Kathie Talley and Mindy Jones spoke to Rotary about Life Choices' work serving young mothers in Chickasha.
The October 13, 2022 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha was called to order by President Lewis Knisley. Rot. Mitch Williams led the club in singing "What a Wonderful World".
Pres. Knisley delivered announcements:
- Rotary Trivia Night would be held the next night, October 14th.
- A date has been set for setting up the Clothes Closet at Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center. Volunteers should meet at Bill Wallace at 1pm on Monday, October 24.
- Rotary Roll Call bike giveaways will be Tuesday, October 18 at 2pm (Grand) and Thursday, October 20 at 1:15pm (Lincoln).
Rot. Chris Mosley, standing in for Rotarian of the Day Greg Elliott, introduced the speaker, Kathie Talley with Life Choices Chickasha. Talley has only very recently been named as the new director of Life Choices after the position had sat vacant for several months.
Life Choices has been serving Chickasha for 33 years in total, providing prenatal and early childhood resources to parents. Thanks to the community, the current facility at 1201 W. Choctaw was built around 15 years ago. Talley said that the center believes that life begins at conception, citing Psalm 139:13–16.
Talley said that since the state of Oklahoma banned all abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or potential harm to the mother, the center has seen a dramatic increase in young women visiting. She added that a benefit of the law change was that pregnant women now took more time to consider their options. Life Choices served 480 clients in 2021; to date in 2022, they have served over 970.
The services Life Choices offers include parenting classes, Bible studies, a clothes closet, as well as diapers, formula, and other newborn supplies. Parents earn points towards purchasing supplies by attending classes, etc. Local churches purchase cribs and carseats for new parents. Talley said that 17 different area churches contribute to the ministry in some way.
In terms of specific needs, Talley said that the costs had just been covered to build a new entryway for the facility. The next most pressing needs are security cameras and new chairs, as well as ongoing service costs and marketing expenses.
Talley also introduced Mindy Jones to discuss the medical side of the facility. Jones is a registered nurse who has worked with Life Choices since January.
Jones said that many of the young women who visit the facility are "scared and uncertain". She stressed that all their medical services are free and confidential. These services include pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI tests, and treatments if necessary. They also refer clients to local OBs and assist with SoonerCare registration. She added that the facility's new ultrasound machine has been super helpful to their mission, as it "shows the life of the baby".
Asked if the organization dealt with the homeless, Jones said that they do have homeless people visit the center, and that they try to connect them with local resources. More specifically, they deal with women facing housing insecurity as a result of their pregnancy. They connect these women with other services in the area that provide temporary housing.
Life Choices will be holding a fundraiser banquet on Friday, October 21. Tickets are $20 and available at Life Choices or First National Bank.
Catering was provided by Chicken Express.