Walk for Life annual fundraiser set for May 17
By Burton Cole
FALMOUTH — Shannon Wells wasn’t sure that she should leave her longtime job, but New Hope Pregnancy Center wouldn’t leave her mind.
“I’ve been doing customer service work for 25 years,” said Wells, 48, a Pendleton County native who split her younger years between the farm about five miles outside of Falmouth with her dad and the house in town where her mom lived — the best of both worlds, she said.
“I had such a great childhood.”
For the last 16 years, she worked at a private practice doctor’s office, working as a receptionist, handling paperwork, doing human resources and managing other aspects of the office.
Previously, she was a lead at U.S. Bank and handled documents at the Pendleton Data Farm. She started working at age 14 in Angelo’s Pizza in Falmouth.
“I was struggling with what my purpose was at the doctor’s office,” she said. “So much has changed in health care. Insurance dictates everything.”
When Pastor Abram Crozier announced at Trinity Southern Baptist Church one Sunday in November that the New Hope Falmouth director was retiring, Wells wondered about the job.
“I questioned whether I was worthy of such a great cause,” she said.
She said that she prayed a lot about it, but sabotaged herself. Staying put where she was comfortable sounded like the safer plan. But God kept bringing New Hope back to her mind, she said.
In January, she reached out to the retiring director. The position was still open.
“I started here in February,” Wells said. “I’m passionate about it. I feel like I have a purpose. It’s nice to help somebody.”
NEW HOPE
The New Hope facilities — with centers in Falmouth Covington, Crestview Hills in Kentucky, and Vevay in Indiana — were started because moms sought abortions because they didn’t see any other options. New Hope first talks to moms about bringing their pregnancies to full term, and offer support or adoption.
“We want to educate them on their body and their health,” Wells said.
If the mother chooses adoption, the parents can be involved, including choosing the adoptive parents.
If the mothers choose abortion, New Hope offers after-abortion support and care.
“The after-effects, what they have done, it’s hard on them,” Wells said. “We offer counseling.
“Our mission is to let you know there are other alternatives.”
New Hope works with a certified adoption organization at no cost to the parents.
“A lot of people go to abortion because they can’t afford a baby,” Wells said. “We show them that there are options.”
The Falmouth center, 707 W. Shelby St., offers private mentoring rooms, in which trained community members can meet with mothers and fathers to talk about whatever is the minds of expectant parents.
The Hope Center at the moment has eight trained volunteers and two staff members, including Wells.
There is an ultrasound room so that clients can find out how far along the pregnancy is, see the baby, hear the heartbeat, and monitor to make sure the pregnancy is developing as it should.
The center brings in registered nurses to perform the ultrasounds, but hopes to hire on nurse to be on staff.
Once a month, clients get visits to the closet, a room filled with baby clothes and supplies. At each closet visit, the parents are given 2 dozen diapers, a pack of wipes and whatever else they need.
“If we have it, we’re going to share it and give it, because that is our purpose,” Wells said.
The center offers Earn as You Learn fatherhood and motherhood classes. The mentorship classes are separate and designed specifically either for the mom or the dad.
During the 14-week program, clients earn items such as car seats, and cribs and mattresses for continuing. And each week, they visit the closet. Items will be delivered to their homes as needed.
If both mother and father attend mentorship classes, they each earn the rewards, which gives them double the benefits. If they already have a car seat or a crib, they can trade in those items for gift cards to shop for needs on their own.
Clients also are given Bibles, specific ones designed for moms or dads.
“It’s not just the items we give. Sometimes they just need someone to talk to,” Wells said. “We want to show the love of God.”
“Our mission here is to let our clients know we will be there for whatever they’re going through and that our almighty God is here.”
Hours at the Falmouth office are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Thursdays.
“If we get busier, if we hire a nurse, we expect to expand those hours,” Well said.
FUNDRAISING
“We rely on donations from our community,” Wells said.
There are groups that quilt blankets. When expectant moms and dads start parenting classes, they get a quilted blanket.
“The United Methodist church this year made us a set of tie blankets,” Wells said.
“If the churches and organizations didn’t come forward as they do, we wouldn’t be able to provide as much to our community.”
For example, St. Frances Xavier collected diapers for the center during their Friday fish fry days in March and April.
“If we’re running low, we reach out to the churches.
“I love a small community. I never wanted to leave Falmouth. You have so many people here who know you and support you,” she said.
An ongoing fundraiser is the Baby Bottle Boomerang. Banks in the shape of baby bottles are set out at churches and organizations for people to fill with coins and dollars.
The big event is the annual Walk for Life, which this year is set for May 17 at the Pendleton County Fairgrounds. Walks also are taking place in Covington and Vevay, Indiana.
Walkers collect pledges. T-shirts will be given to all walkers who turn in pledges of $25 or more, and the top three walkers who raise the most money will win prizes.
Registration forms can be found at givingforhope.com or at New Hope Centers.
Corporate sponsorships also are available. Levels range from $100 as a parenting sponsor up to $2,500 or more as an ultrasound sponsor.
There will be a bounce house and a DJ playing tunes for the kids who come. After all, Wells said, “It’s all about the kids.”
Moms with their babies will lead the first lap of the walk.
According to New Hope figures, expenses totaled $842,332 last year across the four centers. Donations paid for $720,306 in client programs, $80,550 in abstinence programs, and $41,476 in fundraising.
In 2024, 567 clients received 5,845 services; 89% of clients chose life; 1,288 parenting classes were conducted; 45,684 diapers were provided; 15,629 closet items were provided; 3,022 students and adults were educated on abstinence; 31 Bible studies were conducted; and 21 professions of faith and rededications were made.
At the Falmouth Center, Wells said she expects to see more people with the warming weather, because many of their clients don’t have vehicles.
Walk or drive, employed or jobless, no matter social standing, Wells said the message to people who walk through the Hope Center doors is the same:
“God loves you. And He will support you. He will see you through it. He brought you to us.”