Vision for memorial to unborn realized;
Aug. 18 dedication planned in Newberg

By REBECCA TUITE
CNNW staff writer

NEWBERG -- Five years ago, Athlynn Reeves, former director of the HEART counseling program for Pregnancy Resource Centers of Greater Portland, visited the National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga, Tenn. She was deeply moved by it and decided the Northwest needed something similar to honor the memory of babies lost to miscarriage and abortion and to be a place of peace and healing for the families of those children. Through thick and thin, the Northwest Memorial for the Unborn (NWMU) Steering Committee has been committed to seeking God’s timing as well as His choice of location for the memorial. This month the vision becomes a reality with the dedication of the Northwest Memorial for the Unborn at a Newberg location. In Christian News Northwest’s January edition, an article appeared describing a similar project already under way at Friends Cemetery in Newberg. This publicitycaught the attention of the NWMU committee.

After meeting with representatives of the cemetery board, the NWMU Steering Committee prayerfully decided to partner with Friends Cemetery in expanding the vision to enable many more women and men to find comfort and healing. Thus, the official dedication of the memorial is planned for Saturday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. at the cemetery on Everest Road just off Highway 99W in Newberg. A testimony will be given by Steve VanHoff and songs of praise will be led by Larry Gadbaugh. The memorial stone will have room for 1,000 plaques dedicated to the unborn. People wishing to memorialize their aborted or miscarried babies may contact Pregnancy Re-source Centers’ confidential voicemail at 503-22-HEART.

The HEART staff will mail an informational brochure outlining the procedure for purchasing a plaque to be affixed on the memorial. The cost for each plaque is $35.

HEART (Healing Encouragement for Abor-tion-Related Trauma) is a 14-week Bible study. The program ministers to hurting men and women, giving individuals a safe, confidential enironment for them to grieve the loss of their children and deal with past hurts from an abortion experiences. Everyone who enters and graduates from a HEART/Healing A Father’s Heart group are given information regarding this memorial site and can order a plaque if they wish. The site is available for anyone interested.

The NWMU Steering Committee members in-clude: Chairperson, Athlynn Reeves, Julie Johnson, Lisa Heacock, Dr. Harold Vic, Pastor Tom Hurt, Glenda Bigalky, Dr. Fred Cowan, Bob Hartford, Diane Meyer, and Officer Jim Seymour.