Penn State Students for Life ended its "life week" with a demonstration Saturday outside State College Medical Services, 900 W. College Ave.

About 25 students in the club stood outside the building in the afternoon at the interchange of College Avenue and Route 26, holding signs with messages such as "Babies killed here," "Abortion kills children," and "Lord forgive us and our nation."

State College Medical Services has been performing abortions since January 2003, after it had stopped performing them in 2002 for six months.

An employee of State College Medical Services, who asked to be unnamed due to the nature of some crimes committed at abortion clinics and medical centers, said there have been protests numerous Saturdays this semester.

"We have our regulars that show up every Saturday. It really just depends on their mood. They're not much for rain or snow," she said. "I think it's more of an annoyance, really."

Cristina Barba (sophomore-psychology), Penn State Students for Life president, said she comes out every Saturday to show the community a facility that performs abortions exists in State College. "A lot of people don't know it's here," Barba said, adding that the group stands outside as a last-ditch effort to help women going inside to have an abortion.

"We try to let them know there are other resources, and it isn't their only choice," Barba said.

The group hands out pamphlets with information on abortion and offers women advice on the different women's resource centers in town that assist women who are pregnant, such as Women's Concern Pregnancy Resource Center, 423 S. Pugh St.

An office manager of State College Medical Services, who also asked to be unnamed, said she does not have a problem with the group exercising its First Amendment rights. However, she said the group may complicate the decision of a woman coming to the center to have an abortion.

"They interfere with a woman's constitutional right, and it makes the decision that much more difficult," she said. "They are not preventing anything from happening."

The office manager said having State College Medical Services open on Saturdays allows the protestors an opportunity to come and protest, but the weekend hours are for the benefit of its patients.

The office manager said the protestors are detracting from the seriousness of the issue by standing outside during the weekend and not taking any other individual's point of view on the matter seriously. "It makes light of a situation that isn't light at all," she said. "Rather than the individuals thinking what our ideological beliefs may be."

The Penn State Students for Life said State College Medical Services doesn't really pay much attention to them, but some of the employees have escorts.

Joseph Totleben (senior-math and computer sciences) said he was there Saturday to raise awareness that unborn children are being "killed" in the community.

"Abortion is the fundamental human rights issue of our time," Totleben said.

The club received mixed reactions from passers-by, as some cars honked horns while others made obscene gestures at Penn State Students for Life members.

Justin Bair (junior-mathematics), a club member, said some people support the group's actions, while others do not, but the group does not feel discouraged in promoting its message. "We get the finger a lot. Some guy rode by and said, 'I love abortion,' " Bair said.