The Barre 40 Days for Life prayer vigil kickoff will take place Sunday, February 27 at St. Monica Church in Barre.

“It’s time to gear up for the kick-off rally and the start of our Barre campaign to pray & fast for an end abortion in our community, state and nation,” organizer Tom Kelly said. “Tell your friends about this wonderful opportunity to join others as we pray that His will be done in His time.”

The kick off features remarks by Executive Director Cindy Tabor, CareNet, Washington County’s local pregnancy resource center and alternative to Planned Parenthood. The CareNet open house will take place in March.  

Learn more, sign up for vigil hours and pick up campaign materials at 1pm, Parish Hall (church basement), St. Monica Church on Sunday, February 27.  

The vigil starts Wednesday, March 2, 7 am-7pm, daily, in the vicinity of the Planned Parenthood clinic, 90 Washington Street, Barre and continues 40 days until Sunday, April 10.  

Pregnancy services like CareNet that do not perform abortions are under fire from the Vermont Legislature. 

H634, introduced by physician, Proposition 5 supporter, and lawmaker George Till (D-Underhill/Jericho), This bill “proposes to prohibit a limited services pregnancy center from disseminating any advertising about the services or proposed services performed at that center if the management of the center knows or, by the exercise of reasonable care, ought to know it is untrue or clearly designed to mislead the public about the nature of services provided.”

The bill closely resembles similar legislation in other “blue” states. Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics have claimed for many years that pregnancy centers that do not offer abortion are “limited services” and use deceptive marketing techniques. A similar bill in California was struck down by the state’s civil rights commission. 

H634 was introduced Jan. 14 and referred to the House Human Services Committee. Till is the sole sponsor. The bill has not yet been discussed by the committee, nor is any planned for this week.