In the 49 years since Roe v. Wade, pro-life Americans have been marching throughout the country to spread awareness about their feelings against abortion. According to Ron Kazmierczak, the past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, the group has been organizing their own local march for over 20 years. "We support life. We believe life starts at conception," said current Grand Knight Patrick Walt at the march in downtown Thompson Falls last Friday.

The group advertises in the paper prior to the event, and they coordinate their protest to happen at the same time as the ones that go on in Washington, D.C. "We're all one body in Christ, and that's what we're meant to be," said Kazmierczak. He explained that their march usually draws more than 40 people. The Knights of Columbus have several signs they have made to hand out, but Kazmierczak reported that most participants bring their own.

Walt, who moved to the area four years ago, explained that the Knights of Columbus are the largest Catholic fraternal service organization in the country. According to Kazmierczak, their goal is to help their local communities, as well as to bring awareness to Christ.

The march began with a prayer and the group walked with their signs down main street. The event drew over fifty people and they started at the Sanders County courthouse, traveled down to the end of the sidewalk eastward, and back again. "We're still trying to find where in the Bible it says abortion is allowed," Walt said as his reason for marching.