December Event-in-a-Box: Life is a Gift

This month’s box is a limited order only! The first 15 groups to request will receive a surprise box of goodies. Please email Missy for details using the subject line “Event-in-a-Box Request.” (This request is for student groups only.)

Mark Your Calendar

• Tuesday, January 21st: Join thousands of your pro-life peers at the 2014 SFLA National Conference! Don’t miss the largest pro-life youth event in the  country. Register TODAY to ensure that you have a spot.
  
• Wednesday, January 21st: The National March for Life will be hosting its 40th march this coming January. Join over 600,000 pro-lifers as we march in solidarity on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
• Saturday, January 25th: If you are living on the West Coast, you don’t want to miss Walk for Life West Coast!Head to San Francisco to walk with your pro-life peers.Check out details here.
• Sunday, January 26th: For the first time, SFLA is now hosting a National Conference on the West Coast! If you cannot make it across the country to Washington, DC, come to San Francisco for our 1st ever SFLA West Coast National Conference!

Talking Points

We know that it can be hard finding new topics to discuss at your meetings! We strive to make this easier for you by providing “Get Educated” topics. For this month, why not try something a little out of the norm? Let’s talk about issues from both the beginning and end of life:

• Personhood
• Stem Cell Research
• In Vitro Fertilization
• Euthanasia

Events & Activities

Students for Life Christmas social

Having a Christmas social energizes your group and boosts morale! Make time to celebrate your accomplishments as a group and enjoy the company of the fellow pro-lifers in your community.

• Choose a date, time, and location for your social event.
• Invite your group, your friends, family, and members of the community who have been involved with your group throughout the year.
• Assign members to handle food and decoration preparation, set up, and post-event clean up.
• Create displays of your group’s work throughout the year. Get creative! Use pictures, videos, and quotes. Highlight your accomplishments- such as goals met, most successful event, or funds raised.
• Have handouts to give to guests to highlight the year’s successes as well as to present future goals.
• Goody bags or door prizes are always a fun surprise for guests! Put together a goodie bag of pro-life materials or handout t-shirts to the early bird guests.
• Enjoy. Relax. Have fun! You earned it.

Celebrate Family tabling display

Tired of your boring tabling display? Make your tabling display a little more personal this Christmas season. Create a tabling display with group members’ family Christmas photos. This is a sweet way to celebrate the joys of family with your peers.

• Ask each member to contribute 1 or more photos.
• Have each member write a quick blurb about why they love their family. Add in fun notes like “Favorite Christmas Tradition.”
• Assemble all photos and stories in a photo album, or on a tri-fold display.
• Reserve space to present your table on campus. (This may be in the Student Union, cafeteria, or a free speech zone on campus.)
• Sign up for times to stand with your table to represent your group.

Christmas cards

Christmas cards are a great way to reach out to local moms or to cheer up your elderly neighbors. This activity is so simple to organize, and it can bring so much joy for moms and the elderly- both of whom need your love and support.

• Advertise a time, place, and location for people to get together and write simple holiday greetings for local moms.
• In addition, you may choose to place boxes around the school for students to drop letters in. (If this is done, you will want to review the submitted to letters to make sure that these letters are appropriate.)
• You can ask volunteers to bring their own materials. However, you must also be prepared to supply cards, pens, crafting materials, and other materials.
• You may choose to purchase card stock and art materials to uniquely design each card. You could also buy several sets of holiday cards and then ask each volunteer to hand write a personal message.
• If you have the names of your card recipients, be sure to address those cards to each person.
• For delivering the cards, your group may mail them or drop them off at the location. However, if you have the time, you can have members personally deliver each letter!

Christmas “Giving Tree” supply drive

The Christmas spirit is all about giving to others and reaching out to those in need. Why not set up a Giving Tree to collect donations for a local family or a Pregnancy Resource Center? Or collect sweet, simple gifts for the local nursing home! (Gifts for the nursing home may include: flowers, blankets.)

• Ask for permission to set up a small Christmas tree (fake or real) in a popular, indoor location at your school.
• After receiving permission, contact your local PRC (or the nursing home) to find out what items are needed most.
• Create ornaments that specify each item. These ornaments can be simple paper or cardboard tags with the name of an item.
• Set up the tree with the ornaments with a display or poster next to it describing the drive.
• Assign group members to take turns standing near the Christmas Giving Tree. Members can explain the project, and they can also ensure that donations are being returned to the right location.
• People who wish to donate will take an ornament and return with the item named on it.
• For a festive touch, make your donation boxes look like Christmas boxes! This extra effort may attract more people to your event, and it embraces the holiday spirit.

Homeless outreach

Remember to consider the needs of those less fortunate than you. Ask your group if they would consider taking time to serve at a local soup kitchen, or if they would like to collect winter clothes (e.g. hats, scarves, gloves) to donate to a local homeless shelter. You service or donations will bring joy and comfort to someone who very much needs love and support this Christmas.

Need more suggestions? Please view our 2012 December Event-in-a-Box event suggestions- including Christmas community baby shower, Caroling, and Pro-Life Nativity!

Don’t Forget!

Are your student leaders graduating this December or in May? If so, you will need to begin planning for a smooth leadership transition.

1. Discuss with your group what positions will be open.
2. Ask for nominations and/or volunteers.
3. Hold an election. (Have each candidate make a short speech about why they are qualified to assume a particular leadership role.)
4. Leaders who are stepping down should create a job description for the incoming leader. They should also pass along any notes, contact information, etc. that will be helpful for the new leader. Old and new leaders should spend time together discussing any concerns from

Leadership transitions are crucial for the continuing success of your group. Talk to your SFLA Regional Coordinator about how you can improve this process.

Recommended Graphics & Flyers

Remember: Social media graphics and flyering can be highly effective when done intentionally and with strategy. Check out our “Tips for Flyering & Social Media” to improve your effectiveness on campus.

Recommended Videos

This simple presentation details the “Miracle of Life”- stating the incredible development of the preborn child in the womb.

This short video is a great example of how your choices and your decision to act makes a difference. What decisions did you make to get involved in the Pro-Life movement? Whose lives have you touched?

This last video discusses euthanasia from the Catholic perspective. While directed to a Catholic audience, it offers a thoughtful presentation about end of life issues that may be appreciated by a wider Christian audience.