Choose Life Story
Choose Life....A simple statement with an important message. It started in the mind of a County Commissioner named Randy Harris in Ocala, FL in 1996. Florida was the first state to approve a Choose Life license plate. And the bill was challenged every step of the way by those who did not favor the pro-life position. In 1998 the Florida State Legislature approved the bill and the
n Governor Lawton Chiles vetoed it and as they say, "The Choose Life license plate went viral." Within six months of the veto, groups and individuals in 35 states were contacting Choose Life, Inc. to ask if Choose Life would help them get a plate in their state. By the time the Florida plate was available for sale on August 11, 2000, many other state's groups were working on a plate as well. Since each state controlled their own process, it was obvious Choose Life, Inc. needed to begin to network with all these state groups to keep them from all having to "re-invent the wheel." Russ & Jill Amerling became the National Publicity Coordinators for Choose Life, Inc. and began traveling to other states to meet with interested citizens, train them in the process and become their volunteer/unpaid consultants. As of September 2013, Russ & Jill have traveled over 300,000 miles and met with and trained groups and individuals in all 50 states. The Choose Life license plate is currently available in 29 states (see map) and the plates have raised over $96.3 million in those states for the causes of life and adoption our Newsletter; http://www.choose-life.org/newsletter.php. Over 887,000 plates have been sold/renewed as of 12-31-2013. Choose Life America, Inc. was formed by Russ & Jill Amerling as a "vehicle" (pun intended) to take the idea of the Choose Life license plate across America. They were dubbed by a Washington radio commentator as the "Johnny Appleseed of the Choose Life Plate in America." They continue to work with the remaining state's groups and their goal is to get the plate approved in all 50 states.
