By Maria V. Gallagher, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation

Former abortion worker Adrienne Moton in the foreground, listening to cable news host Pete Hegseth.
“Because there’s always a reason to choose life,” the slogan of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, proved to be the underlying theme of the 2024 Celebrate Life Banquet held in Hershey, Pennsylvania this past weekend.
Cable news host, best-selling author, and military veteran Pete Hegseth invoked that theme during his touching talk. Hegseth credited his grandmother and mother with being responsible for his standing before the crowd of hundreds of pro-life advocates. In his dynamic speech, Hegseth weaved together the concepts of family, faith, and freedom to create a tapestry which truly celebrated life.

NRL’s Carol Tobias with former PA Pro-Life Federation Executive Director Michael Ciccocioppo and Federation Board President Susan Rogacs.
Singer Adrienne Moton offered a stirring rendition of the time-honored hymn, “Amazing Grace,” her voice soaring above the ballroom. Moton is featured in the documentary “Unthinkable” and once worked for the barbaric West Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. She now offers hope to individuals aiming to break free of the abortion industry.
The evening also included an emotional moment when former Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation Executive Director Michael Ciccocioppo received the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Lifetime Achievement Award. Ciccocioppo, who led Pennsylvania Pro-Life for an incredible 21 years, is the first-born in a family of 15 children. He gave up a successful career in hospital administration to labor full-time in the pro-life movement and never looked back.

Pete Hegseth with PA Pro-Life Federation staff
National Right to Life President Carol Tobias and Assistant Political Director Andrew Bair were among the distinguished guests at the banquet, which raised money for the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation Education Fund. The Education Fund, through its partnership with the website TeenBreaks.com, has reached more than 800,000 teens with life-saving, life-changing information.
In the end, the banquet had the feel of a giant family reunion, where everyone from a nine-day-old baby to seasoned grandparents came together to honor the dignity and priceless value of human life. It was an absolute joy to emcee this phenomenal event, which underscores the critical importance of the pro-life movement in Pennsylvania.
