It was a UNITED tour first! So many Minnesotans came out for the state rally in St. Paul that we needed to back up the bus to expand the rally space so everybody could fit in.

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Nobody would have expected the ?spring? version of the 40 Days for Life campaign to emerge in a place like Minnesota. But it was Brian Gibson of Pro-Life Action Ministries who first suggested a February-March campaign back in 2008!

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Rochester leader Paula Ellefson explained how God's mercy broke her chains following her abortion ? and Mankato leader Mary Flanagan described how her campaign has grown to 24 hours a day. We also heard from Brendan O'Morchoe, the national director of Pro-Life Future.

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More than 100 came out as we made our vigil stop outside Planned Parenthood in St. Cloud, Minnesota ... with the Knights of Columbus opening the event in prayer.

The police came by after a ?local establishment? complained that the event was impacting business. We have an idea which establishment it might have been! This was no problem. In spite of amazing crowds, we always take great care to keep the sidewalks clear and to obey local ordinances.

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With Bishop John Folda?s opening prayer, our Fargo rally got started ? outside the only remaining abortion center in all of North Dakota!

Among the 150 attendees were leaders of the newly-formed Students for Life chapter at the University of North Dakota, who traveled an hour from Grand Forks to join us. Their fields of study spanned all of academia ? including nursing. Praise God for future pro-life medical professionals!

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The trip odometer just passed 6,000 miles -- about a third of the way through our trek. And we've now been to exactly half of the 50 states.

Steven Karlen, Campaign Director

Prior to joining the headquarters team, Steve directed several highly-successful 40 Days for Life campaigns in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. As campaign director, Steve helps local 40 Days for Life leaders build and improve life-saving efforts in their communities.