2011 has been one heck of a year! Extreme legislators in Congress and the Ohio Statehouse have been relentless in their attempts to restrict abortion rights and access to affordable and quality health care. They have achieved some gains, but not without a fight. Planned Parenthood supporters have been on the front lines in this war against women.

• In January, 99 of you drove through an actual blizzard to attend the annual Roe v. Wade celebration with us. 
• In February, we convened at the Ohio Statehouse to bear witness to the introduction and hearings of one egregious bill after another. In total, the Ohio General Assembly has taken up 10 anti-choice bills in 2011! 
• In March, over 300 Planned Parenthood supporters rallied in Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati to stand in opposition to the proposed federal defunding of Planned Parenthood. 
• In April, over 180 of you packed into four buses and drive through the night to Washington D.C. to stop Congress from using women's health care as THE final bargaining chip in a debate that almost shut down the federal government. Our message was heard loud and clear and Planned Parenthood continues to receive federal funding to support vital health care services such as cancer screenings, annual exams, STD testing and treatment, and birth control. 
• In May, more than 200 supporters stormed the halls of the Statehouse on Trust Women Lobby Day. 
• In June, we experienced our darkest day of the year, as THREE anti-choice bills, including the "heartbeat" abortion ban bill, passed in the Ohio House. Our email to tell you all the news was met with a strong response of solidarity and the most online donations we had ever received. 
• In July, you all watched as Senator Nina Turner and her pro-choice colleagues battled against the House Bill 78 abortion ban in the Ohio Senate. Thousands of you joined our call to action by contacting your legislator and urging them to stop the war on women. 
• In August, hundreds of supporters attended Congressional town halls, catching Rep. Steve Chabot telling lies about Planned Parenthood on video. 
• In September, we got to hear the TRUTH from Sen. Sherrod Brown in our telephone town hall - over FOUR THOUSAND of you joined us. 
• In October, we found out that opponents of birth control and abortion rights were trying to jump start a "personhood" ballot initiative in Ohio. You helped review signatures on the petitions submitted, and we saw the Attorney General REJECT their initial application. But they will be back...in fact, they submitted signatures for their revised petition just last week. 
• In November, you called on behalf of the women of Mississippi to help deliver a massive victory that sent this message: "personhood" laws are unacceptable - anytime, anywhere. 
• In December, you testified against the "heartbeat" abortion ban bill. Doctors, lawyers, rape survivors, and all kinds of advocates for reproductive justice told the Ohio Senate that Ohio women will not accept an unconstitutional law. The result: the bill's progress was stopped in its tracks. 

Reproductive justice supporters haven’t been this energized in decades! If you showed up, participated, spoke out, or donated, you were a part of the fight to stop the war on women. For that, we offer you our most sincere thanks!

The war is far from over though. The “heartbeat” bill still looms before us and hearings on legislation to defund Planned Parenthood in Ohio are certain to resume. The personhood amendment and more anti-choice legislation will surely require much of our time and resources to fight. We need you to stay involved as these battles begin in 2012.

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Happy New Year!

Sincerely, The PPAO Team