On July 10, the Women’s Care Center, a prolife organization serving DeKalb County and based in Fort Payne, received a check totaling $14,125 from the Knights of Columbus Alabama State Council. The Knights’, a global Catholic fraternal service order, on a national level, will match this dollar amount with the combined funds of over $28,000 being used to purchase a new state-of-the-art ultrasound machine to be placed in the Women’s Care Center.

Upon receiving the check, Anita Johnson, director of the Women’s Care Center, said, “This has been a long time in the making. We can’t say thank you enough to the Knights of Columbus for their generous support.” She added, “We feel that getting this ultrasound will make a huge difference in saving lives of the unborn. A woman, who might be considering an abortion, upon hearing her baby’s heartbeat and seeing life growing inside her, is more prone to choose life over an abortion.”

Danny Garcia, State Deputy for the Alabama Knights of Columbus State Council, presented the Women’s Care Center with the check, along with representatives from the local Fort Payne Council #13152 and Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Fort Payne.

State Deputy Garcia said, “This makes the fifth ultrasound machine we have funded in a prolife center this year.” He added, “Placing these machines in facilities is a keystone program for the Knights, and promoting life, from the womb to the tomb, is one of our most important ministries.” He concluded, “Other ways the Knights help is through donations to clinics like this one in the way of diapers and items a mother might need to feed and clothe her new baby.”

Father Rick Chenault, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church and a fellow Knight of Columbus, shared his sentiments of the Knights, saying, “I am thankful for the hard work of the Knights of Columbus in leading the way in the promotion of the culture of life.”

Also on hand was Joe Flaherty, immediate Past State Deputy for the Alabama State Council and board member of the Women’s Care Center. He said, “We, the Knights, are here to change lives and save lives.” Speaking on helping a mother hear her baby’s heartbeat, he commented, “We not only have the opportunity to save the life of that baby but also change the life of the woman who might have been considering an abortion.”

Mark Sandoval, Grand Knight of the Fort Payne Council, said, “I firmly believe that women in need with children, whether born or unborn, must be our top priority. I will ensure our local council does all we can to support these women and children, as evidenced by this much needed ultrasound machine.”

Johnson added, when Roe V. Wade was overturned, “the real work began.” “With getting an abortion now illegal in Alabama, we are working with women more so on the importance of the life growing inside her,” she explained. “We are here at the Care Center to be with women from the start of their pregnancy in providing prenatal and parenting classes and after the birth of their baby in helping those in need of food, clothing, diapers, and other items through the many donations made to our center by local businesses and churches. We want to walk with women as they go through an unexpected pregnancy and support and encourage them along the way.”

For years, the Care Center has worked to become a medical clinic, but various obstacles kept delaying the process. Johnson said they continued to pray, and eventually, “everything started to fall into place.” A team of medical professionals came together to provide all the services needed to allow the Care Center to become a medical clinic. “God is answering our prayers and we are having a hard time keeping up with Him,” exclaimed Johnson. “We are so thankful to God and for all our volunteers and staff making this long-awaited service come to fruition, and especially to the Knights of Columbus for providing the funds for the ultrasound

The Alabama Councils Knights of Columbus, over the last 10 years, have placed 46 ultrasound machines in prolife centers and in 3 mobile buses totaling more than $2 million.

Once the Women’s Care Center in Fort Payne is fully operational as a medical clinic, they will provide limited obstetric ultrasounds. Gender reveals will not be made available. All services will be provided free of charge.

The Center is a prolife facility and does not provide abortions nor do they make referrals for one.

For more information about the Women’s Care Center in Fort Payne, please call 256-845-0838 or visit www.caredekalb.org.