The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor With a low demand for its services, the Northern Pregnancy Care Centre has closed its doors. The centre, located on Main St. above Pharmasave, shut down at the end of March after a little over four years in operation. 'There wasn't enough usage,' said Doug O'Brien, chair of the centre's board. 'I'm not saying there wasn't a demand _ there would be some reason to have that in the community _ but it didn't seem to be attracting the people we thought we were going to be able to serve.' O'Brien said the centre's resources, such as pamphlets, will be distributed to similar organizations, noting many communities are opening these types of centres. The centre was Christian-based and staffed by trained volunteers who cared for women facing unplanned pregnancies and any resulting challenges. Free testing Services included free pregnancy testing, counselling on different options available, post-abortion peer support and abstinence education. Confidential counselling was offered in person and through a 24-hour, locally-operated emergency phone line with a trained peer counsellor on the other end. While the centre served a predominately female clientele, men were also welcome to visit or call if they were impacted by an abortion or a pregnancy concern. These types of services are still available through local and out-of-town locations. A national crisis pregnancy hotline, for example, can be reached at 1-800-665-0570. Flin Flon city councillor Bill Hanson called the closure regrettable. 'Anytime we lose a service _ and we've lost a number over the years _ it's not a great thing for Flin Flon,' he said. 'It's just one less thing available to the citizens of Flin Flon.' The centre opened in January 2008 with director Marilyn Jackson, who has since left the community, playing a pivotal role. After Jackson moved away, the reigns were turned over to Stacey Haggerty. The centre initially opened with local support as well as grants from the Thomas Sill Foundation, Northern Neighbors Foundation and the Bridge Street United Church Foundation. In time it became known for two signature fundraisers held once a year: a coffee house social and a drive to collect baby bottles filled with spare change.
