Sunday, October 4, 2010 was an overcast and cold day in Niagara. Yet, about 700 people participated in Niagara's two Life Chains in Niagara Falls and in Grimsby. These two Life Chains joined more than a thousand other Life Chains in Canada and the United States. Annually on Life Chain Sunday, the first Sunday in October, concerned Christians of all ages join in a Life Chain across North America to participate in a peaceful, prayerful, silent witness to the truth that abortion kills children and hurts women.

The 2010 Niagara Regional Life Chain along Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. took place on the 20th anniversary of the first local Life Chain. The 1991 event was organized by Cindi LoForti of Campaign Life Niagara with 5000 people participating from100 Niagara churches. Eventually Annette Loeffen of Fonthill and a member of Welland/Port Colborne Pro-Life became the organizer.

In recent years, Jacqueline Messinger of St. Catharines and a member of St. Catharines Right to Life has been notifying the churches and organizing the Niagara Regional Life Chain. Asked why she and others are still coming to Life Chain after 20 years, she said, "We come together to be a silent witness and to pray for all the unborn children killed by abortion. In Canada alone, over 100,000 unborn babies are killed through abortion every year. Perhaps one woman will see the Life Chain signs and change her mind and not have an abortion."

For four years now, Joanne Dieleman of Grimsby has been organizing a Life Chain on the corner of Main and Christie Streets in Grimsby between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m.

The very first Life Chain took place in California in 1987. By 1992 there were a million participants in Canada and the United States with 97 chains in Canada and 800 in the U.S. Attendance taking was discouraged as the organizers wanted to emphasize prayer and placing trust in God. Locations continue to be added. According to The Interim, there were 200 communities in Canada that participated in 2010.

The California based pro-life ministry called "Please Let Them live" under the direction of the National Director and founder, Royce Dunn, continues to invite people of faith to pray together and witness for one hour on Life Chain Sunday in designated local areas. See nationallifechain.org and lifechain.net for more information on locations and how to start a new chain.

Organizers Mrs.Messinger and Mrs. Dieleman urge those who believe that abortion is a terrible tragedy in our midst to bring their family and friends to a Life Chain in 2011. Canada needs a law to protect our unborn children.

Elise Mathie