Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania Inc.

Newsletter
Volume 11, Number 2
May 2010

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Contents


A WORD FROM ROBIN ROSS

Executive Director

Many years ago, King Solomon penned this truth: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Now the time has come for me to say farewell to serving Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania. How swiftly the years have flown by! It has been my joy and privilege to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees and as Executive Director for eight of those years.

As I felt the Lord definitely leading me to serve Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania, I now feel He is leading me into other ministries. Nevertheless, it is somewhat bittersweet to leave.

Robin Ross (on left) receiving service plaque from Julie Myers, Secretary
One of my goals when I joined the Board of Trustees in 2000 was to increase our membership; however, we have remained at about 50 members. Another ongoing challenge has been to maintain the full quota of members on the Board of Trustees.

However, looking back over the past ten years, I recall that there were many opportunities to promote the sanctity of life and Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania. Some memorable highlights during my tenure include the following: We created new brochures; for several years, we had displays at the Mid-Atlantic Christian School convention; Jeff Remington (Assistant Executive Director, recently retired) and I were interviewed on WJTL-FM radio; I made a presentation about Teachers Saving Children® to potential educators at Lancaster Bible College; and, we have published a newsletter regularly, thanks to our editor, Pat Bartow.

It has also been an honor to represent the Pennsylvania chapter on the Board of Trustees for Teachers Saving Children® – National. I thank our chapter board for their vote of confidence in me as they asked me to fill this role.

My sincerest best wishes go out to all of you who continue your work of saving precious children’s lives. May our Lord richly bless you and your efforts. I will continue to support you with my prayers.

Thank you for the privilege of serving with Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania.


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AND A WARM WELCOME TO...


Robin welcoming John Gordon, new board member
John Gordon is a new member of the Board of Trustees of Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania. John grew up in Glenolden, PA, and attended both West Chester University and Temple University. He has been a career educator, and is currently teaching elementary Learning Support children in the Middletown Area School District, where he is completing his 28th year of service. He began his career teaching multi-handicapped children at the Devereux Foundation in Exton, PA, has taught high school Learning Support students, and has also taught elementary regular education classes. John is a member of KEYTA(Keystone Teachers’ Association) and the Association of American Educators.

Clearly a man who believes in being involved, John serves as a Deacon at his church, is a member of the Gideon’s International, has been a long time supporter of the Alpha Pregnancy Services in Philadelphia, and more recently of Morningstar Pregnancy Services in the Harrisburg area. John first became involved with pro-life issues in the early 1980s while attending a suburban Philadelphia church. He has been a member of Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania since the mid-1990s when he first heard of the organization at a March for Life in Washington, D.C.

John and his wife, Natalie, are the parents of two young adult sons. Following their father’s example, John’s sons are involved with the group, Rock for Life (an outreach of the American Life League), and helped establish a Rock for Life chapter in the Lancaster area.


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THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
H.R. 3590
Aka Health Care Reform Bill


By now we have heard a great deal of discussion related to the recently-legislated health care reform. We will not discuss H.R. 3590 in great detail in this newsletter since, as you are aware, Connie Bancroft, Executive Director of Teachers Saving Children® - National, provided an excellent editorial about it in the recent National newsletter (“Thoughts From the Executive Director, April 2010).

However, we will point out some encouraging news reported by the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC): “According to Rasmussen Reports, ‘Three weeks after Congress passed its new national health care plan, support for repeal of the measure has risen four points to 58%. That includes 50% of U.S. voters who strongly favor repeal. . ,’” and “Realize that the party of abortion is in serious trouble...” (“Aftershocks to Passage of ObamaCare,” Today’s News, www.nrlc.org, 4/12/2010)

We encourage you to stay in touch with this issue, and carefully consider what political candidates to vote for in November. Possibly we will have more pro-life candidates running for office this year.


IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT CAN YOU DO?


Aside from being politically alert and astute in voting, as mentioned above, just what else can we do in response to the abortion implications related to H.R. 3590? In answer to that question, the National Right to Life Committee has some suggestions on their website, www.nrlc.org, which include the following:

> Educate myself and pro-life friends and family on abortion-related legislation, including the “Freedom of Choice Act.”
> Network by e-mail or telephone with other pro-lifers about issues and news
> Increase my web presence: blog, Facebook, MySpace, journal, and e-mail
> Become a church liaison for NRLC and use their materials to educate the congregation.


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WHAT IS THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE ACT?


The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a bill introduced in Congress in 2007, is umbrella legislation that aims to protect women’s right to begin, prevent or continue a pregnancy. Specifically, it “declares that it is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child; terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability; or terminate a pregnancy after viability when necessary to protect her life or her health.” It prohibits a federal, state, or local governmental entity from denying or interfering with a woman’s right to exercise such choices. Simply stated, says Angela Martin, executive director of Maryland Right to Life, “FOCA would eliminate restrictions on abortion nationwide.”

The FOCA bill has not yet been introduced in the current congress. President Obama has stated that he will sign the FOCA bill into law, although it is not a high legislative priority. (www.wikipedia.org and www.foxnews.com, “Right to Life Movement,” 2009)


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BOARD MEETING REPORT


The Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania chapter met on April 17, 2010 in Lewisburg. We accepted Executive Director Robin Ross’ letter of resignation and presented her with a plaque in appreciation of her 10 years of service to Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania. We will miss Robin very much. She has been fully committed to the work and mission of Teachers Saving Children®, and has provided eight years of steadfast leadership to the board, as well as serving as our representative to the national board. Thank you, Robin!

Board members completed routine business matters, followed by election of officers, a membership review, and a discussion about strategies for building membership and developing outreach activities. The board voted to contribute $200.00 to Teachers Saving Children® – National to be applied to the exhibit at the upcoming National Educational Association Expo. (Watch for a future newsletter from Connie Bancroft detailing this outstanding, effective outreach. You may also want to contribute to this important endeavor!)

Connie Bancroft, Executive Director of Teachers Saving Children® – National, attended our board meeting to report a decision made by the national Board of Trustees in relation to our Pennsylvania chapter: Since we do not currently have full board membership, Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania is now an Ad Hoc Committee under the oversight of the national board. We will continue to have regular meetings and will have a chairperson, treasurer, and Pro Tem secretary at each meeting, as well as a representative to the national board. When we reach full board membership again, we will be reinstated as a state affiliate chapter.

The board elected the following officers for the 2010-2011 fiscal year:
> Chairperson: John Gordon
> Secretary Pro Tem: Julie Myers
> Treasurer: Patty Yamrick
> National board rep: John Gordon

AND NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY...


Now you are more aware of why we have been making impassioned pleas in our newsletters for your help in finding additional board members! We currently need a minimum of two more board members. Please give some thought to someone you can recommend to us, or consider joining our board! We meet only two times a year (April and September).

Requirements for board membership are only that you are a member of Teachers Saving Children®, be available for meetings, have a commitment to the sanctity of life, and are interested in contributing ideas for how we can support the pro-life agenda. Board members do not have to be educators. As you are aware, our membership is open to all concerned individuals. If you or a friend would like more information about joining our Board of Trustees, please contact any of our board members listed at the end of this newsletter by e-mail or telephone, or visit the national website.


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A THOUGHT TO PONDER


Educators and most citizens are concerned, and correctly so, about students who drop out of school before graduating. According to the NEAToday Magazine (January/February 2010, page 18), “The failure to earn a diploma costs nearly 1.3 million students each year a lifetime of dreams and achievements – but it also costs the nation’s economy a great deal, according to a study from the Alliance for Excellent Education. . .Consider this: if every member of the Class of 2009 had graduated, nearly $335 billion in additional income would be pumped into the economy over their lifetimes.”

Hm-m-m, that is a profound statement. But another equally profound thought to ponder is that from 1973 through 2007, we have lost through abortion 49,551,703 ciizens who would have been contributingn members of our society (National Right to Life, "Abortion in the United States: Statistics and Trends" 2010)! Is this figure just a statistic to you, or is it a tragedy?

To give some perspective to the intentional aborting of human fetuses, the heart of the human embryo begins to beat just 22 days after conception. . .by week six, brainwaves can be recorded. . .and by week 9-10, all areas of its body are sensitive to touch. Abortion is the destruction of a living, responsive pre-born person.

Teachers Saving Children® came into existence in response to this national heartbreak We hope that you will stand with us in speaking out in protection of these defenseless little ones in utero. (Sources: National Right to Life at www.nrlc.org and American Life League at www.all.org.)


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MAY 6 IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER!
Some Suggestions for Prayer


Praise God that each infant is “fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)

Pray for crisis pregnancy centers. Pray for those they counsel to choose life.

Pray for courage to speak out in defense of the unborn child, to “Defend the cause of the weak. . .rescue the weak and needy. . .” (Psalm 82:3,4)

Pray for all elected officials, especially our President, Congress and Supreme Court. Ask God to give them a heart to protect the unborn.

Pray for Teachers Saving Children® to be a voice for life in education and to the general public.


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TEACHERS SAVING CHILDREN® of PA, INC
BOARD OF TRUSTEES

If you have questions regarding Teachers Saving Children® of Pennsylvania, Inc., or concerns for the attention of the board, please call the board member that lives nearest to your area.

Robin Ross (Executive Director), York County 717-292-2021
Patricia Bartow, Lancastser County 717-872-7283
John Gordon, Dauphin County 717-944-7708
Julie Myers, York County unpublished
Patricia Yamrick, Indiana County 724-349-7489



For more information contact: tscofpa@epix.net
©2010 Teachers Saving Children® of Pennyslvnia Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


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