By Theresa Carson
A generous donor gave a large gift to Father Ed Tetteh SVD, pastor of Holy Rosary in Buckhannon, W. Vir., to restore and maintain the church.
Seeing his stewardship of her gift, she later responded to one of his Facebook posts about the Central West Virginia Center for Pregnancy Care (CWVCPC), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. She gave an additional $10,000 to him for the center.
That money allowed the crisis pregnancy care center to dedicate a room for the ultrasound procedures.
“Before the gift, we had no dedicated room for ultrasounds,” said Barbara Kincaid, CWVCPC director. “We had to tear the conference room down every time we did the procedure. It was difficult. Now it’s private and confidential. It’s a welcoming place to have ultrasounds.”
The number of women having ultrasounds at the center are increasing. On the first Friday that the new room was in use, six mothers saw their babies in utero and decided to continue their pregnancies.
Kincaid, the center’s only full-time staff person, operates the non-profit with a part-time bookkeeper and a host of volunteers.
“Father Ed has been phenomenal for this pregnancy center,” said Barbara Kincaid, director of CWVCPC. “Last year, 33 babies were saved.”
Anna Burr, the volunteer coordinator for the past nine years, donates more than 40 hours a week. She, Kincaid and the other volunteers care for the whole family.
“Mothers typically spend one year on the registry, but because the need is so great, we allow mothers to stay on longer,” said Kincaid, who has been director for 19 years. “Mothers may have other children. We work with the whole holistic family.”
After the mothers deliver their babies, the assistance continues. CWVCPC helps the mothers realize their different options—single parenthood, foster care and adoption. For mothers who decide to raise their children, CWVCPC provides diapers, food and clothes for babies and children.
Mothers earn points for the items by doing various activities, such as walking, attending doctor’s appointments, going to church and parenting classes, and clipping coupons for other clients. Currently, about 300 mothers are registered with the center.
Location is key. The center is in an old house—purchased by a donor for $73,000—in the middle of town.
“A lot of the moms don’t have transportation and walk here with their children in strollers,” Kincaid said.
Kincaid said that grants are hard to find because the federal government requires organizations to refer clients for abortions. Two times a summer, they organize a yard sale to raise funds.
Even during the pandemic, the center in Buckhannon remained open as a resource. Adjusting to COVID regulations, they distributed about 7,500 boxes of baby clothes, diapers and food from a trailer, Kincaid said. They also give referrals to other community support agencies.
The house has a library, filled with parenting and pro-life books and videos. “We promote walking, reading to children, anything family-oriented,” Kincaid said.
The center has four satellite offices and serves nine West Virginia counties. Kincaid and her volunteers also partner with the SaveOne program, which helps women and men restore their peace of mind and self-worth after the trauma of abortion.
“The SaveOne program is dedicated to those who aborted their baby, so they can honor that child,” Kincaid said.
“They save a lot of lives here,” Father Tetteh said with admiration.
The respect is mutual. “Father Ed is so actively involved in the pregnancy center in Buckhannon,” Kincaid said. “I’ve been in town for many years. Previous fathers have assisted us. Father Ed is almost always immediately available. I’m confident that I can pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey, will you pray for us?’”
He also is willing to talk with expectant mothers, she said. “There was a young lady who was seeking an abortion, and he was willing to talk with her. It ended up that she decided to keep her baby.”
The center is more than a social service provider; it is home to a whole community.
During a recent visit to the center, Burr greeted Father Tetteh with a smile and a hug. She took a short break from sorting clothes that filled the front room of the house. Burr does 25 to 30 loads of laundry a week.
Rebecca Lantz, a single mother, helped Burr fold clothes. The mother of a five-year-old daughter, Lantz came to the center as a client and became a volunteer.
“I came here for clothes, food and friends,” she said, emphasizing the word “friends.”
Esther Poyer, another mother, said, “If it weren’t for Anna and the pregnancy center, when I started out, we would be lost.”
Burr quickly acknowledged, “I gave birth to three, but I have about 400 children.”
If you would like to learn more about Holy Rosary parish in Buckhannon, please visit: https://holyrosarywv.org.Or go to the parish Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/hrccwv.
For more information about CWVCPC, please go to: https://cwvcpc.com.