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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 22, 1992                   TAG: 9202220237
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Short

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UNITED WAY WON'T LIST PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Fearing controversy over the abortion issue, United Way of Hampton Roads has dropped all mention of Planned Parenthood from its 1992 guidebook to area health resources.

The action has angered officials of Planned Parenthood, the oldest and the largest family-planning organization in America.

"I'm furious," Lisa Persikoff, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia, said Thursday. "This is not a resource guide anymore. It's a political guide."

Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia - which has been listed in the United Way guidebook in previous years - does not provide abortions. But it offers abortion referrals.

United Way of Hampton Roads Vice President John Nazzaro said he dropped Planned Parenthood from the resource guidebook after receiving telephone complaints that United Way appeared to be endorsing Planned Parenthood and abortion by listing the group.

Nazzaro said he now regrets the action. He told a Planned Parenthood official who called him to complain Thursday that United Way would include the family planning agency in its next handbook, he said.

"I didn't realize anybody was going to be upset," Nazzaro said. - Associated Press

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