Group faces bitter cold for annual march for life

A 16-degree temperature with snow and a chilling wind didn't deter a group of Thompson Falls residents from showing their commitment to their determination to end abortion.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade - a federal law that protected the right to have an abortion - two years ago, but it allowed individual states to determine whether abortion was legal or not. Steve Snell, one of the primary organizers of the annual march down Main Street at Thompson Falls Friday at noon, said they still need to voice their opposition to abortion.

"As long as there's abortion available and readily accessible we'll be doing this," said Snell, a member of the Knights of Columbus, which started the Thompson Falls annual protest, along with the St. William Catholic Church in Thompson Falls, in the early 1990s. Snell said the Knights of Columbus is a fraternal nonprofit organization centered in the Catholic based faith and has been an outspoken opponent of Roe vs. Wade and abortion in general.

Thirteen men, women and children participated in the annual event, which started at the county courthouse at noon. They carried signs, such as "Take my hand, not my life," "Look what God has made," "Love Life, Choose Life," and "We Choose Life," to communicate their stance on abortion. Rev. Jakob D. Berger, pastor of the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Thompson Falls, led the group in prayer before the march. The group walked three-tenths of a mile into the wind before turning around and going back to the courthouse, a walk that took over 30 minutes, getting honks and waves from people in passing vehicles. Berger's children, Daniel, 8, Ida, 7, and 20-month-old Lydia in a stroller, accompanied the group this year. His wife, Kaelene, is due with a baby in April.

This was Berger's third time to participate in the annual march. "The idea behind our March is to make sure that people recognize the value of life at all stages from conception to natural death. We care about both the babies and their mothers and that there's forgiveness in Christ," said Berger, a pastor since 2019. His Sunday sermon centered around the topic of abortion. He said they want to support life at all stages of development, also noting that the overturning of Roe vs. Wade was moving the needle in the right direction.

The group holds the protest on Jan. 19 in conjunction with the National Right to life rally in Washington, D.C., said Snell, a Knights of Columbus member for almost 30 years. He had also participated in right to life protests in Sandpoint, Idaho, where he previously lived. His children have also taken part in anti abortion demonstrations around the country.

"We're killing hundreds of thousands of babies every year," said Snell, who continues to march in an effort to change public opinion about abortion. "People don't understand abortion. They've been told it's just a bunch of cells and not a person, but it's a baby from conception," said Snell, adding that overturning Roe vs. Wade was a good step in the right direction, but with the states having the responsibility, he said they still need to communicate the ills of abortion. "It's our Christian belief that life is sacred from conception and we want to forge public opinion of what abortion really is and to have them know that abortion ends a life," said Snell.

He said they continue to do the annual protest in an effort to change public opinion about abortion, that it's wrong. He said they normally have a lot more people in the Thompson Falls march, but believes the freezing temperatures likely kept people away. Last year, there were over 50 people. He said this was one of the coldest they've had.

Thompsons Falls resident Theresa McDonald has been a part of the march since she was a teen with her parents, Doug and Tina Fausett. Her mother was there Friday. "We've walked in a blizzard and rain and it's been nice weather or bad weather. We do it regardless of what the weather is," said McDonald, whose two boys, Aibel, 11, and Michael, 4, participated Friday.

"It's an important issue that we stand for. We believe in the sanctity of life. We believe in supporting life from conception to death," said McDonald, who has tried to do the march every year, but had missed a couple of them. "It's still a cause to fight for because it's now at the state level. It can do a lot of harm to women, even though they say it doesn't," said McDonald, who added that abortion is physically and mentally harmful. She said there are other options, such as adoption.

"It doesn't just destroy one life. It hurts the women and hurts the dads as well. The dads are a silent voice. They don't medically get a say. We believe abortion is a grave wrong. It does end a human life," she added.

It was the first time for Sandy Langford of Thompson Falls to take part in the event. She believes babies should never be terminated and wants to help spread the word to stop abortion. "I truly believe that life is precious," said Langford, who plans to march again in 2025.