A Celebration of Life:    “SWEET 16”

Sharing Banquet 2006

Possibly the most incredible Sharing Banquet in 16 years will be taking place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 23 at Romer’s Celina Westlake Facility.

        We are excited to have John C. Huffman Esq. «bio» along with his wife Ruth as our special guests. John practices law with the Lima firm Huffman, Kelley, Becker and Brock LLC, a firm founded by his father. He has worked with Harbor House since 1994, serving as legal advisor to the organization while also handling private placement adoptions for clients and residents choosing to make adoption plans.
        Ruth Huffman has been involved nearly as long as her husband. While always busy with family affairs—the Huffmans have four children: Emily 17, Sarah 15, Mary 13, and Jack 10—Ruth has been able to find time to teach high school language arts to the girls lving at Harbor House.

        Jeremy Lawrence, the promotions director for WBCL Radio in Fort Wayne, Ind., will be the Emcee for the evening. Born and raised in Ohio, has been in broadcasting since 1990 and has worked at radio stations in Ohio and Michigan. He came to WBCL from Midland, Michigan, but was born and raised in Ohio. As promotions director for WBCL, Jeremy will help make it possible for you to meet the staff "on the road" at events, concerts, and remotes. He is a graduate of Mt. Vernon Nazarene University with a B.A. in communications.

John C. Huffman

        John Huffman was born in Lima, Ohio on October 4, 1963 to Lawrence S. Huffman, a well-respected and well-liked attorney who, outside his regular practice with the firm he founded, served many years as county P.A., and Shirley Huffman, a dedicated mother of nine children with a strong commitment to both her family and her faith.
        With the practice of law and the practice of their Catholic faith an integral part of the family, the Huffman family received a jolt in 1973 with the U.S. Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion in all 50 states. John saw his mother-with a deep compassion for the moms-to-be in crisis pregnancies considering abortion-boldly go to war against abortion. Shirley's battle led her to found Heartbeat of Lima pregnancy distress center.
        John is a 1986 graduate of Bowling Green State University, and a 1989 graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate. John was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio in 1989.
        Besides his memberships in the Allen County Bar Association and Ohio Bar Association, John has also been admitted to the prestigious American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, an exclusive and elite group of attorneys that have distinguished themselves in Adoption Law. Members are selected based on their qualifications and achievement, and currently only 13 attorneys in Ohio are part of the AAAA, with around 330 nationwide.
        John wiill speak on he and Ruth's own personal experience with making the decision to choose life, and about his 12 year association with Harbor House in handling the adoption cases.

Jeremy Lawrence

        Jeremy Lawrence, the promotions director for WBCL Radio in Fort Wayne, Ind., will be the Emcee for the evening. is . Born and raised in Ohio, has been in broadcasting since 1990 and has worked at radio stations in Ohio and Michigan. He came to WBCL from Midland, Michigan, but was born and raised in Ohio. As promotions director for WBCL, Jeremy will help make it possible for you to meet the staff “on the road” at events, concerts, and remotes. He is a graduate of Mt. Vernon Nazarene University with a B.A. in communications.

         
        Many area businesses have been willing to underwrite this year's Sharing Banquet so that people can attend without cost. They include:

****Romer's Catering & Entertainment Facility, St. Henry ****Mary Pat & Tom Zitter- Big K Mills, Sharpsburg ***TBL Leasing Inc., Maria Stein **Donald E. Glaser- Prudential Fin. Svcs., St. Marys *.Pax Machine Works Inc., Celina *Best Value Inn & Suites, St. Marys *Metzger Oil, Fort Recovery *Homan Insurance Agency, Maria Stein *The Gels Home, Coldwater *American Legion Aux. 323, St. Marys *Murotech Ohio Corporation, St. Marys Identity Salon, Celina Ault, Henderson & Lewis, Celina Bair Pharmacy, Celina		****Owen Hall Realtors Auctioneers, Celina ***Celina Aluminum Precision Technology Inc., Celina **Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Celina *:WeldTech Ltd., St. Marys *RCS Construction, Celina *Jim & Sharon Zehringer, Fort Recovery *The Peoples Bank Company, Coldwater *First Choice Credit Union Inc., Coldwater *Ron's Service, St. Henry *St. Marys Chrysler-Plymouth Dodge Inc., St. Marys *St. Marys Foundry, St. Marys Geise Chiropractice Office, Celina Maria Stein Animal Clinic, Maria Stein ****Anonymous ("To the Glory of God")

The Sharing Banquet

Since 1991, sharing banquets have been a part of bringing together—and envisioning and inspiring—the body of Christ and the friends of Harbor House Maternity Home.

Over the years, many friendships have been started or renewed through our banquet:

• Mike Williams , award-winning Christian comedian (2004)
• Ryan Dobson, youth speaker, author, and son (adopted) of Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family (2003)
• David Meece, Christian musician and recording artist (2002)
• Dr. Jeff Kephart, adoptive father and pastor at Trinity Missionary Church near Cleveland (2001)
• Eileen Roberts, advocate for parental notification (1999)
• Steve Camp, Christian singer/songwriter/preacher-teacher (1998)
• Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition (1997)
• Anne Pierson of Loving and Caring, Inc. (1996)
• "One Voice" Huntington College (Ind.) music ensemble (1995)
• The Fleagle family (1994)
• The "Little Fiddlers" (1993)
• Dr. John Willke of Life Issues Institute, Inc. (1992)

We've also been blessed to have made other friends during events that were held locally to benefit Harbor House: Toby Travis, a Christian illusionist; Gianna Jessen, the survivor of a botched saline abortion; and Carol Everett, a former abortion provider and clinic owner.

Previous Sharing Banquets have also included unique aspects like a silent auction, or the year of the "non-banquet" Sharing Banquet, where guests were invited to stay home for simplicity sake.