Lakeland 40 Days for Life vigil site: 

Public right-of-way outside
Lakeland Women's Health Center at 4444 South Florida Avenue
Lakeland, Florida

PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION BELOW--Feel free to contact Maryanne if you still have questions.  Thank you for joining our 40 Days for Life team to pray, fast and stand in vigil to end abortion in Lakeland. 

Parking will is no longer available behind Executive Plaza or in any of the parking lots in front or behind Executive Plaza. 

Please spread the word that parking behind the plaza is not available to anyone, except those patronizing the businesses in the plaza.  Parking IS available in the parking lot of The Rock Church behind Walgreens. The entrance is off of Highland Drive just behind the Walgreens.  It is a further walk and please be careful crossing Highland Drive to the sidewalk that goes south to the abortion clinic. Use the walk signal button on the post and watch carefully for turning cars. 

Exception:  (there's always an exception to the rule)  If you have a Handicapped placard or license plate that allows you to park in Handicapped spaces, please contact me via email or phone 863-602-9509. I will arrange to get a 40 DFL magnetic sign for your bumper that will allow you, if space is available, to park closer. I will give you directions on where to park when you get your 40 DFL magnetic sign. 

While at the vigil site, Lakeland Women's Health Center at 4444 S. Florida Ave., Do not stand on Horizon Drive. You must stand on the sidewalk or the grass up do 6 in. from the white fence in front of the abortion clinic or on the corner grass in front of Mattress Firm. This property belongs to FDOT and is part of the public right of way. Do not block the sidewalk from pedestrians. Watch out for bicycles. Chairs, other than medical equipment such as wheelchairs/walkers, are not allowed on the sidewalk or the grass. Personal articles such as bags with outreach materials are not allowed on the sidewalk or grass and must be carried on one's person. Signs may not be stuck into the ground/grass according the Lakeland Code Enforcement and FDOT. 

Parking is NOT Allowed in the Options for Women  parking lot 4504 S. Florida Ave. Lakeland, 33813 adjacent to the Lakeland Women's Health Center ANY day or time due to the construction of the amazing new Options for Women Pregnancy Health Center brick and mortar building. 

Please do not stand or pace in front of the Options for Women property. To be most effective and to avoid confusion, it is recommended that the best place to stand is on the sidewalk on either side of Horizon Drive. That would be standing closest to the drive entering the abortion clinic and directly across Horizon Drive in front of Mattress Firm. Stay ON the sidewalk or grassy area. Do not stand in the crosswalk. Utilize it ONLY r  cross the street. NEVER impede traffic entering or exiting Horizon Drive. DO NOT stand on Horizon Drive or the private properties: Lakeland Women's Health Center or Mattress Firm.  Please do not stand on the Options for Women property adjacent to the abortion clinic.  Keep some separation from their property in order not to confuse those entering Options for Women nor to be confused with trespassing on abortion clinic property. 

If given the opportunity to speak to an abortion minded woman, man, family member or friend of someone entering the abortion clinic, please inform them of free  care and ultrasounds as well as STD testing etc. at Options for Women at 4435 Florida National Drive, Lakeland (863) 393-6988

Signs:  Carrying a sign is optional. You may carry a 40 Days for Life sign which you may obtain from Maryanne or another approved sign. Please contact me with questions.  If you need/want a 40 Days for Life sign, please contact Maryanne at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com to request one or see your local church 40 Days for Life leader. Please contact me at 863-602-9509 with questions. You may now text me at that number as well. 

Signs and outreach materials will also be available beginning Feb. 14 after 9 AM at the BACK DOOR of Options for Women, 4435 Florida National Drive, (the road directly behind the Wells Fargo Bank on S. Florida Ave.) A special message sign will be  available to be used on days/times abortions take place. If you sign up for vigil hours weekly on a Wednesday morning, Friday afternoon or Thursday afternoon, when abortions are taking place, you may want to use one of the new signs--"We can help you"  " Free Ultrasound"  "You Don't Have to do this Today"  Contact me at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com

SIGNS AND OUTREACH BAGS: will be available behind Options for Women at 4435 Florida National Drive ,(863) 393-6988 behind the Wells Fargo Bank on the corner of Florida Ave. and Highlands Drive.  This is the closest location to the vigil site that will have these materials. Please do NOT go to the front door of Options as this is disruptive to them and their clients. You may call ahead to be sure they are open and the tub has been placed on the back stoop of the building.  PLEASE read and review the materials in the bags. The bags are for you but the zip bags inside are for giving to abortion minded women, men or whoever may have come with them that can bring it to the client inside if you encounter or can reach out to them.  There is also information about abortion pill reversal and healing and counseling after abortion.  

Prayer and presence is more important than ever. New challenges have been placed before us to interfere with any verbal contact with women and families coming into the clinic. A 4 ft. fence now surrounds the parking lot and escorts have been added who often carry umbrellas to shield the clients from seeing or hearing sidewalk advocates. Do not let this discourage you. Fences and escorts cannot keep God out. Quiet prayer is all we ask. Let's blanket the sidewalk with prayer advocates. During the one campaign a woman was dropped off at the "wrong" location...the Options for Women Mobile unit.  Once she realized it, she walked down the sidewalk towards the abortion clinic. She was encountered and counseled by some of the regular sidewalk advocates and as a result she returned to Options, saw her ultrasound, and chose life for her child. Praise be to God. You may be that person who leads an abortion minded woman to the pregnancy help center and save the life of a baby, a mother, a family. During another campaign two volunteers prayed together during a rain storm. The workers in the abortion clinic came out off and on to see if we were still standing there quietly praying. At the end of that campaign, one of those workers quit her job and went to see Options for Women Dirctor, Marilyn Paul. She never came out and talked to the women praying, but she was convicted through their faithful prayer and perseverance in the storm to quit. Praise be to God. 

Outreach materials--will be available to those volunteers who sign up to pray on the sidewalk on days and times abortions take place. Signs and outreach materials will be made available until supplies run out .  You can call or text me at 863-602-9509 or email me at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com. 

If you still have a bag of materials from previous participation in 40 Days for Life, please bring it with you when you go to pray. 

Days and times abortions take place:  Wednesday mornings, Friday afternoons, and every other Thursday afternoon.  During these times, there is a large contingency of "other" sidewalk advocates present that are not part of 40 Days for Life.  Their strategies sometimes conflict with our philosophy and their signs can be very graphic. Try to keep a distance and remain prayerful if you encounter those who engage in yelling, etc.

The days and times abortions take place are not for everyone. There are many days and times that are condusive to peaceful, private prayer and standing as a witness to LIFE has an impact on others you may never know.  Whether you are there at 7 AM or 6 PM and not even a worker is present, many people are seeing you and your commitment to life as they drive by. You may never know, this side of heaven, how many lives were saved by your presence on that sidewalk. Thank you for being there.  

I encourage you to go to 40 Days for Life Gear and Shop for a 40 DFL shirt you can wear in addition to carrying a sign. A large variety of clothing articles, hats, signs, books, and magnetic car tags are available on the 40 DFL website.  You will also use this site to sign up for vigil hours, view your hours, cancel or change your hours. The calendar is very user friendly and allows great flexibility. Thank you for volunteering. 

Questions: please contact Maryanne at lakeland40daysforlife@gmail.com or 863-602-9509 to talk or text.