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Sioux City to open pregnancy crisis center

By Rosemary Bernth
Globe staff reporter
(Email Rosemary)

Prayers can be answered in a variety of ways. One in particular was answered by e-mail.

Mike Skaggs, the executive director of Mary’s Choice, said the idea of setting up a pregnancy counseling center next to the Planned Parenthood Center in Sioux City started from an e-mail. The e-mail was from Sue Dentlinger, a STAND BY ME life advocate, about Fleet for Little Feet. The e-mail then turned into a phone call that lasted over an hour.

“In our discussion, she said they would like to have something more permanent in town and I said it would be neat to get the building next door to Planned Parenthood,” said Skaggs. “She said, ‘We’ve been praying for that for a long time and you’re just the person to get that done.’”

Skaggs said he did a lot of research and looked at how similar facilities functioned, like Gabriel’s Corner in Council Bluffs. When he went to visit Christine Wilson, executive director of Gabriel’s Corner, he said he expressed his worries about starting a new center.

“The main question I had was not about getting it going,” said Skaggs. “I’m worried about four or five years from now it still being up and running. She (Wilson) said, ‘Don’t worry about four years from now. You get it going and God will provide down the road.’ So I jumped off the cliff and went after it.”

Plans for Mary’s Choice started in February this year and Skaggs said he hopes to have the center up and running January 22 of next year, the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.

“We felt it was important to pick a date and have a goal we can work towards,” he said. “That way, it keeps things moving forward and has a sense of urgency instead of thinking when we’ll get around to it, we’ll do it. There are still a lot of things to do and we’re working our way down the road.”

Some of the services Skaggs said the pregnancy center would provide are trained counselors, medical directors, free pregnancy testing, referrals for adoption agencies or doctors, and basic necessities like clothes and diapers. He said he also hopes to obtain a 4D ultrasound machine, which will show a moving 3D image of the fetus.

Mary’s Choice also plans to offer services for the community to learn and pray.

“One of the things we would like to do once we are up and running is to have a place in the building where high school classes can come and have abstinence talks or take a tour of the facilities,” said Skaggs. “Pro-life groups can also have their meetings there. We’re going to have a chapel with the Eucharist and adoration. It will provide people of all religious denominations a place to pray and reflect.”

Some of Skaggs’ duties are working on promoting the center and fundraising.

“We’re currently sending out letters and brochures and speaking in front of groups like 40 Days for Life,” he said. “I’m working my way through the Knights of Columbus Councils of Northwest Iowa, trying to set up either talking to them at their meetings or giving them information so they can discuss it. There are also some priests in the diocese who have expressed interest in doing fundraisers or having someone speak at Mass.”

Skaggs said he is not going to put up another Mary’s Choice but is willing to help others start their own pregnancy counseling centers.

“Our goal is to end abortion in the world, but we’ll start with our little corner and hopefully it can grow from there,” he said. “If people have an interest in pursuing this, we’ll help them by telling them the hardships we faced and what we did for fundraising. I don’t think there’s any one correct way to do it. You just have to take your situation, environment and the community into account, focus on the positives and strengths and go from there.”

Mary’s Choice got its name with the help of Skaggs’ daughter and wife.

“Mary didn’t have to have Jesus,” he said. “That was her choice, her decision.”

To receive more information about Mary’s Choice, contact Mike Skaggs at (712) 253-6749 or mskaggs7@gmail.com. Donations can be sent to Mary’s Choice PO Box 657 Sioux City, IA 51102.