Ex-TV star touts pro-life stance for Vitae Society

For nine years, she was America's favorite television snob. Now she's a pastor's wife and a home-school mom touring the country to benefit a pro-life, Christian organization.

Lisa Whelchel, forever known to millions as Blair Warner of the hit 1980s sitcom "The Facts of Life," visited Cape Girardeau Thursday at a benefit dinner for the Vitae Society. The organization is raising money to air pro-life television advertisements in the area. Whelchel, 39, has been working with the organization for about six months as a guest speaker.

Vitae Society president and founder Carl Landwehr said Whelchel has been a popular draw for their benefit dinners, bringing in a younger crowd to hear their message.

"Earlier, I was surprised at how relaxed I felt when I got here," Whelchel told the audience. "Then I realized it's because I feel more like a partner tonight. I feel like more of a part of what's going on with the Vitae Society."

At least 500 attended the event. Vitae organizers will use any donations given to cover the costs of airing the 30-second commercials.

"What I like best about the Vitae Society commercials is that they don't hit you over the head with a message," she said. "They are very intellectual and honest, and they are entrusting the viewers with information to think for themselves."

Christian in Hollywood

Whelchel became a Christian when she was 10, just two years before she first became known as a Mouseketeer on "The New Mickey Mouse Club," she said. Her religious beliefs always directed her life decisions, and she said early on she freely talked about God and moral living.

"I know some people say that when you work in Hollywood standing up for what you believe in takes a lot of guts," she said. "But for me it was not that hard. Since I was a little girl I have always talked to others about my love for Jesus and what he said and did, so it hasn't been hard for me as a celebrity to risk whatever there is to risk to stand up."

Many considered Whelchel as the "Facts" girl with the most megastar career potential, but she left show business in May 1988 at the height of her career and the end of the show's final season for a more domestic life. She married pastor Steve Cauble in July 1988, and the couple have three children. They reside in Los Angeles.

She received a Grammy nomination for Best Inspirational Album for "All Because of You" while she worked on television. Since 1988, Whelchel has acted only a few times, most recently with a "Facts" reunion show that aired last year.

During the last few years, she added authorship to her list of accomplishments, having written a book on parenting and discipline, "Creative Correction," and a semi-biography, "The Facts of Life and Other Lessons My Father Taught Me." She also penned a third book on home schooling, which is planned to be released in the spring.

"Being an author is a ton tougher than acting," she said. "It takes a long time and there's a lot of alone time involved. Whereas acting is very social, it's fun and it's always been very easy for me, especially comedy."

As a full-time mom, wife, author, celebrity and speaker, Whelchel admits she struggles to find enough time for just her and God, especially while she's in the middle of a six-week speaking engagement tour.

"Finding time for God becomes more stressful the busier I get," she said. "I tend to turn to him more in the hard times than in the easy ones. But, I am finding that God has a lesson for my family in this hard time. One thing I've learned is that in the future, I'm going to schedule a lot more down time."

For Whelchel, that down time will come after several more speaking engagements for the Vitae Society, including an upcoming one later this month in Springfield, Mo. Her future appearances are listed on her Web site at www.lisawhelchel.com.

mwells@semissourian.com

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