A 40-day, anti-abortion event in Sarasota began Tuesday with two speeches by a national anti-abortion speaker followed by an opening prayer service scheduled for this morning.
Scott Klusendorf, president of the Life Training Institute, has written two books about the anti-abortion movement. He trains evangelical Christians on the best ways to argue against abortion.
He spoke Tuesday in advance of the 40 Days for Life campaign. Members of several area churches will gather at 8:30 a.m. today outside of Planned Parenthood on Central Avenue in Sarasota for a prayer service.
People will hold a prayer vigil from morning until night each day until Nov. 1 on the sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood.
“We’re just encouraging folks to pray,” said campaign spokesman David Whitmire. “We’re especially praying for an end to abortion.”
Wendy Grassi, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood in Sarasota, said the event won’t change how her clinic operates, and that she hopes the vigil remains peaceful.
“We have protestors here every Friday and Saturday, anyway,” she said. “So it will just be adding a few more days.”
Similar campaigns are being held in more than 200 cities in the U.S., Canada and Denmark.
At last year’s event, Whitmire said about 75 people attended the opening ceremony and about 375 attended the closing ceremony.
Besides Tuesday’s speeches, Klusendorf also plans to speak at the prayer vigil in Sarasota and at events in Fort Myers and Naples.
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