CPO’s 4th Annual Super Hero Run: All the details you’ll need!

Author Archives: Crisis Pregnancy Outreach

CPO’s 4th Annual Super Hero Run: All the details you’ll need!

It’s almost time for our Super Hero Run! This is a fantastic way to have a great time while supporting CPO, a very worthy cause!
You can run, cheer, or volunteer! Whatever you choose, be sure to dress up in your best super hero costume!
Our race coordinator, Keli Boatman, has graciously answered some questions about the event. See below for all the details you’ll need to join in the fun. shr-photo

Q: When is the race?
A: This year’s race is on November 12th. We love doing this event in November because it is recognized as National Adoption Awareness month. Sometimes it gets a little chilly, but it’s such a fun time to be able to get together and celebrate adoption in our own way!

Q: How early should participants arrive?
A: The 5K race starts at 8:30 AM so participants should try and be there about 7:45 or 8 that morning. Runners for the 1K, which starts at 9:30, should shoot for about 9. This should allow time for you to get parked and over with us and maybe even cheer on those finishing up the 5K as you come in!

Q: Is it okay to walk instead of run?
A: Walking is most certainly allowed! We just want to see all your super faces out with us. All we ask is that when we line up for the race that you hang to the back of the group. This allows the runners that are seeking a serious time to move to the front and set the new personal best at the Superhero Run! Similarly, we do allow strollers, but please single width only, and we ask you to also stick to the back at the starting line to allow those runners to pass.

Q: What kind of volunteers are needed?
A: Our volunteers are definitely the staple that holds this run together. We could never have had such a successful race the last few years without them. One of the biggest and most important volunteer needs that we have this year is running/walking! We have such a great turn out for volunteers that what we really need is people that will gear up to walk or run to celebrate our Superheroes. The second biggest need that we have this year is Sponsorship! We have so many different levels that fit any budget, corporate or individual. It would be phenomenal if we had some volunteers that would get out and get the Superhero run into the minds of business owners or individuals that have a heart for this organization and would be willing to donate to help us keep this run going. We are so blessed to have Serena Lowe joining this years’ team as our volunteer coordinator. I know she will do an incredible job working with our volunteers and making sure they’re in a spot that keeps everything moving smoothly. If you would like to volunteer, email Serena at serenalowecpo@gmail.com. For sponsorship information email Keli at kboatman38@yahoo.com.

Q: What will the t-shirt design look like this year?
A: We are very excited that the long sleeve runner shirt will be back! Our Superhero Run logo will still be on the front and all of our wonderful sponsors will once again be loud and proud on the back!

Q: How can readers help get the word out?
A: Yes! Please help us spread the word. The way the website is laid out makes it so easy for you to create your team. Be it a company, church, or family… make a team and recruit like crazy! We have prizes for the biggest! We also have flyers that you can pick up and distribute in your office, church, gym, etc. We are also very active on our Facebook page which you can find by searching Super Hero Run and for some added fun you can follow us on Instagram this year. You can find us there @superheroruntulsa. I will be updating that page with progress sneak peeks to let you in on all of the fun so go find both of those pages and share, share, share! In the last few years, surveys reported that our biggest source of advertising was word of mouth. You are our biggest asset! Contact Keli at kboatman38@yahoo.com to get flyers for distribution.

Q: Where do we register and what is the deadline?
A: Registration is open at http://superherorun2016.eventbrite.com. From there you can register as an individual or as a team and get all ready to go! Be sure you get registered ASAP to get your t-shirt ordered. There is no deadline, we will be accepting registrations right up to race day, but prices increase by $5 on November the 2nd and the only way you’re guaranteed a shirt is if you’re registered by November 5th.

Q: Are there prizes?
A: We will have our wonderful runner medals again this year as well as prizes again for the best costumes and the biggest teams. We have so much fun with those fantastic masks, tutus, and of course the occasional cape! We will also be doing giveaways and prizes on our Facebook and Instagram pages leading up to the event so be sure to go “like” the Super Hero Run Facebook page right now or find us on Instagram here!

Q: Is there anything else you want us to know about the run?
A: I just want to thank you all for such an incredible race last year. I have the opportunity to plan this event with a great committee that is working very hard for you all. I’d like to thank Serena Lowe again for coordinating some incredible volunteers. I’m thrilled to announce that Becky Martin is back with us this year and I cannot say thank you enough for all of her help recruiting both sponsors and runners. Also a huge shout out to my wonderful momma, Angie Boatman, for hanging with us again as the very best Registration Coordinator I could imagine. I’m truly blessed to work with such an amazing committee. Please join us on race day to show your love, support, and encouragement to the incredible birth mothers that CPO has touched!

Retro CPO: Exciting News

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article was written in winter of 2009 and details the moment CPO was given our existing office space in Christian Chapel.

Something exciting is happening at Christian Chapel!

We are embarking on a $2,000,000 building program that will include offices and a meeting space just for CPO! We will be able to do pregnancy testing and perform ultrasounds on the young women God sends our way. Can’t you just see the sign out on Memorial that offers free pregnancy testing?! The location of Christian Chapel is strategic. We are surrounded by young women in nearby high schools, neighborhoods and those GOING TO THE MALL! I believe that God will multiply the number of girls we see tenfold.

On November 9, we had our Commitment Service at Christian Chapel and we held it outside in the area where the addition will be. I am sure that I am not the only “spatially challenged” person around, but I felt like the staff had outlined each room, with spray paint, on the grass, just for me! I stood and prayed in the “rooms” where we will minister LIFE to thousands of young women, and felt such excitement over the future of CPO. Hooray, God!!

“The their’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. ” -John 10:10

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Volunteers Matter: Brooks Parker

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been 100% run by volunteers since its inception more than 30 years ago. No one has ever received a salary, which enables CPO to make an even bigger difference in the lives of Tulsa area women. We know that volunteers matter, and to honor them we periodically interview and highlight one of our volunteers. This week we hear from another dedicated volunteer, Brooks Parker.

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: I work in the office occasionally, gather and organize baby/maternity donations so they are easily accessible at the CPO storage unit. I helped with donations for the gala in April and I will soon be writing some blog posts.:)

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: I began volunteering the end of November, 2015.

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: I heard about CPO from various people over the past several years. When my niece was pregnant a friend recommended she utilize CPO’s services since she was young with an unplanned pregnancy. CPO was helpful for her at that time in her life. There are also several CPO adoptive families at my kids’ school and I have several friend/acquaintances at CPO that are heavily involved in volunteering at the organization. I have always heard wonderful comments.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: Well, I wouldn’t say “versus”.;) I still volunteer a lot at my kids’ school and I also assist with computer work and am on the finance team at my church. I have wanted to get involved with CPO for some time but the main motivator at this time is because we are now a waiting adoptive family. I love that CPO requires volunteer hours to complete an adoption. For someone like me that may be reserved to jump into a situation I am not familiar with, it has pushed me to put myself out there and learn the ropes of CPO.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: CPO cares for many facets of ladies in crisis and I love that. Again, it is the love in action. It’s not only showing the girls alternatives to abortion but helping them walk it out..for life. Help doesn’t end at a free pregnancy test or delivering a baby or placing a baby for adoption. The CPO girls are offered counseling and support for life and that is huge. I am excited to be able to participate in a ministry that doesn’t just focus on one small area of an unplanned pregnancy but that it offers an all encompassing level of support for women.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: I have solidified my introvert status by realizing I really don’t like to talk on the phone. Haha!

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: I am very new to being directly involved with the CPO ministry, but what I have always seen through friends that have been involved and what I see now that I am there is: true love and care for the girls that come to CPO for help. I see love in action and that is what God calls us to do.

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: Do it. The likelihood of CPO being able to put your God-given gifts and talents to use is pretty high.

Parenting Success Story: Alex

Many women who come to CPO during their crisis pregnancies choose to parent their child. We are happy to support them in their efforts with counseling, mentors, parenting classes, and more. From time to time we would like to highlight one of our parenting success stories. This is the third installment in our series, again written by Ashley Ledbetter.

“What am I going to do?”
For Alex, it was the first question of many. It led her on a journey towards a beautiful and rewarding decision: to parent her son and daughter.
Alex discovered she was pregnant at age 18. She was living on her own, having graduated high school ahead of schedule. The news was difficult. “What am I going to do?” Being an extremely smart girl, she began exploring her options. She reached out to MEND; they were helpful. Although Alex was initially open to an abortion, MEND offers a video that reveals the abortion process. After viewing the video, she quickly ruled out abortion as an option.
Moving forward with her decision to protect the tiny baby inside her, Alex started surveying other resources around her. Since CPO has resources for parenting AND open adoptions, adoption was the next option she chose to explore. Soon, Alex had decided to attend two support groups- one group for parenting mothers and one for those who have chosen to make adoption plans. When the adoption support group didn’t resonate, she paid close attention to the girls in the parenting group. She began to observe a simple, yet monumental, truth: “It is possible!” These girls chose to parent, even though they hadn’t planned on becoming pregnant, and they were doing it. They were even doing it well. She started to think “I can do this.” Her choice to parent was made.
With a plan starting to fall into place, Alex was then able to address issues related to the remainder of her pregnancy and delivery. This phase of her journey became as critical to her experience as every other part, since it was during this final stretch of pregnancy that she was challenged and cared for by CPO volunteers. The medical volunteers, Dr. Ross, and one of CPO’s doulas, Marlita, were an incredibly strong support for Alex. She was prayed for at every prenatal appointment and had some difficult but honest conversations with Dr. Ross. Through that time, Alex realized how much she was experiencing depression and self neglect. She had grown up enduring heartbreak and difficulties within her immediate family that had affected her more deeply than she had previously been able to identify. While she had been aware of these struggles, they were unresolved and painful. Alex began to see the underlying condition of her heart. She began to reconsider her deep-rooted approach to life: “just get through it”. She started to understand that God had more for her than that, maybe even joy and freedom.
Even after all of these victories and blessings on her way to becoming a mother, Alex’s highest praise goes to Marlita. After all, the delivery of a baby is one of the most personal and valuable moments a woman will experience. Having a skilled and compassionate doula can really create a bond that will endure forever! Alex remembers, “Marlita was the only person I wanted in the delivery room with me.”
In the end, Alex had rejected abortion, chosen to parent, begun to experience the healing of her own heart, and delivered a baby. So, one question remained: “What is the best way to do this?” CPO’s parenting support group offered her plenty of answers. Through the community of parenting girls, Alex was able to learn the details of government housing as well as general strategies for single moms. She found community within the parenting mothers, who even handed down clothes and other child related items to each other.
She journeyed from “What am I going to do?” all the way to “It is possible!” For her and her two children, it was a journey worth taking.
6 years later, Alex is the beautiful mother of two children, Treten (age 5) and Georgia (age 4). Currently, she serves tables at Chuy’s while attending school for accounting.

Retro CPO: Cheryl Said

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article was written by Cheryl Bauman, our founder and executive director. It was written in fall of 2009, and explains her feelings about open adoption.

As most of you know, I have hd a heart for adoption all of my life. My sister was adopted, so I always knew about adoption. But in those years, it was shrouded in secrecy. My mom never spoke of it in a normal tone of voice. She whispered the word.

When I founded CPO 26 years ago and we became a licensed adoption agency, my vision was for none of the children to grow up having to fantasize about their birth mothers. I have such a passion for open adoption.

Surprisingly enough, none of my children are adopted, and none of my grandchildren were, until—a wonderful day in January, when my daughter, Natalie, and I flew to Hawaii to meet three-year-old Ziona!! The story is long and miraculous, and ended in my 15th grandchild being adopted through CPO!! She is beautiful and precious and such a wonderful addition to our family.

God has blessed our family so richly and I am so very grateful.

1O9A0605 (Here’s little Ziona, speaking and singing at the CPO Celebrate Life Gala in 2015.)

Volunteers Matter: Kate Wicar

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: I have volunteered in several ways over the years, but I currently serve on the leadership team, mentoring out-of-state adoptive families who are waiting to adopt. I am also going to start coordination the Waiting Families Workshop. The Waiting Families Workshop is a time for prospective adoptive couples to come to Tulsa for a three day intensive, to learn about the heat and ministry of CPO, as well as the beauty of open adoption. The Waiting Families Workshop was an absolutely life-changing weekend for me and my husband, so I am excited to help facilitate that same beautiful experiences for other couples who are new to CPO.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: I have been volunteering with CPO since the beginning of 2009. Actually, one of my favorite parts of our season of living in Tulsa was being part of CPO. I absolutely loved it. When we moved back to Colorado in Fall of 2011, I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to volunteer with CPO anymore. Thankfully, Cheryl thought to ask me if I would be willing to mentor out-of-state families who are waiting to adopt. I was thrilled to get to stay plugged into CPO, and truly love getting to encourage adoptive families.

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: A lady in the nursing mothers room at our church told me that she answered phones for CPO and told me a little about the ministry. I had wanted to get involved with a pro-life ministry for a while, so I was really excited to see how I could volunteer. Some close friends of ours were starting the process of adopting through CPO around that same time too, and they told us that CPO really needed Native American families. Really?! Since I am Cherokee, this was very intriguing. We started praying about adopting through CPO, just as our biological son was turning 1. We both felt strongly that the answer was “yes” and “now”, which didn’t seem entirely logical since our little guy wasn’t even walking yet, but we were so excited and turned in our application a few weeks later. And we’ve been on an adoption adventure pretty much ever since!

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: I love how pure the ministry is at CPO, and how it is all about loving the birth moms. An adoption agency where no one receives a salary–just incredible! I also love that CPO serves both women who are parenting and women who are making adoption plans.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: I started out volunteering simply because I wanted to help with a pro-life effort. I had deep convictions about protecting life in the womb and being a voice for the voiceless since I was a young girl. But now, the cause is even closer to my heart because I am the mother of four boys, three of which were adopted through CPO. Since we live in Colorado, people sometimes ask why we don’t adopt a baby locally. We tell them that after working with CPO, other adoption agencies kind of pale in comparison. We have such peace adopting through CPO, because our sons’ birth mothers have access to free counseling for the rest of their lives, a weekly support group, a doula for their births, a wonderful community, and so much more. There simply isn’t a place like CPO where we live, and that is why we wait a little longer and travel a little farther to adopt our babies.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: I’ve learned that God can use me even with my quirky personality and inadequacies. I still get a little nervous each time I speak to a group, or interview a prospective family, but God is faithful. Once I push through a bit of fear, I’m always so glad I did. I’ve learned that it is okay to just be me, and that I don’t have to be perfect or have it all together for God to use me.

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: Oh, where do I start? God is awesome and being involved with CPO is like being on the front row of a really good movie. There are twists and turns, and ups and downs, but in the end God is good! I am always impressed at God’s attention to detail and encourage the families that I mentor to keep a journal while they are waiting. It is pretty amazing to see some of the timing that occurs, and to see what God was doing behind the scenes all along. His goodness is consistently weaved throughout the fabric of this ministry.

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: I would say with my whole heart: do it! Many hands make light work, and it is so fulfilling to be part of what God is doing at CPO. Even volunteering in the office for just two hours a month is a huge help. Also, don’t be afraid to involve your children or to drive to an unfamiliar part of town. Being part of CPO is being part of a family, and we are all there because we love Jesus and want to cheer women on who are choosing life. So if you are thinking about volunteering, I would encourage you to go ahead and jump in. You will be blessed and God will use you in mighty ways. And when you are volunteering, it might not always feel super significant, but with many volunteers working together in small ways, the overall results are pretty remarkable!

Retro CPO: Meet Paige Tooman

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article was written by Paige Tooman, one of Cheryl’s assistants at the time. It was written in fall of 2009, and is her personal testimony.

I am so honored to be part of such an incredible ministry! I love serving alongside Godly women who have been doing this for so many years and I continue to learn more and more each day! Being an Assistant Director never crossed my mind as we began our journey with CPO.

My husband Brent and I were baptized together in 2002, and we were on the amazing road of Christianity together. We had just found out that we were pregnant, after one round of Clomid, a fertility drug. We were so thankful that God had blessed us and couldn’t wait for our newest family member. Our 34 week check up went great, but then I began to get very sick. I tried to play it off as part of being pregnant, but after a week of sleepless nights, I called the doctor. I was admitted to the hospital and they determined that my liver had shut down and my kidneys were next. This was part of the HELLP Syndrome, something I had developed during pregnancy. Needless to say, we were rushed to the OR for an emergency C-section and Hank was born! He was a strong baby and he and I were both in the hospital for about 10 days. After arriving home, I basically was on “lock down”, as I didn’t want my preemie to get any kinds of sickness at all! He is now a strong, healthy six year old, no one would ever even know about his early arrival if I didn’t tell them.

We decided we wanted to add to our family, but we were told that I could get HELLP again. We had heard about CPO through several different friends and we decided to give Cheryl a call.That is when it all starts happening. We received a call several months into the process about a baby that was being born in three hours. THREE HOURS?? This was out baby, Barrett, or as we call him, Bear. His birth parents rode to the hospital on a motorcycle, in the rain, so we knew they were a spirited pair! We started to get to know them in the hospital and then we lost touch with them after the hospital stay. We were so sad about not having the open adoption that we had thought about so often. We wanted to minister to a girl and help her find God and get her life on His path. Fortunately, God had His plan in place and Bear now has a baby brother that was adopted by the Hiseys and we have an incredible Christian family to share our lives with!

After all of the love and time that Cheryl and Kelly showed us, I decided that I wanted to give back to CPO and I got involved with the fundraising banquet. I loved sharing CPO’s vision with others and trying to get funds for our “all-volunteer” agency! When I became an Assistant, I knew that this was my calling. I am the type of person that needs to be involved. I also knew that if I was going to be volunteering and away from my kids at times, this would be perfect because when I am volunteering for CPO, I am multiplying His kingdom. I can truly see God each day as I look into the faces of the birth mothers, the babies, and the families. My you all find your place in CPO, as I did. It is truly a blessing!

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Happy Independence Day!

As you prepare to celebrate the independence of our great nation with friends and family, please also remember one of CPO’s perpetual goals: to guide women to become independent and productive members of society. Many women enjoy a different kind of independence thanks to years of support from our donors, volunteers, and leaders. Say a prayer for them all today.

Call or Text: 24/7

We’re pretty sure everyone knows that CPO’s phones are answered 24 hours a day thanks to our dedicated hotline volunteers. But did you know that CPO has a 24/7 texting hotline, too? It’s been active for about 9 months now.

Our Ministry Director, Rhonda Fisher, currently responds to all the texts received on this line. When asked why we decided to branch out into the texting world, Rhonda replied, “I felt like this was an important step for us to take. Many people (especially high school and college age) prefer texting over voice calls. I certainly don’t want a girl to refrain from getting our services because she didn’t feel comfortable dialing a number. If she prefers to text, so be it. We are happy to help her that way!”

Since CPO started the service in October 2015, she has corresponded with over 50 different women. Fisher says, “We occasionally get text messages from potential adoptive families and volunteers or people who are confused about the services we offer. But the majority of the texts are from women who are interested in our services (mostly pregnancy tests and ultrasounds) and want more information. When they send a text it goes to my phone via a special app and I can reply to them from our established CPO phone number. Depending on what they want, I can encourage them to make an appointment for an ultrasound, come to support group, or if they are interested in choosing adoption, I put them in contact with Stephanie, our Adoption Director.”

Fisher feels the text line could be useful if a woman wants to “talk” about her pregnancy but doesn’t want her parents, roommate, boyfriend, or others to know what’s going on. Sometimes she’s just not ready to share the news with everyone yet, and texting allows her to feel safe while communicating. 6497720753_fbaea0598e_b

Volunteers Matter: Thom and Christine Crowe

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: Christine and I [Thom] love CPO and have looked for any way to volunteer. I help with social media and we both volunteer with the girls at the CPO Transition House and Christine did a brief stint as the house mom and I helped quite a bit with the recent gala fundraiser.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: We started volunteering with CPO in March of 2015.

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: Kinda funny story, Christine was cleaning out her old emails a few weeks ago and came across an email thread between the two of us about adopting and we talked quite a bit about CPO back in 2006. We weren’t ready yet but, unbeknownst to either of us, the seed had been planted in our brains. Fast forward to 2014, we decided we were ready to begin the adoption process and a family we knew had adopted through CPO recommended that we fill out our application. We applied and were accepted as a waiting family. As we learned more and more about the organization, we fell in love. The mission was something we could get behind and we jumped in with both feet and haven’t looked back!

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: My mom had me when she was a teenager and my sister had our nephew when she was 18, just out of high school. One thing I learned from this was that when a girl has an expected pregnancy, she needs love and support. There are other agencies that do that, but something about CPO just stuck with us. Once we learned it was a 100% volunteer agency and no one was paid so that all the money raised goes straight to the girls, I was sold.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: Having a family is really important to both Christine and me and adoption has always been something on my heart. As we’ve been able to work with and get to know the girls in the transition house, we’ve grown to care for them. They’re special girls and they are why we do what we do. We started out volunteering because we were supposed to, but now the birth moms are our passion.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I’m a huge pushover! I’m not the best at saying no which is why I think we’re a great fit to befriend the girls and do fun stuff with them. I should probably work on that before I have a teenager at home, but there’s plenty of time for that.

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: For me, probably the best gift we could have asked for came in the form of our birth mom and we know God was involved with how we met her. On a Friday night back in August, Christine and I had plans to go out. A message was placed on the CPO Volunteer Facebook group about a girl who needed a ride from a dance back to the Transition House. Neither of us could shake the need to go, so we canceled our plans and got ready to go pick her up. We were waiting to meet a birth mom who was living in the house and wanted to interview us so we made sure it wasn’t her or any sort of conflict of interest for us to go, which it wasn’t but I’m a bit paranoid and a rule follower. We picked up who would be our birth mom and hit it off with her. She and Christine clicked really well and when we dropped her off, Christine, who is not a terribly emotional girl, started crying. Some connection was made. We were supposed to meet with the other birth mom and got the call while waiting for her at a restaurant that she picked another family. While there, we ran into Cheryl Bauman who had wonderful words of encouragement for us. The next day we got a call that the girl we had driven wanted to meet us. We went to dinner and she picked us as her adoptive parents. Since then spent time with her, we have been able to get to know her and now love her so much. She’s an invaluable part of our lives and our family now. We know God put it on our hearts to meet her that night and we’re so thankful we answered.

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: In whatever capacity you can, do it. If you can volunteer, there are unimaginable ways to make an impact. If you want to adopt and have a heart for the birth moms, this is the place to do it. CPO gives them and you the resources you need for a successful open adoption. If you don’t have time but have financial resources, give. CPO is a good steward of the gifts they are given. Just get involved. If you’re not sure or have questions, reach out and come see what CPO is doing. You’ll be sold hook, line, and sinker just like we are!

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