‘Pro-Life and Pie Fundraiser’ planned in Hastings
Story by Reagan Scott
HASTINGS (SNR) - South Central Nebraska Right to Life (SCNRTL), based out of Hastings, has been in existence since 1974 and is an affiliate of Nebraska Right to Life and the National Right to Life Committee.
The purpose of the organization is education and legislation.
“We work to teach respect for life from conception to natural death, on behalf of the defenseless unborn, the elderly, sick and disabled,” Connie Consbruck of St. Michael Parish in Hastings, a member and past president of the organization said.
In their education efforts, SCNRTL has shown the movies “Gosnell” and “Unplanned” at the Rivoli theater in Hastings and had two free showings of “Unplanned” at the Hastings Museum Theatre.
Consbruck said the group hosts a pro-life booth at the Adams County Fair every summer and pulls a pro-life float (a mobile billboard that Consbruck’s husband Larry built) in the Adams County Parade and Kool-Aid Days Parade in Hastings, as well as the Harvest of Harmony Parade in Grand Island.
“We try to educate people on the life issues through billboards,” Consbruck said. The yearly rental fee to post their billboards run about $5,000 per year.
“We try to raise the money with a variety of events,” she explained. “Billboards are up all the time and keeps the pro-life message visible every day.”
Consbruck said that recently, when Planned Parenthood announced that they wanted to come to six cities in Nebraska that have colleges, the organization hosted a town hall meeting in Hastings at the Hastings Public Library to inform attendees about the work of Planned Parenthood.
“[We] went to the city council with a presentation about who Planned Parenthood was, and went to the Hastings Public School Board and Adams Central School Board,” Consbruck said. “We paid for a full-page ad in the Hastings Tribune with signatures of people who were against Planned Parenthood coming to Hastings.”
Members of SCNRTL traveled to Lincoln recently during “Pro-Life Legislation Day” at the Nebraska State Capitol, and the organization assists the public in helping state and national leaders pass pro-life legislation.
For example, this year Senator Suzanne Geist is sponsoring LB 814, which would ban dismemberment abortion in the state.
These efforts are just the tip of the iceberg for the organization, which undertakes many other efforts in their goal of supporting life.
“We are a very active group, always looking for a way to interact with the community and keep their minds focused on being pro-life,” said Amanda Frasier, president of South Central Nebraska Right to Life.
She said their Facebook page and website are most updated, and that they are getting started with Instagram as well. All have information about the work of the organization and upcoming events.
Consbruck said, “In order to do our pro-life work we always need money and rely on donations and/or fundraisers to help with this important work in the spiritual battle of the right to life.”
On March 15, South Central Nebraska Right to Life is holding its “Pro-Life and Pie Fundraiser” at The Eagles Club in Hastings.
The featured speaker is Rebecca Kiessling, the national spokeswoman and executive committee board member of Personhood Alliance, founder and president of Save The 1 and co-founder and board member of Hope After Rape Conception.
Adopted nearly from birth, Kiessling would later learn that she was conceived from rape. She is now a passionate advocate for life.
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. with the program starting 30 minutes later. Kiessling will speak at 2:20 p.m. No RSVP is needed for the event, and tickets are $20. Those 18 and younger are admitted for free.
Editor's note: Kiessling will also speak March 14 from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Christian Resource Center, 603 S. K Rd., Giltner, and at 7 p.m. at the Seward Civic Center Auditorium. The Seward event will also feature Mike Davis from Lincoln Right to Life with an update on the opening of a new pro-life “Woman’s Care Center” to be located across the street from Planned Parenthood in Lincoln. Nebraska State Senator, Mark Kolterman will also provide updated information on this year's legislative session
