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Page 20, WhItby Free Press, Wensday, May 3, 1M9 HIE LPý CEIF TRFlE Counsellig services availabe or soon-to-be parents ]By Natasha Hotchidss The Pregnanýcy Help Centre of Durham Providles, options for mothers and fathers-to-be. "ur> focus is to give them the truth, to give them the informa- tion and then for them to take that and decide what they want to do"» says executive director Lori l4euber who runs the centre located at 127 Perry St. in Whtb. Neu~ras trains volunteers (from 15 to 20) and malces e sentations to sehools, ehurces, youth and aduits about abstinence until marriage, fetal development, types of abortion, adot-abortion syndrome. eW corne from the point of view' where it's your life, you have to make the choice, b ut here are your choioes, here are the consequences and the impli- cations of that choice." Volunteers at the centre do some counselin P,mainly to pro- vide women wth the moral sup- port they need. Women who seek help at Ithe centre are between ages 15 and 21. 'Mhe marjority that corne to us are in igh school, they then become pregnant and a lot of them don't continue high school» says Neuber. Counselors provide a support system that women don't have at home.- In many situations, the parents of the women are unsup- 1fortive, neglective, or'iii another The women flnd they can't ask questions about prency «We, at the cere fill *a gap for these women,» ex lainseLori. On. counselor, w9Io preferred not to be identified, works mainly with teenage fathers. "I took an interest in 'this because I have a really strong feeling there are a lot of sincere fathers out there ... there are a lot of men that need help.» Counselors want to know how the father is feeling, how he is adjusting to becoming a father, and what his concerns are. "In reality, we don't see very many of the fathers," says Neu- ber. The centre provides free preg- nancy testing and consultation, but is not a medical facility. The 'Help Centre' off6e new mothers and fathers some basic necessities for parenthood. Ini the basemnent of the build- ing they provide, clothing, baby formula, and equipment for women to help themselves. There. are return clients, those ~ho corne back for baby food and cloting nd o ggSupport and 1l4t. cnrasoinvolves the clients in several socal activities such as a Christmas- party for clients and their childrepi -such settings eýnable mothers to get to know each other and offer com- panionship. Tlhere has also been a visit by PARTICIPANTS, Including dogs George glght) wlth owners* Joey and Andrew guwalda, and Tiff any (Ieft) with owners Jeremiah and Jessica Baab, awalt the start a poesionalbautician wh takdto women abbut makeup, hair, care and fashion'. and the recent walkathon, the major fun- draiser for the centre. For more information, cail 430-. 8784. of a walkathon held-recently by the Pregnancy HeIp Centre of Durham, Iocated on. Perry Street ln Whitby. The oentre provides help for womnen In crIsis las a resuitofpency 1 eN-TC -sLLR H E