Akron, Ohio - On Friday, June 6, 2008, Mark Stevenson, Executive Director for Right to Life of Stark County met with Mike Gonidakis,  the new Executive Director for Ohio Right to Life. What preceeded was a meeting where both established a budding friendship and an exchange of professional backgrounds. However, as the meeting was set up to brainstorm how ORTL could positively contribute to growth potential for the Stark County affiliate chapter, ideas surfaced and both ED's knew the meeting was beneficial.

Mark recited recent positive events relating to the Stark County chapter, such as the new web site and the upcoming Bobby Schindler event on September 6.

Mr. Gonidakis stated that changes were coming to ORTL and that more concentration was being directed to chapter relations and current policy review. Mike and Mark discussed areas of potential collaboration and both returned to their respective counties with a renewed appreciation for both organizations.

Sarasota, FL (LifeNews.com) -- After an avalanche of phone calls and emails from pro-life advocates locally and across the country, Habitat for Humanity in Sarasota, Florida has disassociated itself with a proposed Planned Parenthood abortion center. The local Habitat board voted Tuesday night to disengage from the project.

Habitat had come under fire from pro-life advocates for helping a Florida-based Planned Parenthood overcome a hurdle to building a new abortion business.

Planned Parenthood has been looking to build a new abortion facility in the Rosemary District north of downtown Sarasota, Florida.

However, according to local zoning rules, the abortion business can't build the new center unless a multi-family housing unit is built on the back of the lot. The zoning board turned down a five-year extension since it is not a builder and couldn't find a buyer for the lot.

As LifeNews.com first reported, Planned Parenthood came up with a creative solution and tentatively sold the lot to Habitat for Humanity for $10.

Duane Bates, the director of Public and Media Relations for the national Habitat organization, confirmed in an email to LifeNews.com that Habitat is no longer involved.

"We wanted to inform you that Habitat for Humanity of Sarasota has declined a donation of land from Planned Parenthood, stating that accepting the land 'would not be in the best interests of our ongoing work in the community, the families we seek to serve or the broader Habitat for Humanity community,'" he said.

Bates told LifeNews.com that the national organization never signed off on the decision to aid Plannmed Parenthood.

Bates said, "Habitat for Humanity of Sarasota is an independent autonomous affiliate that is governed by a local board of directors establishes policies at the local level."

 

Meanwhile, local Sarasota pro-life advocate Jim Styer told LifeNews.com Wednesday morning that the chairman of the local Habitat chapter confirmed the board voted to rescind the offer to purchase the land from Planned Parenthood.

Styer said it is time for pro-life advocates to contact the local habitat group and thank its board for rescinding the purchase offer.

"The Habitat vote came after a week of phone calls and e-mail to the local and the international Habitat offices from many individuals locally and around the country," he said. "Many of them were Habitat volunteers and supporters who didn't want to see their organization involved with Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the nation."

He explained to LifeNews.com where Planned Parenthood goes from here to get its new abortion business built.

"Planned Parenthood still will have to develop the parcel or find another buyer to develop the property," Styer explained. "According to one report, one possible buyer was in the wings. A second hearing on the complicated zoning issue is expected to come before the City Commission on June 16."

ACTION: Contact Habitat for Humanity at 1757 N. East Ave., Sarasota, FL 34234 or call 941-365-0700 with your words of thanks. Also, contact the members of the local Habitat board (see http://www.sarasotahabitat.com/sarasota-habitat-leadership.html) with polite, respectful emails.

Also contact Habitat for Humanity International at 1-800-HABITAT or 1-800-461-9330 and Duane Bates, Director of Public and Media Relations at 404-733-3079.

Related web sites:
Sarasota Habitat for Humanity - http://www.sarasotahabitat.com

Habitat for Inhumanity

Habitat for Humanity is known for housing the poor, but Floridians want to know why one of America's most respected Christian ministries would help build a home for Planned Parenthood. The unusual partnership evolved in Sarasota, when the nation's largest abortion merchant applied to build a new clinic. Because of the city's zoning policy, which requires that a multi-family housing unit exist on the back of the lot, Planned Parenthood's request was denied. To solve the problem, Planned Parenthood sold the property to Habitat for $10 in exchange for the ministry's agreement to build the housing unit. After striking the deal, Planned Parenthood resubmitted the request to construct a new clinic with these adjustments to the city commission. It was approved by a 3-2 vote. When pro-lifers started to get wind of the alliance, emails and phone calls of protest started flooding Habitat's offices. The decision on whether or not to go through with the plan now sits with the board of directors for approval. Join Right to Life of Stark County in respectfully asking the board to reconsider its affiliation with the organization responsible for killing more unborn babies than any other abortion merchant in the world. Urge them to uphold their biblical standards by calling the Sarasota office at 941-365-0700.