2017 | Week of October 23 | #1226

At 8:45 this past Monday morning I walked into the state’s main Department of Motor Vehicles customer service office in Madison on a mission—a long-dreamed of mission. As instructed I stopped at the first desk and when asked why I was there, replied, “I’m applying for a new specialty license plate.” “What plate would that be?” queried the customer service rep.  “The Choose Life plate,” I responded, smiling. She raised her eyebrows a bit but began looking in her computer, found the right form for me, instructed me to fill it out and wait for my customer number to be called.

I did as instructed. When my number was called, I went to the window and handed that rep my completed form. He looked at it and said, “Wow. I didn’t know we had this plate,” to which I said, “Well, that’s because today is the first day it’s available.”

As he began processing my application, this rep couldn’t get the DOT system to accept it—which made me, quite honestly, a bit nervous. After a couple of phone calls, the last one prompting a grin on his face, he looked at me and said, “This is so new they hadn’t even flipped the switch on the state’s system so that we could see it.” I just inwardly said, “Thank you, Lord.”

We moved on to payment. He eventually said to me, “That will be $120.” I quickly replied, “Whoa. Something is wrong here. It should be only $40, plus maybe a counter service charge.”  We talked a bit about the difference, and I finally said, “Look. I need to make sure this right because I am encouraging people all across the state to order these plates and I’m giving them the information they need to do that.” “I’ll be right back,” he said, as he headed off to check with someone.

When he came returned, he announced, “You’re right. It’s $40.” Again, I inwardly relaxed, paid the amount and smiled as I heard this young man say, “These plates will be mailed to you very soon.” I then went directly outside the DOT building and did a Facebook live event highlighting this exciting dream-come-true.

The Choose Life Wisconsin plate has been almost ten years in the making but at long last Wisconsin pro-life citizens can purchase a beautiful license plate that expresses their views on life while also directly helping our state’s life-saving, women-helping Pregnancy Resource Centers.

The Choose Life Wisconsin license plate originated with Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Family Council partnering on the idea and working together throughout a long administrative and legislative process. Collaboratively we created Choose Life Wisconsin, Inc., an independently registered Wisconsin not-for-profit corporation, formally recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, tax-deductible organization.

Choose Life Wisconsin’s mission is to spread a positive, pro-life message and help Wisconsin’s vital Pregnancy Resource Centers flourish by funding them from the proceeds of the sale of the Choose Life plate.

We are confident the plate will sell quickly, opening up a funding stream for Wisconsin’s Pregnancy Resource Centers, which offer health services, adoption referrals, and in general help women in crisis pregnancies make life-saving choices.

The Choose Life Wisconsin license plate features classic Wisconsin colors—red, white and black. The graphic on the left side is an ink-print of a baby’s foot, like those on birth certificates. Under the plate number are the words “Choose Life” in red.

The first time someone purchases the plate, the cost will be a one-time $15 issuance fee and a $25 tax-deductible donation which the state will send to Choose Life Wisconsin. Personalized plates are available for an additional $15 fee. Details for ordering are available at chooselifewisconsin.com.

When Choose Life Wisconsin receives the collected money from the state from the sale of each plate, Choose Life Wisconsin leadership will then distribute the funds to Wisconsin’s Pregnancy Resource Centers. The Centers will be asked to complete a simple grant request form, supplying Choose Life Wisconsin with information explaining the project and the amount they are requesting.

Quite honestly, this really is a dream that at points, we weren’t sure would ever come true. But thankfully it has. Now it’s time to promote these Choose Life plates to Wisconsin pro-life citizens. To God be the glory!

For Wisconsin Family Council, I’m Julaine Appling, reminding you the prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.