Chapter Project: Mother's Day Signature Ad; Publicly Thank Mothers for Choosing Life.

Although it may not seem that way, Mother's Day is right around the corner. While there is still plenty of time to buy cards or make brunch reservations, pro-lifers must hasten to ensure that we don't miss this opportunity to thank mothers for the gift of life.

That requires planning and some persistence over the next two months. And if they haven't already, those plans should begin now!

Traditionally, "signature ads" have proven to be a highly effective educational tool. (See sample, this page.) Ads not only show the magnitude of pro-life support by listing the names of hundreds or thousands of pro-life citizens in the community, they also promote your chapter and help fundraising.

A Mother's Day ad is a tried-and-true chapter activity. People can give their mothers a unique Mother's Day gift by thanking their moms in print in the local newspaper. But how do you go about this?

Below are some steps to get you started. Since you won't want to miss any critical information or just some additional helpful hints, you'll probably want a fuller explanation than space allows for in National Right to Life News. Please call me at 202-626-8809, or e-mail me at chapters@nrlc.org with questions, comments, requests, and ideas.

So how do you begin the signature ad project? Start by contacting the advertising department of your local paper. Your objective should be to get the most bang for your buck. You want a great-looking, professional ad that reaches as many people as possible in the most economical way. NRLC has a variety of ads available for chapter use, free of charge.

Ask the representative a number of questions, including the newspaper's circulation, cost per ad size, deadlines, preferred format for it to receive your ad, and whether it has any other requirements. Make friends with your contact there since you will be relying a lot on his or her expertise and will be in pretty regular touch through the course of the project, especially if this is your first signature ad campaign.