HAROLD WARREN

The economy of Aberdeen WA has been in a 34-year depression from the collapse of the logging industry in 1970. Aberdeen is a community in dire need of economic development and the caring help of volunteers.

Harold Warren is a 70- year-old semi-retired public accountant who has been volunteering for 40 years. He was born in Missouri, but grew up in Aberdeen. He has spent much of his adult life giving back to the community and it is estimated that he has completed over 20,000 hours of community service.

Mr. Warren volunteers extensively with Habitat for Humanity and participated in the experimental building of straw bale houses in Mexico. He was the catalyst for the creation of the Grays Harbor chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and now serves on the board. Harold administers, collects funds, and has recently celebrated the fourth Habitat house completed in Aberdeen.

Mr. Warren received part of his education from Grays Harbor College and is now an active board member and Treasurer, who presides over the collection of capital to fund scholarship.

Mr. Warren is treasurer of the Aberdeen public library and is heavily involved in fundraising for the renovation of the library. He is extremely active in his church where he is Treasurer, Sunday school teacher, usher, scripture reader and landscaper. He recently helped rebuild the church roof, and served on the Lutheran governing council for one term.

In 1966 Mr. Warren joined the Lions club and has been an active fundraiser for childhood sight conservation, and has continually been involved in the purchasing of eyeglasses for improvised youth. Through the Lions club he has also volunteered for Rebuilding Together, a home refurbishing organization for poverty stricken senior citizens. In the mid 60’s he was responsible for getting Evergreen Counseling a local mental health organization off the ground.

Mr. Warren currently collects old newspapers from the Aberdeen paper for recycling; he receives a small fee that is converted into scholarship money for the Aberdeen community. Mr. Warren’s most recent examples of volunteerism include being the Treasurer for the Driftwood Theater, a non-profit community theater group, and serving as Treasurer for The Friends of the Aberdeen Museum. Most notable, is his recent volunteer service in ADAPT (Alzheimer’s Disease Anti-inflammatory Prevention Trail), volunteers must be at least 70 years old and have had relative with the disease. They are given non-steroidal medications to see if they will delay Alzheimer’s onset by a year or more. ADAPT is one of the largest studies done by the National Institute on Aging.