EVENT COORDINATOR Mary Sue Boyette of Sparta holds a sign stating "Abortion Kills Children" during a silent protest Sunday. In the background are her niece and nephew, nine-year-old Mary and six-year-old Jeremiah Boyette, both of Grayson County, Va.

Alleghany Right to Life sponsors Life Chain abortion protest

A silent protest against abortion returned to Alleghany County this past Sunday as a number of local residents gathered to pray and display signs. The event, dubbed the Alleghany Life Chain, featured signs with the same slogans again this year, "Jesus Forgives and Heals and Abortion Kills Children."

According to Alleghany Life Chain coordinator Mary Sue Boyette, turnout was about the same as in years past. "We had 33 people that registered," she said. "Last year, we had maybe one or two more, but it was just about the same number."

Boyette said the event has been ongoing for five years here in Alleghany. She is also a member of Right to Life, which sponsors the event in this county, but not nationwide.

"Sometimes the Life Chain is a very separate entity from Right to Life, but since we are in a small community we all band together," she said.

"In our county, the Right to Life group is quite small — we probably have 10 to 12 active members."

Quite a few more people participate in the life chain, including a few people from neighboring Grayson County, Va. "Since it is a national thing, a few people who are not from this community come in to participate," she said, "especially those who live in areas that do not have their own Life Chain."

"Certainly we invite anyone to come participate each year," she noted. This year, all participants were from Alleghany and Grayson counties.

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