"The
Center" Biography
The Pregnancy and Family
Life Center of Citrus County was founded in 1983 by a group of
caring individuals dedicated to the Pro-Life cause: the late Jerome
Baumley; Dorothy and Ed Clark; Josephine Mennella; Mary Ann and
John Vincelli; and Kay and Tony Wood. Its original incorporation
name was "Pregnancy and Family Life Center of Inverness,"
and its original location was a storefront that consisted of two
windowless rooms and a restroom. In 1985, this group purchased
a house behind the Crown Hotel, thereby relocating "The Center"
to its current address: 317 W. Tompkins Street, Inverness.
Our building has a
unique provenance. Per city records, it is known as the DeMuro
House, was built circa 1910, and was occupied by the DeMuro family.
George W. DeMuro, a key official in Citrus County government in
the 1890s and early 1900s, was first elected County Commissioner
and then Justice of the Peace. Concurrently, he was diligently
studying law, was admitted to the bar in 1896, was then appointed
to fill an unexpired term as probate and county judge of Citrus
County, and won re-election at term's end. He served as a judge
in the Citrus County court for 25 years, until his untimely death
in 1917, at the age 53. Judge DeMuro's wife, Josephine DeMuro,
sold the house in 1918 to Charles Brooks. Further research is
needed to determine the subsequent history of the house, in order
for an application to be made for admission to the National Register
of Historic Places.
Volunteer Marge Pullen
has been with "The Center" since its relocation in 1985,
and is a "clothing specialist." "I check donated
clothes to make sure they're clean and in good condition and store
them in boxes according to size (up to children's size 10 - 12),"
reports Marge. She notes that certain changes have occurred over
the years:
"At one time,
we had two army nurses who counseled and we had a 'clothing closet'
where we sold clothes out of the front room, but when we were
no longer zoned as commercial, we stopped doing this. We also
had a thrift shop on 41, and we saw families right up until their
children were in high school; now we just see them until their
children are in grade school."
Marge observes that
our building has always been in need of "Tender Loving Care,"
and that her late husband, who used to also volunteer, had painted
the kitchen 8 years ago, which was the last time any part of the
interior was painted.
Over the past quarter
century, the goal of "The Center" has remained unchanged:
to provide pregnancy and parenting counseling in order to help
women choose life for their unborn child. Currently, approximately
100 families per month receive counseling, education, and, as
needed, pregnancy tests, maternity, baby, and children's clothing,
baby furniture, and various other baby supplies. Our focus as
we begin the journey toward our 50th Anniversary is to expand
our outreach and education programs in order to make a difference
in the lives of even more Citrus County families.
Heartfelt thanks are
due all past and present benefactors, staff, supporters, and volunteers
for giving so generously of their energy, resources, talents,
and time. May God bless all.
- Cindy DeVine
