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Carl Landwehr
President
Vitae Caring Foundation

When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the momentous Roe v. Wade decision, Carl Landwehr knew that he needed to become involved in the efforts to restore value to human life. Since 1974, he has been doing exactly that.

In the early days of the pro-life movement, Carl was instrumental in bringing various pro-life groups together to form one cohesive organization: Missouri Citizens for Life (MCL). MCL was incorporated in 1974 to work on public education, pro-life legislative efforts and eventually to form pro-life state and federal political action committees.

In 1975 Carl began a 20-year venture with the Missouri Catholic Conference, working as their Administrative Director. During his tenure there he worked extensively in government relations and public policy at the state and federal levels. At the same time, Carl continued to work closely with pro-life organizations. For over 27 years, Carl served as the fundraiser for MCL's Education Fund and various political action committees. He did this as a volunteer for over 15 years!

People who know Carl know that he isn't just a 'sit behind the desk' kind of guy. He envisions how things should be, and goes out and gets the job done. The odometers on his vehicles over the years have rung up hundreds of thousands of miles as he traveled to organize pro-life chapters across the state of Missouri and eventually across the country in his fundraising efforts for Vitae.

Carl and his wife Carolyn founded Easton Publishing Company in 1985. They marketed pro-life and teen sexuality literature throughout the United States and over twenty foreign countries. Along with books and tapes, Easton Publishing's footprint in the market was its ability to find experts in various fields and produce pamphlets that were sold to crisis pregnancy centers, churches, hospitals, and schools. After 20 years, Carl and Carolyn sold their pro-life division to Heritage House publishing. Today they market inspirational gift cards known as 'Life's Little Care Package.'

Watching the legislative process up close, Carl realized that to be effective at the grass roots level, you had to work on changing the hearts and minds of those very people. He knew that you needed to use mass media to address contemporary social issues.

In 1995 Carl left the Catholic Conference to devote full time efforts to the Vitae Society. With a handful of people who shared Carl's vision, television and radio commercials were produced. They broached the abortion issue in a non-threatening way, and simply asked people to 'Think about it'. The commercials were soon seen on all major television markets in Missouri and the radio network that carried all the Missouri Tiger football and basketball games. Even the Wall Street Journal used Carl's media campaign to point out the shift in strategy being used by abortion foes. Carl knew the ad campaign was being successful when a pro-choice activist said on C-SPAN that the Vitae Society's commercials had set back 'pro-choice' efforts. They showed Vitae's commercials and said Vitae was six years ahead of abortion-rights people in its use of mass media.

As Carl encouraged people to begin thinking about the abortion issue on a heartfelt, caring level, he knew that without sufficient research of the target audience, women facing a crisis pregnancy, the money invested in creating ads and purchasing air time would likely be misdirected. With research being the key, he sought out nationally-recognized consumer psychologist, Dr. Charles Kenny. Dr. Kenny's right-brain research provided the base of information for message development.

Before long, other pro-life groups around the country were asking Carl to help them get ads on the air in their television and radio markets. Carl's Vitae Society soon outgrew its Missouri focus and became a national and international force. Today, the Vitae Caring Foundation's media campaign includes 65 major media markets in 30 states. International interest has come from England, Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Ireland and Germany.

Carl has authored seven books and numerous articles on organizational and financial development and motivation. He has been the subject of many articles, including a book that chronicled the pro-life movement during the 70s and 80s. In 'Articles of Faith: A frontline History of the Abortion Wars,' Cynthia Gorney described Carl as the 'jacket-and-tie man,' with a master's degree in sociology and quiet and business-like in his public presence. He was unlike many others in the early movement who conducted sit-ins at abortion clinics. His nature was to strike a chord with the masses and not be 'in your face.'

Over the years Carl has been bestowed with several awards. In 2006 he was a recipient of the Papal Award, Benemerenti Cross. The Latin word means 'to a well-deserving person'. Carl received this award for his years of dedicated service on behalf of the unborn. He has also been honored with the Dr. Paul Spitz Defender of Life award, Outstanding Alumnus - Immaculate Conception School, National Defense Medal and State Emergency Medal from the Army National Guard.

Carl grew up on a dairy farm on the eastern edge of Jefferson City, where farm life instilled a work ethic and an attitude that stays with him to this day. He earned a degree in rural sociology at the University of Missouri, followed by a master's in sociology at Lincoln University. He married Carolyn Toedebusch in 1970 and together they have four children and three grandchildren.

Books written by Carl Landwehr:

Changing Attitudes on Abortion: Pro-Life Education That Works
I'm Pro-Life But What Can I Do?
Keep the pro-Life Issue Alive: Use Media Events
Understanding the Pro-Life Movement and Grassroots Strategy
Right to Life Grassroots Organizing
Successful Fund Raising - A Guide for Right to Life and Abortion Alternative Groups
Motivating Your Group - Help for Right to Life and Positive Alternative Volunteers

Visit their website:
www.vitaecaringfoundation.org

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