Organizer of local March for Life trip says mood was celebratory

A number of local residents braved the cold to attend the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday.

The mood at the march was “celebratory” and much more hopeful than in previous years, said Thresea Zlotnicki, who organized a bus trip to D.C. from Venango County.

The speakers at the rally that was held before the march talked about the hope that this year’s march will be the last before the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion is overturned, Zlotnicki added.

“It was cold but lovely…people were excited and hopeful and praying Roe vs. Wade will get knocked down. I never thought it would happen in my lifetime,” Zlotnicki said. “Hopefully next year when we come back for the 50th anniversary (of Roe vs. Wade) it will be a celebration.”

Zlotnicki said it gives her hope to see the large numbers of young people at the March for Life “who will have to deal with the issue of having a baby and raising a family and knowing they care about the right to life.”

Zlotnicki said about 40 people signed up to go on the bus that left from Franklin and Oil City late Thursday night.

She said a number of them had not gone to the rally before, but several people canceled Thursday due to concerns about the weather.

In all, 28 people, including many young ones, made the trek from Venango County to D.C., Zlotnicki said.

She said a grant was received this year from the Catholic Foundation of Northwestern Pennsylvania that helped pay for the bus.

“We dodged a bullet with the snow at least, but it was cold,” she said of the trip.

Looking ahead, Zlotnicki said she is hoping to hold a local pro-life march in the spring.

She added that anyone interested in getting involved with the pro-life cause locally can email her at tezlotnicki@gmail.com.