[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF IRENE SCHAFER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KELLY ARMSTRONG

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2019

  Mr. ARMSTRONG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding 
constituent, a friend, and a truly remarkable woman, Irene Schafer.
  May 16 is Irene's 89th birthday, and I can attest that those 89 years 
have been spent tirelessly serving those around her. Service to her 
community is who Irene is.
  Irene is active with many civic and leadership groups in Dickinson, 
including the Dickinson Area Builders Association, Badlands Board of 
Realtors, Dickinson Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, St. Joseph's 
Hospital Foundation's Charity Ball Committee, Dickinson State 
University Alumni Association's Yuletyme Committee, AAUW, United Way, 
Elks Lodge, District 36 GOP, as well as a member of the Post Office 
Consumer Advisory Committee.
  Even so, Irene was not satisfied with her level of community service. 
In 2016, Irene founded a new group, the Power of 100 Women, to gather 
women four times per year to each donate $100 to a deserving nonprofit 
organization.
  The Power of 100 Women donated more than $15,000 to help open Hope's 
Landing, a sober-living home in Dickinson for women suffering from 
addiction. The group donated $10,000 to the Dickinson Backpack Program 
to purchase 2,000 backpacks for schoolchildren in need. Most recently, 
the group donated $20,000 to Project H.E.R.O. (Helping Educators Reach 
Out), a non-profit organization ensuring that children are eating lunch 
every day. Since its founding, the organization's members have donated 
over $240,000 to community-serving organizations.
  Irene's mission in life is to build a great community and she is 
doing that every day through her community service.
  My warmest greetings to Irene on her 89th birthday. Blessings to her 
and her family on this special occasion.

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