ESTEVAN - The Pro-Life Christmas Cookie Parade at the Estevan Market Mall traditionally takes place on the first Saturday of December and this year it was another success.
Dozens of people lined up to purchase and load their containers with cookies before the event even started. The sale began two minutes early, and shoppers were offered a choice of purchasing four- or two-litre containers, which they could then fill will a wide variety of homemade cookies and baking.
The cookies were donated by Pro-Life Estevan and Area members and supporters from all across the southeast.
"The proceeds from the annual fundraiser go towards continued education and promoting awareness for respect for life from conception to a natural death and to protect those with illness and disabilities," said a message on each lid for containers supplied for the cookies. "Each life is precious. We will be supporting [the] WeNeedALaw.ca campaign, which aims to institute the first pro-life legislation in Canada to help protect our youth under 18 by incorporating parental consent legislation."
Estevan Pro-Life president and office co-ordinator Bridget Bittman said the cookie parade has been a good tradition for about 25 years and has always attracted a lot of interest.
"Typically, we sell out within an hour," Bittman said.
"It's wonderful because people come and donate their cookies, and then a lot of them go stand in line after. It's just people that are supporting us in the community because it's pro-life and we stand for respecting life from conception to natural death. And some people just want the cookies," she added with a laugh.
Bittman noted that it's a positive event that also helps them raise awareness about the organization and its values.
"It helps us to promote respect for life in our community. And we do a lot of things to promote respect for life," she said, noting that the local Pro-Life chapter puts a lot of effort into co-operating with other organizations locally, provincially and throughout Canada, and also is involved with the community in various ways, from putting benches up to having displays at the Festival of Lights to organizing peaceful demonstrations to sharing information through newsletters and more.
Pro-Life is a non-profit organization that is supported through fundraising events, memberships and donations, according to their website.
The local chapter has about 10 members on its board who meet on a monthly basis to plan their events and community involvement.
For more, check their website at prolifeestevan.com.
