CANTON -- The St. Lawrence University College Democrats will be holding a rally Thursday in support of Planned Parenthood of the North Country.

Students and community members will be meeting at the Sullivan Student Center on campus at 3 p.m., walking down to Planned Parenthood at 9 Miner Street Road to begin the rally at 3:15 p.m.

“We will be demonstrating our continued support for Planned Parenthood until 4:15 when remarks will be made,” said Luke D. Evans, vice president of St. Lawrence University College Democrats.

“Over 120 have signed up so far. Between students showing their support and others, we’re definitely hoping for a very healthy turnout,” he said.

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, of the 116th “River” District, will be “speaking on the importance of Planned Parenthood to so many North Country families and young adults,” Lucas said.

They will be showing support for Planned Parenthood nationwide and locally in the face of attacks from conservatives in Washington, D.C., who have been calling for the federal government to cut off funding for all the women’s health agency’s programs following release of secret tapings of officials of the group speaking about sales of fetal parts from abortions for research.

Planned Parenthood claims whatever sales there were have been legal and infrequent, and that editing of the recordings before their release was made to make the most sensational use of them.

Numerous attempts were made by some Republicans in the House of Representatives to include a cutoff of Planned Parenthood funding in a funding resolution to keep government operations going in the face of a deadline, and threatened to shut down the government if they didn’t get their way.

The Capitol Hill conservatives have been trying for years to get government funding of Planned Parenthood revoked because abortion is among the services they help provide.

“We encourage all community members that would like to show their support for Planned Parenthood to join us,” Lucas said.

According to Lucas, Planned Parenthood of the North Country serves nearly 12,000 women and men and across the six counties it serves.