This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Members of Pro-Life Utah gathered in front of Planned Parenthood's Salt Lake Clinic on Saturday afternoon — and quilted.
Across the country, anti-abortion groups are marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of Planned Parenthood with protests. Here in Utah, it's a little bit different.
"This is not really a state where we are huge on candlelight vigils," said Deanna Holland, vice president of Pro-Life Utah. "We're not huge on protesting. And so we kind of just put our own little Utah flair on it.
"We are still calling it a vigil, but we know that people like to get out and do something meaningful — something that makes a difference. And so we turned ours into a service vigil."
About two dozen people turned out for the protest/service project — mostly women; a couple of men; several children. They made care packages for pregnant women in need. They accepted donations for women in "crisis pregnancy" — both money and items like baby clothes and diapers.
And they tied a quilt for a pregnant woman with cerebral palsy "who reached out to our organization for help," Holland said.
They set up tables on public property — the grassy area between the street and the sidewalk — flew helium balloons and had a plateful of cookies. The most provocative statements were emblazoned on a couple of T-shirts proclaiming, "I speak for those who can't" and "I vote pro-life."
And, of course, the protesters made their opposition to abortion and Planned Parenthood crystal clear.
"We just don't like to let an opportunity go by that we can remind people what happens," Holland said. "We have approximately 3,000 abortions in Utah every year."
In 2014 — the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Utah Department of Health — 2,948 abortions were performed in the state.
"That's a significant number," Holland said. "If we had 3,000 children dying of a disease, we would be figuring out what we could do about it."
Members of Pro-Life Utah insist that theirs is, perhaps, a kinder, gentler way of protesting.
"Everyone kind of has this thought that the pro-life movement is angry people, standing and yelling and making you feel bad as you walk into the clinic," Holland said. "We are not going to change any hearts or any minds or make women feel that we are ready to give them a hug and give them a hand if we are angry or unfriendly."
And she insisted that she "holds no animosity" toward "the women who go into this clinic."
As for Planned Parenthood, it was unfazed by the protest.
"Those who disagree with our work are welcome to express their opinions," said Karrie Galloway, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. "We will continue to be here for our community."
Galloway was more focused on Planned Parenthood's 100th anniversary on Sunday.
"We have a lot to celebrate," she said. "While Planned Parenthood Association of Utah has only been around for about half that long, each year we provide health services and education to over 50,000 women and men in our nine health centers across the state. We help Utahns plan families, keep them free from diseases, teach young people about healthy relationships and sexuality, and advocate for reproductive rights."
Twitter @ScottDPierce