Lakeland 40 Days for Life vigil site: 

Public right-of-way outside
Lakeland Women's Health Center at 4444 South Florida Avenue
Lakeland, Florida

PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION BELOW--Feel free to contact Maryanne if you still have questions.  Thank you for joining our 40 Days for Life team to pray, fast and stand in vigil to end abortion in Lakeland. 

Parking will is no longer available behind Executive Plaza. 

Please spread the word that parking behind the plaza is not available to anyone, except those patronizing the businesses in the plaza.  Parking IS available in the parking lot of The Rock Church 270 E Highlands Drive. The entrance is off of Highland Drive just behind the Walgreens or from S. Florida Avenue next to Lings Buffet. The Rock Church is just behind Lings Buffet. It is a further walk and please be careful crossing Highland Drive to the sidewalk that goes south to the abortion clinic. Use the walk signal button on the post and watch carefully for turning cars. 

Exception:  (there's always an exception to the rule)  If you have a Handicapped placard or license plate that allows you to park in Handicapped spaces, please contact me via email or phone 863-602-9509. I will arrange to get a 40 DFL magnetic sign for your bumper that will allow you, if space is available, to park closer. I will give you directions on where to park when you get your 40 DFL magnetic sign. 

While at the vigil site, Lakeland Women's Health Center at 4444 S. Florida Ave., Do not stand or walk on Horizon Drive. You must stand on the sidewalk or the grass no closer than 6 in. from the white fence in front of the abortion clinic or on the corner grass in front of Mattress Firm. This property belongs to FDOT and is part of the public right of way. Do not block the sidewalk from pedestrians. Watch out for bicycles. Chairs, other than medical equipment such as wheelchairs/walkers, are not allowed on the sidewalk. If you need to sit in a chair, please keep it on the grass at the edge of the sidewalk. If asked to leave or told you may not do so by a code enforcement or Lakeland Police Dept. Officer, please follow their direction peacefully and contact me. Personal articles such as bags with outreach materials are not allowed on the sidewalk or grass and must be carried on one's person. Signs may not be stuck into the ground/grass according the Lakeland Code Enforcement and FDOT. 

Parking is NOT Allowed in the Options for Women  parking lot 4504 S. Florida Ave. Lakeland, 33813 adjacent to the Lakeland Women's Health Center ANY day or time. The amazing new Options for Women Pregnancy Help Center is NOW OPEN for business.  We can NOW direct women to go next door for free ultrasounds, free pregnancy tests, free STD testing and counseling on ALL their options. 

Please DO NOT go to the door of Options as this is disruptive to them and their clients. If a client to asks you to escort them or walk them over to Options, you may do so. 

Please do not stand or pace in front of the Options for Women property. To be most effective and to avoid confusion, it is recommended that the best place to stand is on the sidewalk on either side of Horizon Drive. That would be standing closest to the drive entering the abortion clinic and directly across Horizon Drive in front of Mattress Firm. Stay ON the sidewalk or grassy area. Do not stand in the crosswalk. Utilize it ONLY to cross the street. NEVER impede traffic entering or exiting Horizon Drive. See FACE Act.  DO NOT stand on Horizon Drive or the private properties: Lakeland Women's Health Center or Mattress Firm.  Please do not stand on the Options for Women property adjacent to the abortion clinic.  Keep some separation from their property in order not to confuse those entering Options for Women nor to be confused with trespassing on abortion clinic property. Use the fence line in front of the Lakeland Women's Health Center (abortion clinic) to judge where to stand when on the corner in front of Mattress Firm. Do not stand further east of the fence line in front of the Lakeland Women's Health Center. 

If given the opportunity to speak to an abortion minded woman, man, family member or friend of someone entering the abortion clinic, please inform them of free  care and ultrasounds as well as STD testing etc. at Options for Women        (863) 393-6988 right next door OR  A Woman's Choice PHC 863-683-2341 at 1234 E. Lime St. Lakeland to confirm hours and availability. 

Signs:  Carrying a sign is optional. You may carry a 40 Days for Life sign which you may obtain from Maryanne or another approved sign. Please contact me with questions.  If you need/want a 40 Days for Life sign, please contact Maryanne at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com to request one or see your local church 40 Days for Life leader. Please contact me at 863-602-9509 with questions. You may now text me at that number as well. 

SIGNS AND OUTREACH BAGS: will be available once you have signed up online and entered the day and time you (or I have done so for you) will be praying at the clinic. Information will be sent to you via email about the pick up of the outreach bags/signs. OR you may contact me at Lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com.  PLEASE read and review the materials in the bags. The bags are for you but the zip bags inside are for offering information to abortion minded women, men or whoever may have come with them that can bring it to the client  or can reach out to them.  There is also information about abortion pill reversal and healing and counseling after abortion. I have had some success handing this information to women leaving the abortion clinic with a small bag containing the 2nd and 3rd pill.  If I see a woman leaving the clinic with the bag I try to get them to roll down their window by showing the flyer and I only hand it to them if they roll down the window by stepping onto the cross walk if necessary. Be careful not to be on any other part of Horizon Drive. I offer it to them, but do not push it on them. It helps if I have even a few moments to explain it so please read the flyers enclosed in your white outreach bag.  

Prayer and presence is more important than ever. New challenges have been placed before us to interfere with any verbal contact with women and families coming into the clinic. see FACE Act.  Also, a vinyl fence now surrounds the parking lot and escorts have been added who often carry umbrellas to shield the clients from seeing or hearing sidewalk advocates. Do not let this discourage you. Fences and escorts cannot keep God out.  Quiet prayer is all we ask.  Let's blanket the sidewalk with prayer advocates. During one campaign a woman was dropped off at the "wrong" location...the Options for Women Mobile unit.  Once she realized it, she walked down the sidewalk towards the abortion clinic. She was encountered and counseled by some of the regular sidewalk advocates and as a result she returned to Options, saw her ultrasound, and chose life for her child. Praise be to God. You may be that person who leads an abortion minded woman to the pregnancy help center and save the life of a baby, a mother, a family. During another campaign two volunteers prayed together during a rain storm. The workers in the abortion clinic came out off and on to see if we were still standing there quietly praying. At the end of that campaign, one of those workers quit her job and went to see Options for Women Director, Marilyn Paul. She never came out or talked to the women praying, but she was convicted through their faithful prayer and perseverance in the storm to quit. Praise be to God. 

Outreach materials--will be available to those volunteers who sign up to pray on the sidewalk.  Signs and outreach materials will be made available until supplies run out .  You can call or text me at 863-602-9509 or email me at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com if you need materials or signs. 

If you still have a bag of materials from previous participation in 40 Days for Life, please bring it with you when you go to pray. 

Days and times abortions take place:  Wednesdays are very busy.  However, we have seen a change in the schedule with no clients showing up on Fridays until later in the afternoon, closer to 2 PM.  I will keep you posted as soon as we know there has been a change in day and time abortions are taking place. Every other Thursday afternoon abortions have been taking place. Days/times will be updated and posted on the Vigil Calendar Remember that abortions are not the only "service" performed at the clinic. They also offer birth control and weight loss. Sidewalk Advocacy is not for everyone. If you are not comfortable with encountering abortion minded women and those who accompany them, you can contact me about Abortion Advocacy Training (Sidewalk Counseling Training),  read What to Say When and What to Say When 2 (highly recommended to prepare anyone to defend life anytime) available at www.40daysforlife.com/gear or at our Kick off Rally, and/or choose a day/time to quietly pray on the sidewalk any time Monday through Saturday, any hour between 7 AM and 7 PM. 

In the past we have sometimes had to share the sidewalk with  "other" sidewalk advocates present that are not part of 40 Days for Life.  Their strategies sometimes conflict with our philosophy and their signs can be very graphic. Try to keep a distance and remain prayerful if you encounter anyone who is engaging in behavior not consistent with the Statement of Peace you signed. Remain prayerful and peaceful...at a distance so as not to be confused with any other group not conforming to our philosophy.  We have not had this happen for quite awhile but just in case we want you to know what is expected of you...quiet prayer. 

The days and times abortions take place are not for everyone. There are many days and times that are condusive to peaceful, private prayer and standing as a witness to LIFE has an impact on others you may never know.  Whether you are there at 7 AM or 6 PM and not even a worker is present, many people are seeing you and your commitment to life as they drive by. You may never know, this side of heaven, how many lives were saved by your presence on that sidewalk. Thank you for being there.  

I encourage you to go to 40 Days for Life Gear and Shop for a 40 DFL shirt you can wear in addition to carrying a sign. A large variety of clothing articles, hats, signs, books, and magnetic car tags are available on the 40 DFL website.  You will also use this site to sign up for vigil hours, view your hours, cancel or change your hours. The calendar is very user friendly and allows great flexibility. Thank you for volunteering. 

Questions: please contact Maryanne at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com or 863-602-9509 to talk or text.