The Azar House Pregnancy Resource Center is holding a Walk For Life event in Etna Saturday September 25th.

Participants will walk two miles total beginning at the Etna Community Center. Those in the event seek out sponsorships from neighbors, friends, and members of the community.

Executive Director of Azar House, Christina Wetzel, says all proceeds go to the organization to help parents with unexpected pregnancies.

“This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year,” Wetzel said. “It accounts for approximately 20% of our annual operating budget.”

She says registration is at 9 AM with the walk beginning at 10 AM. Participants will go up to the cemetery area and will turn around and come back. After wards there will be a BBQ, face painting, bouncy houses, and live music.

The top two earners in sponsorships also earn prizes.

“The Walk For Life is one of my favorite events,” Wetzel said. “It is a fun, family event.”

She says you can register online here. You can also contact them to get pledge sheets.

The Mission of the Azar House

Wetzel says it got its start at a pregnancy resource center in Jackson, Wyoming and quickly became an independent center.

She came on as one of the founding board members once it received its official non-profit status. About a year-and-a-half ago its executive director retired and Wetzel was serving as Chairperson of the board.

“I said ‘Okay we’ll start finding somebody new’ and she said ‘How about you?'” Wetzel said. “And here I am.”

She says the word Azar is Hebrew for “helping hand”. So, their mission is to do just that.

“Our main purpose is to come alongside women and men who are in unexpected pregnancy situations,” Wetzel said. “Often times when they are in that situation all they see is hopelessness.

“And we are there to help them see hope.”

The organization seeks to educate those in these situations so they can make informed choices. This includes helping them realize how to adjust life plans.

While the focus is mostly on the unexpected pregnancies, she says they are more than willing to help even those that are planned.

“We have a program that we call Earn While You Learn program,” Wetzel said. “That is classes people can come and take and they can earn just about anything they need for a baby.”

These are items like clothes, diapers, wipe, etc. So, if anyone just needs some help “our doors are opened for you”.