DeBacker is the director of Alpha Omega Women’s Care Center, a life-affirming pregnancy resource center on Howell Street in Hillsdale, Mich. The center held a fundraiser called “Spice of Life” Oct. 19 at Hillsdale United Brethren Church with speaker Kirk Walden.
How did you personally get involved with Alpha Omega?
I was a young mother, and I thought I’d like to give back to the community in some way. Alpha Omega was just getting started. They were looking for volunteers. I saw a poster in a store window that said “are you concerned about teen pregnancy?” I am a former high school teacher, [and] I wanted to go into guidance counseling. I have a heart for young people, and that’s how I got involved with Alpha Omega back in 1986 when they trained the first batch of volunteers.
What fundraisers does Alpha Omega do?
We have three major fundraisers. In May we have a Life Walk. People from all kinds of different groups come together and walk in our little two mile walk in the spring. We also have a thing called the “Baby Bottle Blessing,” and baby bottles go out to church congregations for about a month. People put in their change (I also recommend to people that $100 bills and large checks also fit in those little baby bottles). People constantly think about us after all these years, and send us money. We’ve been open for 26 years based on the generosity of people in Hillsdale County.
What excites you about these fundraising events?
Every dollar that comes in is vital for us to continue to offer hope and help and healing for what we do here. We believe in informed decision making. We want people to be very aware of what they are choosing and the possible consequences of what they are considering choosing. We want to educate women and men in their lives and their family members about all the different things involved, so we offer alternatives to abortion. We offer financial help, material assistance, and we offer adoption as a positive option.
-Compiled by Daniel Slonim
