Brothers,

It is that time of year again... time to brush off the dust from your running/walking shoes, break out the map to Garland, and gather some pledges! Yes it is time to start planning for the Hike for Life 2003!

My brothers... all kidding aside this is a fun event that we must take seriously! The White Rose, Dallas' only Catholic pregnancy crisis center, is the main recipient of the money raised at the Hike... not the only one, but it is the main one. These centers that we support help those ladies that find themselves pregnant make the right decision by choosing life. They counsel the ladies on how to take care of themselves and their babies, provide them with clothing and all that they need to take care of the child if they don't have the funds they need, and they provide assistance with adoptions if the mom just can't take care of a little one.

I spoke at length with the director of the White Rose and he gave me a few figures that put a chill down my spine...
To run a 1/3 page Yellow Page ad cost the center $4,000... a month... not a year, but a month! Over half of the women that seek help come into the White Rose because of these ads. Their air conditioning went out on them last month... the repairs ran in excess of $5000.  I don't know the cost to run their operations, the rent, the electric, the cost to maintain their equipment, but I do know that our contribution via the Hike doesn't take care of much... it helps, but it falls short of making a real difference. They rely on Church and individual donations to make it all work.

You can help... you can make a difference!

By being part of the Hike you can help many ladies choose life, who might have otherwise decided to end their babies life.
I need you to do the following:

• Decide today that you will either participate in the Hike, or sponsor someone that will hike. The Hike is so much more fun when you have a group to walk with so build up teams of 5 or 6 and have a friendly competition.

• Contact you parish priest and gain his approval of this effort... get the word into the bulletin of your Church

• Make a sign to put in the foyer of the Church

• Contact your Youth Minister and get them involved. The Youth is the key to making the world better... if they grow up knowing the truth they can change the world when it's their turn!

• Pray for the success of the Hike and all our Pro-Life events!

I have will enclose the 2003 Flyer, handout, and pledge sheet under a separate e-mail (click here). Print them out, make copies... please don't sit on this! We all get e-mails and we read them, think that they are good, and then never re-read them. Print these items out, take it to your Council, Church, Youth Minister, and lets empower our second principle of Unity!

May God bless you all, God bless the Knights, and God bless those who choose life!

Tom Clark
Dallas Assistant Diocesan Deputy (DADD)