By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Former board of directors member Angie Sanderson has been named executive director for Care Net Chilton, a pregnancy resource center.

Former director Susan Scott had resigned in order to spend more time with her first grandchild.

Sanderson said “the Lord started working on my heart” about applying for the position.

“I felt like I needed to apply, so I turned in my application,” Sanderson said.

The board had opened up the search for outside applicants.

Board member Penny Smith said they were looking for “someone who was dedicated, who had a heart for the Lord and a heart for babies.”

“Angie was a perfect fit because she is known in the community,” Smith said. “She has a heart for getting this ministry out there and letting people know what we do, where we are and that we are here to help.”

Sanderson hopes to increase the number of donors to the organization, find more volunteers and attend the national Care Net conference for professional development.

She said her efforts are already starting to see results.

“I’m excited to serve our county,” Sanderson said.

Sanderson has been involved with the organization for about two and half years.

“I was on the board of directors, and then last year, I did a little bit of work, like going out to the schools to speak,” Sanderson said.

During these presentations, Sanderson would talk about the services offered by Care Net, the importance of making good choices and abstinence.

“The large majority of our clients are some of our students,” Sanderson said.

Sanderson had first heard about Care Net several years ago when she was a Chilton County Schools teacher.

She said she had recommended the resource to students who had told her they thought they might be pregnant.

She said she felt her personal experiences with “infertility and baby loss” made her want to do “anything I can do to promote healthy pregnancy and offer women a healthy alternative for abortion.”

“Dealing with infertility, I guess maybe I am a little more conscious of how precious life is,” Sanderson said.

Care Net makes referrals to an adoption agency for those who choose to put their child up for adoption.

“That unplanned pregnancy may be unplanned for them, it may seem as though it is a problem for them, but for somebody that baby may be their miracle,” Sanderson said. “That is why I am a big proponent of adoption.”

Care Net Chilton provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds (up to 12 weeks into pregnancy), pre-natal vitamins, counseling and diapers and wipes for babies when needed.

All services are confidential.

Last year, the nonprofit served approximately 350 clients.

Care Net Chilton is located at 5 Village Square in Clanton. Office hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.