SIMI VALLEY, CA, May 14, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On May 22, Celebrate All Life, a new pro-life group, will celebrate its first annual Interfaith Pro-Life Walk and Festival in Simi Valley, California. The event, which runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, is meant to be a celebration of life that crosses political, theological, and ideological boundaries.
According to its website, the walk and festival “was born of the idea that the Life Movement could benefit from more positive representation in a setting that not only espoused the joy of human life in all its forms, but also removed boundaries of faith, political association or background.”
At the center of the event is a 5K (3.1 miles) walk through Rancho Tapo Community Park. Susan Riedley, the co-founder of Celebrate All Life, told LifeSiteNews (LSN), “Rhonda Freeson (the other co-founder of Celebrate All Life) was inspired by the San Francisco Walk for Life, West Coast, which she has been attending for years. At a Respect Life meeting at our church last June, she brought up the idea of having a Southern California walk.”
“It was agreed that we would build it as an interfaith event so people from all backgrounds and beliefs could feel solidarity in supporting human life. We wanted to help area organizations that provide women's health, maternity aid and other services related to the preservation and care of people ‘at every stage and every age.’”
The 5k walk is not the sole event of the day.
Beginning at 9 a.m., Celebrate All Life plans to hold a series of talks aimed at educating pro-life individuals about the threats to life posed not only by abortion, but also by euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.
On its site, the group says, “We want to educate the community on all life issues, including euthanasia/assisted suicide, people with disabilities and embryonic stem cell research. There are many pro-lifers who understand the moral implications of abortion, but sadly many do not understand the significant moral implications of euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.”
The speakers for the event include Fr. Peter West of Priests for Life, Pastor Manny Olivas, Jesse Romero, and Dr. Timother McNicoll, with celebrity guest James O’Keefe. O’Keefe became famous at the end of last year for his investigative videos recording ACORN staff officials aiding an actress posing as a prostitute in tax evasion.
Along with the walk, Celebrate All Life will also be holding a festival in the park with numerous family-friendly activities for all ages. Entertainment will include a “Battle of the Bands,” featuring pro-life rock artists Alakrity, Anthony Wamble, and Scott James, which begins at noon. Further, there will be multiple booths aimed at acquainting attendants with different pro-life groups.
Susan Reidly told LSN, “We encourage all attendees to show us who you are – whether you worship in a church, a mosque, a temple, a synagogue or just belong to a pro-life club or organization – if you believe that human life is a sacred gift to be revered and promoted, we would love to see you on May 22!”
There is no cost for the event, and all are welcome. Please visit their website to register to receive updates concerning the event.