My Voice Shall Rise

After years of planning, fundraising, and a lot of patience, a Marshfield ministry is getting ready to open the doors to a brand-new home.

Theresa Clement, executive director of Choices Pregnancy Center, says the center will hold a dedication service for its new building on Saturday, March 21. The event begins at 11 a.m. at the new location, 443 Hillside Loop in Marshfield.

Clement said the building has been several years in the making.

“We’ve been working toward this for quite a while,” she said. “It’s exciting to finally see it happen.”

The dedication will include guest speakers, followed by lunch at noon. After that, visitors will be able to walk through the building and take tours during the afternoon.

And there will be plenty to see. The new space will allow the center to expand the services it already provides and add a few new ones along the way.

The center offers pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, along with parenting and pregnancy classes. Clement said the new building will also allow them to start a program focused on fathers.

“We’re trying to get a dad’s program going,” she said. “Classes on how to be a dad, how to support a family, things like that.”

The building will also make room for practical life-skills classes. Some may focus on cooking or managing money. Others may cover everyday tasks that many people simply haven’t been taught.

“We’ve had clients tell us they never really learned some of those basics,” Clement said. “So we want to be able to help with that.”

The center also offers Bible studies and mentoring. Clients who attend classes or participate in the studies earn points they can later spend in what the center calls its baby market.

That small shop provides things young families often need most—diapers, wipes, cribs, car seats and other baby items.

The organization has been part of the community since 2012. For years it operated out of a smaller building on Spur Drive, near the area behind Dairy Queen and Taco Bell. But leaders had been hoping to expand for some time.

A major step forward came when Hillside Church donated land for the new building.

“They had land they weren’t planning to use,” Clement said. “We were looking for a place to build, and they were willing to donate it. That was a real blessing.”

Fundraisers like the center’s fall banquet and spring Walk for Life helped bring in additional support. Donations from community members also helped make the project possible.

Now that the building is nearly ready, Clement says the center will need volunteers to keep things running. Some may help mentor clients. Others might sort baby clothes, organize supplies, or help around the center.

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can call the center at 417-468-5555. Supporters can also learn more about sponsoring rooms in the building by visiting friendsofchoicespc.org.

For Clement, the new building is about more than just extra space.

“It’s really about being able to do more for families,” she said. “This gives us the chance to help people in ways we just couldn’t before.”