Society for the Innocents founder John Staud announced that the non-profit dedicated to offering hope, support and shelter to mothers in crisis officially has a home thanks a miracle born of misfortune.
During a well-attended fundraiser banquet at Cottonwood Church, Staud said they were ready to close on the site for St. Anne House at the former Golden Age Manor when the hail storm hit Dublin May 10.
At the May 14 gala, Staud told the room that the storm severely damaged the roof and on the west side, “not one shingle was left undamaged.”
Staud was left reeling because he didn’t think he could ask his board to close on the purchase when they’d have to invest further in repairs.
Then, he was called by the owners who said they wanted to donate the property to Society for the Innocents.
“God had already provided the answer before I could ask the question,” Staud said.
St. Anne House is named for the patron saint of mothers, grandmothers and pregnant mothers, and who was the grandmother of Jesus, according to Christian tradition.
The name is fitting for SFTI’s cause as the site is to be converted into a shelter where expectant mothers in crisis can find long-term housing, mentorship, and training in parenting and life skills as a way to support the mother and save the child.
Staud said his first vision for the Christian-based organization was a memorial. “The Lord opened my eyes to something even more urgent,” Staud said. “There’s still a lot of mothers who fall through the cracks…. As a nation, we’ve turned a blind eye to the child and the mother countless times.”
SFTI commits to saving the lives of unborn children through these efforts. The organization is funded in part through an internetbased radio station. Every morning at 6 a.m., SFTI presents a prayer for life STFI A3 before broadcasting content like Christian music and local sermons. Once St. Anne is open, that message will be broadcast live at the site dedicated to saving lives in Christ’s name.
Staud remarked in his address that our nation has a good history of saving lives no matter the cost such as in the rescue effort for pilots in Iran or ‘Baby Jessica’ falling down a well in 1987. He contended that the same effort should go into saving the unborn.
Staud was joined on the stage by two guest speakers, Jayla Grimland and Carol Everett. Grimland, a member of SFTI’s board, related how she found herself pregnant at a young age and uncertain of what to do. Through the support of her church, family and community, she found a blessing in her son, but had to endure several obstacles such as the stigma and judgment placed on young mothers.
“The message of tonight is to ‘give Hope a home,” Grimland said. “My goal is that women will come and not feel judged.”
Everett acted as guest speaker and related how she became a pro-life advocate after a career in abortion clinics which she described as cavalier about the procedure and deceptive and overzealous in encouraging women to have abortions.
Everett came to the career after her second husband reportedly forced her into aborting a child she wanted to keep. She said she was successful in encouraging many others to have abortions before she felt God’s love through a preacher who said He had another purpose for her. In turning over a new leaf, she founded the Heidi group which aims to offer reproductive health services and alternative to abortion for low-income women throughout the state. Group is named after the daughter she was forced to give up and she said Thursday that the name Heidi means ‘hidden.’
“She’s been hidden from me,” Everett said. “One day in Heaven, I’ll get to hug her for the first time.”
Jonna Alvarado acted as emcee for the evening while Cliff Sims read Psalms for Biblical support of the evening’s purpose. Ryan Mitchell delivered the benediction, saying that the program gave the audience a grasp of the group’s vision and it can be spread throughout the community.
In addition to the speakers, guests enjoyed a full-plate of German fare prepared by Ursula Weyermann Staud and served by hard-working volunteers.
As the event closed, there was a call for people to support however they could whether that’s work in repairing and outfitting St. Anne House or monthly donations into the cause. Everett noted the miracle of the donation and said that ‘Dublin is going to be saving lives physically and eternally.’
Staud was happy with the evening saying: “Over the last nine months, what once felt like a oneman battle slowly became something much greater as God brought together a committed Board and supporters who believed in this mission. Standing at the podium at our first annual banquet, my eyes were truly opened. Looking across the room, I no longer saw a struggle carried by a small group — I saw an army united in faith and in the defense of life.”
He also wished to thank volunteers: Ursula Weyermann, Jonna Alvarado, Donna Trusty, Lori Mayfield, Jesse Landerose, Steven Pepper, Khloe Alvarado, Heidy Osornio, Jim Fields, Bo Couger, Issac Puerta, Joann Coronado, Mickey Jaggars, Blanca Martineau, Emma Mitchell, Karen Ortiz, Paul Adams Brooklyn Ervanbrack with fantastic help from the Cottonwood Church Staff, Shaylynn Mayhall, Tanny Allen and Scott Hooper.
He also state his appreciation for his board members Cliff Sims, Bobbie Nichols, Sarah Brennand, Bo Kabala and Jayla Grimland.
For more information, visit thesocietyfortheinnocents. org.