The four crosswalks at the intersection of Capital Ave. NE and Van Buren Ave. have been painted pink and blue to bring awareness to the sanctity of life for the month of October. The pink and blue art is done on behalf of the Michigan Heartbeat Coalition, a non-profit, pro-life organization that is collecting petition signatures for the Heartbeat Bill of Michigan. The coalition says city officials were supportive in the project, which was privately funded by a grant from a local philanthropic organization.  

Corey Shankleton, President of the Michigan Heartbeat Coalition, will be a guest on the WBCK Morning Show with Tim Collins on Thursday, following the 8 o'clock news. .

The Heartbeat Bill (formally known as the Fetal Heartbeat Protection Act) would require testing to determine whether a heartbeat is detectable before an abortion is performed and prohibit a person from performing an abortion after a heartbeat is detected. Volunteers are working to collect over 500,000 valid voter signatures across Michigan over the next several months. Once collected, a simple majority vote in the House and Senate will make the bill a Michigan law, bypassing a potential veto by the Governor.

Sanctity of Life Crosswalk -Michigan Heartbeat Coalition -
Sanctity of Life Crosswalk -Michigan Heartbeat Coalition -
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In addition to promoting the petition drive, volunteers will continue to support local educational efforts and crisis pregnancy centers’ efforts to provide the needed support for pregnant women who may find themselves frightened and alone. These types of efforts have had a profoundly positive impact. The number of abortions in Calhoun County has declined by 37% over the past decade and the rate continues to decline nationwide as well.

Individuals who would like more information on the Michigan Heartbeat Bill and Michigan Heartbeat Coalition may visit the website - miheartbeat.org.

Earlier this summer, Battle Creek Pride sponsored a similar-looking crosswalk design highlighting the same intersection in Battle Creek.

Rainbow Crosswalks-TSM Photo
Rainbow Crosswalks-TSM Photo
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