Working her way through the mostly female crowd, Karen Wynn graciously fielded dollar bills.

After asking for donations for an audience member in need of an abortion, the Centre Countians for Choice representative had collected a fistful of money from pro-choice advocates seeking to lend their aid.

This support proved the commitment of the more than 100 people gathered in the HUB Ballroom last night for their "Celebration for Choice," commemorating the 18th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court landmark case that legalized abortion.

Selling T-shirts and buttons and charging an admission fee, the event's organizers sought to raise money for the pro-choice cause. Sponsors included Penn State Pro-Choice, Centre Countians for Choice and Ni-Ta-Nee NOW, the local chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Keynote speaker and Penn State Pro-Choice President Laura Grow urged audience members to fight tightening restrictions on abortion rights.

"I'm working now so that the next generation can take their reproductive rights for granted," Grow said. "You have the power to make change . . . Don't wait until it becomes a personal issue."

Grow also criticized pro-life advocates, calling them unrealistic and stubborn.

"They want to provide the answers for us and encourage us not to think," she said. "But we don't need to be protected from information. We don't need to be protected from fact."

Celebrators agreed with Grow's speech, nodding and applauding and eating chocolates and other donated desserts.

"It's all about control of women -- to say that it's about unborn babies is a bunch of crap," said Beth Blew, a 1990 University graduate. "The same people that are against abortion have no real solutions for kids that are born. These same people that are against abortion are all 'yay! rah!' for us killing off Iraqis -- and that's not murder?"