Supporters of Iola’s Pregnancy & Family Center gathered for the organization’s second annual banquet Thursday evening. Held at St. John’s Parish Center, the event was full of food, fellowship, and opportunities to reflect on the center’s accomplishments.
Co-director Theresa Turner said the center, located in downtown Iola, receives over 100 client visits per month. In addition, volunteers maintain an active jail ministry. With two co-directors and a total of six paid staff, the center has grown since last year, giving Turner, who has been a part of the center since 2012, many reasons to remain upbeat. “This is what I was called to do,” she said. “It’s a different feeling when you feel called to do the work.”
Over 150 attendees were present Thursday night. The banquet featured personal testimony from Katrina Beatty of Iola, who is a current resident of Iola’s Oxford House. Grant Bontrager of Arlington, a small town in Reno County, was the main speaker. Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, addressed attendees, and Shauna Sturgeon led the group in song.
