Mike Duffy, 26, is already a veteran pro-lifer, dedicated to the promotion and protection of all life.
He became involved in the effort four years ago and recently received the 34th annual Stinchfield Award in recognition of his dedication to the cause of life from Porter County Right to Life. "I was very honored, but I sure felt doing work to promote the sanctity of the right to life is something everyone should be doing. I was still very honored, nevertheless, to receive it," he said.
Duffy moved to Chesterton when he was attending Valparaiso Law School and stopped by the Porter County Right to Life office when he was exploring the area. He got acquainted with the director and offered his time. The first thing he did was help organize their library and in 2008 he helped the group locate a guest speaker for their annual banquet. He also worked in the office to help organize Life Chain. "Sometimes it's basic nuts and bolts things to help them," he said.
A 3L (college senior) at Valparaiso University, Duffy became involved and is now president of the pro life student group, Jus Vitae. He also began attending St. Patrick Church in Chesterton and soon became involved with the Respect Life Committee there. That group is having a Rosary for Life at 6 p.m. Jan 22 and co-sponsoring along with Knights of Columbus its second annual Breakfast for Life from 8 am. to noon Jan. 31 in the St. Patrick School gym.
"I think that the right to life is the most basic and fundamental rights," he said. "I think one of the overlooked rights it's the right to life. That is the foundational right in our country and the thing everyone should want to protect. I'm trying to do what I can for people to acknowledge the importance of this right and very simply, to save lives.
"I hope as the years pass, more people will see the unborn as persons, as human beings. One of my goals in doing this is to change as many hearts and minds as I can," he said.
By Sue Bero, Times Correspondent
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