BY KATHI STEARNS

Georgia Bulletin Staff Writer

ATLANTA--The Pregnancy Problem Center, a volunteer-staffed center in Hapeville that counsels and helps women in crisis pregnancies, celebrated its 11th anniversary Oct. 28.

In honor of the anniversary over 200 people attended the "Harvest Moon Ball," the center's major fund-raiser, at All Saints Church in Dunwoody.

The center, located at 411 King Arnold Street in Hapeville, near St. John the Evangelist Parish, the interstate and Hartsfield Airport, is contacted by 30 to 40 people a week. Over the past 11 years the center has served over 6,000 clients.

The center provides free pregnancy tests, medical referrals, legal assistance, educational materials, transportation, maternity clothes, baby items and furniture to expectant mothers. In addition to counseling, the center also provides temporary shelter for those who might be homeless if they decide to keep their babies. Recently they have begun post-abortion counseling.

"Whatever we can possibly do, we will do," said Jean Hess, one of the founders. "If they need legal advice, we'll get it for them; if they need a ride somewhere, we'll take them wherever they need to go. We will do whatever it takes to save that baby."

She says that many of the clients who come to the Pregnancy Problem Center are abortion-minded at first. "However, once they make an appointment and see that there are options other than abortion they often change their minds," Ms. Hess said. "Their first reaction is panic. But once they sit down and talk about it, they realize that they can overcome the problem, whatever it is, that they once felt was insurmountable. Ninety-nine percent of the time it works."

Ms. Hess has been the mainstay of the Pregnancy Problem Center since 1984. A retired airline employee, Ms. Hess is a registered nurse who has made the center her full-time work. She is also serving as a resident housemother.

In 1993 she spearheaded a campaign to purchase the center's building when the owner retired. For years the volunteers had been able to work at the center rent-free because of the support of the owner, O.P. Rintye.

According to Ms. Hess, sizable contributions were received from St. Ann's pro-life ministry in Marietta, parishioners at All Saints, Dunwoody, St. Jude the Apostle, Sandy Springs, St. John the Evangelist, the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, and the Anglican-use community, St. Augustine of Canterbury. By April 1993, she raised the $55,000 necessary to purchase the building.

Since that time people of diverse faiths have come together and re-roofed and renovated the former dental office building, changing it into a fully functioning crisis pregnancy agency. The center was dedicated by Archbishop John F. Donoghue July 31, 1994 during an ecumenical prayer service.

"The people who founded the center are Catholic," Ms. Hess said. "But many of those who have kept this project going have been Baptist and Methodist as well as Catholic. It has been very encouraging to see everyone work together to protect the sanctity of life."

The Pregnancy Problem Center may be contacted at (404) 763-4357.