In observance of Sanctity of Human Life Week, January 15-22, Sav-a-Life will host open house from 2 until 4 p.m. Sunday at its new location at 523 South Three Notch Street in Troy.

Lois Finley, Sav-a-Life director, said Sanctity of Human Life Week is an opportunity for communities to come together to celebrate the intrinsic value of all human life.

“This year will mark the 39th anniversary of the tragic Supreme Court decision in Roe vs. Wade that opened the floodgates for abortion on demand,” Finley said. “Since Jan. 22, 1973, about 50 million children have been aborted in the United States.”

Sav-a-Life in Troy is working daily to bring life-affirming resources to the Pike County area and to empower women and men to choose life for their unborn children.”

“In 2011, the number of visits at the Sav-a-Life center in Troy was 1,543,” Finley said.

“Of that number, 542 came in for pregnancy tests and 500 others for ultra sounds. We have been offering ultra sounds for more than a year. They can be done six weeks or more into a pregnancy. The reason that we wanted to offer this service is so that we can show a client that, at that early stage, the baby is a real person. We give them a picture and that makes it real to them.”

Finley said 28 percent of the center’s clients are university students and 12 percent are high school students between the ages of 13 and 18.

“The majority, about 43 percent, of our clients are between the ages of 19 and 22,” she said. “Last year, the youngest client was 13 and the oldest was 53. More than a few times, we have mothers and daughters who are pregnant at the same time.”

The Sav-a-Life center also offers classes in nutrition, prenatal care and marriage.

Nearly 80 percent of the clients are unmarried and, of the other 20 percent, most of them have no insurance.

“Last year, we had 134 clients who took classes at our center,” Finley said. “Fifty-eight of them brought visitors, so we served a large number in the classroom.

“We also served 84 families with baby clothes, diapers and food items. We don’t purchase those items. They are donated by people who get baby clothes and diapers that their babies outgrow before they can wear them.

“A lot of times, babies can’t tolerate a certain formula or won’t take it so people will bring us formula or baby foods they have bought but their babies won’t eat. We always appreciate items like that because there are always those in need.”

Finley said the community is invited to attend open house at Sav-a-Life on Sunday.

“This is an opportunity to tour our buildings, classrooms and ultra sound room and learn more about our programs,” Finley said.