ESCANABA — In 1978, a group of pro-life men and women-led by Carol Carlson, of Wells, saw the need to provide support for women experiencing unexpected pregnancies, and Pregnancy Services of Delta County was born.

The organization provided a helpline with phone calls being forwarded to volunteers’ homes; free pregnancy testing; material support such as cloth diapers, baby clothes, baby furniture, and maternity clothes; referrals to community agencies; peer counseling for those experiencing an unexpected pregnancy; and post-abortion support.

Many volunteers came and went from the organization. However, two volunteers were consistently dedicated: Carlson who maintained the supply of maternity clothes, baby clothes and baby furniture

in her home, and her neighbor Pat Way, who acted as the treasurer for the organization. Because moms and dads needed clothing and furniture for their children, most of the responsibility fell on Carlson.

Carlson took her role of providing material support for the clients very seriously. Maternity and baby clothes, as well as baby furniture, were regularly donated. Carlson would wash and sort the clothing in her basement and store the baby furniture in her garage. When a client called the helpline needing clothes or furniture, she would prepare the items to be picked up at her home either by another volunteer or by a client. Additionally, Carlson served as a phone counselor and spoke to groups about the organization or about chastity, as well as being active in Right to Life of Delta County. Carlson’s life revolved around the service she provided for new parents and the unborn, and her husband Dave was very supportive of her efforts.

As years turned into decades, Carlson realized the time had come to step down from the organization, and she began praying for younger volunteers to take over. Unbeknownst to her, in early 2014 at a mother’s Bible study, a group of young moms started considering that our area needed a crisis pregnancy center to help pregnant women choose life. The group eventually began working with Carlson and Way to open the organization’s first crisis pregnancy center at 1801 Ludington Street in March 2015.

In addition to providing the peer counseling, pregnancy testing, community referrals, and material support, Pregnancy Services added pregnancy, health and parenting classes as part of their Earn While You Learn program. Ten years later, the organization has grown substantially and after the purchase of the current facility and an ultrasound machine was added to the center.

Because of Carlson’s commitment to the pro-life cause, Pregnancy Services will be dedicating the future Resource Room to Carol and Dave during an open house on Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 4 to 6 p.m., with a brief program at 5 p.m. The public is welcome.