A group of women honored executive director Suzanne Clendenin of Life Care Pregnancy Center (LCPC) of Carthage and the center's board of directors with a recent Saturday luncheon at Grace Church in Southern Pines.

Elena Aydelotte, 29, of Cameron, organized the event with help from Chelsea Roback, of Southern Pines. The twosome also led a "Community-Wide Baby Shower" and collected baby items for pregnant mothers and new mothers who request LCPC services. Lil Branch's Children's Store in Aberdeen donated merchandise, Chick-fil-A provided food for the luncheon, Grace Church donated funds and Sandhills Classical Christian School ninth-graders collected LCPC donations at their school.

"I was very moved and touched by everyone's compassionate response to this cause," Aydelotte said. "Life Care Pregnancy Center offers hope and a future."

LCPC of Carthage began in 1995 under the name "Pregnancy Services in the Sandhills."

"All that has gone before has been 'for such a time as this,'" said Clendenin, who has served six months as LCPC's executive director at the Carthage office.

Pam Dunlap, of Pinehurst, a wife and a mother of two school-age children, once served as a social worker at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh and now serves as president of the Carthage LCPC board of directors. She noted that grandmothers, mothers and pregnant mothers contact LCPC.

"They just need help, direction and support," Dunlap said. "Some come in who are abortion-minded."

LCPC is located at 103 Monroe St., Suite 103, Carthage. Its office hours are Tuesday through Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. and Thursday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. The number is (910) 947-6199.

All LCPC services are confidential and provided free of charge. LCPC is a Christ-centered ministry providing services that promote a Biblical perspective on sexuality, pregnancy, and the value of human life. LCPC is entirely funded by individual and church donations.