Those passing by Central Campus on Wednesday will undoubtedly notice the hundreds of flags lining the path from Curtiss to Beardshear halls. 

The flags were placed there by the ISU Students for Life group and are meant to represent each life lost to abortion within the average time it takes to walk the route.

Kayla Wickman, president of club, said the group did not use the flags last year but wanted to have the event again to keep the issue in students’ minds, particularly as they prepare to cast their votes.

“We just wanted to pick it up again with the election and get people into the mind frame that we’re voting for life,” Wickman said. “I think that kind of gets overlooked by some other aspects of the election.

“To us it’s pretty important because it’s in our constitution. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Life is the first thing, so if we can’t have that, then what else is there?”

The club is made up of 10 to 15 students who meet regularly to participate in meetings and events. Rachel Peller, senior in women and gender studies, has been a part of the club for three years. She thinks the display can have a strong impact on those who see it.

“Historically, what the club had done in the past, is they had 4,000 flags just out on the lawn as a cemetery,” Peller said. “We just wanted to make it a little different every year so that way it wasn’t just the same thing all the time and people were like ‘Oh, here’s the flags again.’”

Peller felt a strong reaction when taking the walk herself.

“For me it was really intense, because each step you took there was another flag,” Peller said. “So you felt a sense of power almost, as if each step you were making it happen.”

Signs placed along the route read: “In the time it takes to walk this path, 263 children will be aborted around the world. Every flag represents one baby. Help ISU’s Students for Life reduce this number.”

Peller said she has seen a significant student response to the event in past years.

“I remember seeing Facebook statuses after it, and people just said: ‘Wow, I didn’t realize how much that happened,’ and their friends would comment on it, and they would have a conversation about it,” Peller said. “I think that was what was really important about it, just getting people to talk about it again.”

Abortion was legalized in the United States in 1973 under the landmark decision Roe v. Wade. It remains a frequent topic of debate and a prevalent campaign issue in U.S. elections.

“Even if we can’t get people to change their mind about it, at least we can get them to think about it and start talking about the issue,” Peller said.