimonials surrounding a wide variety of themes, focusing on suicide, euthanasia and abortion, amongst others.

Following the parade, attendees took in the words from several speakers including Robyn Sierks from Hope Now Family Concepts and Chris MacKay of the Crisis Pregnancy Centre. The two spoke on their personal experiences leading to their current ministries in providing love and support for mothers and couples with unplanned pregnancies.

Cam MacDonald, employee of Life’s Vision Manitoba, spoke as a person with disabilities on the subject of society rallying around the disabled, and helping them understand just how valuable and impactful their lives are. Pastor John Feakes of New Life Sanctuary Church, Pastor Bruce Martin of Calvary Temple, and Archbishop Lawrence Huculak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy each spoke in regards to protecting and defending all human life.

The May 11^th event fell on the same day that many other pro-life gatherings were happening around the country. In Ottawa, the 20^th anniversary of the National March for Life drew in thousands of participants – an event that regularly sees upwards of 25,000 attendees.

Although already a week removed from Winnipeg’s March for Life, Executive Director of Life’s Vision Manitoba, Heather Doerksen has no problem recalling the exact happenings of the day from the yearly spectacle – an event that had been in the works for a significant period of time.

“We started planning this event approximately six months in advance, and we anticipated a large turnout,” she said. “With up to 650 people it was quite exceptional, which would be the most attendees we have had in the last five years. We started the day with two services, and everyone had the opportunity to go to those services before they came to the Legislative Grounds. When people show up at the grounds it is just a lot of excitement.”

The enthusiastic support for the event comes from all over Manitoba, as there are 13 affiliate groups within the province. Alongside a notable representation from Winnipeg, residents of Brandon, Portage la Prairie and St. Adolphe made up the majority of the crowd of supporters.

Mixed into the younger crowd were students from Winnipeg’s St. Paul’s High School and Immanuel Christian School, who arrived by bus. According to Doerksen, the presence of the students “added greatly to the anticipation” for the opening of the March for Life.

Cam MacDonald, Executive Assistant at Life’s Vision Manitoba was also quite satisfied with how the event transpired from an organizer’s standpoint.

“I was really pleased with how things unfolded,” MacDonald said. “I think the event was very successful for us as an organization – it showed that we are moving forward. Last Thursday was especially successful because we got the youth out, which is huge for us. It’s no secret that the youth are the future of our society and of this movement; we really hope to carry things forward from there!”

With the goal of continuing to educate the general public on topics surrounding prenatal development, abortion, euthanasia and the many issues that the youth of today are facing regarding their own sexuality, Life’s Vision Manitoba stands firm in their objective to protect life from conception to natural death, including all people groups: the disabled, the elderly and the unborn.

“I am hoping that the success of this event will carry forward to our next event as well and we can really continue to succeed as an organization,” MacDonald said. “Our mission is ultimately to promote and protect every life from conception until natural death, and really advocate that every life – regardless of ability, development, or anything else – has the potential to be great and do great things.”

Next on the platter for Heather Doerksen and Life’s Vision Manitoba is a summer filled with some strategic planning for their upcoming October conference.

“Going forward we have our annual banquet, which brings a tremendous opportunity for education with a speaker and a one day conference,” Doerksen said. “The banquet will be on October 14^th, and we will have our conference on the same day. It will be a full-day event, one that you don’t want to miss.”

2017 March for Life Photo Gallery: