Irrigon Community Service Leader Decides to 'Retire'

After 20 years Leone Poulson, Irrigon, (Ore.) Church community service leader, 90 years old, has decided to "retire."

Soon after re-affirming her Adventist faith, Poulson became a member of the Irrigon Church and, in 1987, took over community service leadership. Her daughter, Rita Prouty, became her co-leader.

The two began their work in the basement of the old church. When a new church was built, they moved to the main floor of the old church, where they packed hundreds of boxes for Adventist Development and Relief Agency. When this church was sold, they worked from the kitchen of the new church, meeting each Tuesday and cutting out quilt blocks.

A new community service center was built in 2002 and once again they moved and resumed their work of packing boxes and making quilts.

Joel Stahl, who has been actively involved with community services, is the interim leader with the continued help of Prouty.

Featured in: March 2008

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