Couple to Couple League International honors St. Louis Park couple with inaugural award

Couple to Couple League International will present its first Guadalupe Award to María Alejandra Martinez Balderas and Xavier Balderas of Holy Family parish in St. Louis Park. The Cincinnati-based nonprofit established the award as it marks its 55th anniversary of providing natural family planning education.

The Balderas are being recognized for more than 20 years of expanding Spanish-language natural family planning instruction. They began practicing fertility awareness in 2001 and became instructors in 2003. The couple serves couples in the United States and Canada in both English and Spanish, and they teach in other countries through online programs.

Executive director Katie Zulanas stated that the couple represents the organization's mission of married couples sharing their experience and faith with others. While Alejandra later joined the professional staff of Couple to Couple League International, the couple continues to serve as volunteers.