It has been 44 years since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision made abortion legal in the United States. For 25 of those years, Plains resident Terrie Woods has shared her passion about life with local residents.

“I believe that if you do something with your whole heart you can make a difference. I stand out there in the hope that people will begin talking with their children,” Woods said.

Woods has walked with a homemade sign next to Montana Highway 200 in the hope it will spark communication between parents and children about abortion, adoption and choosing life.

“My heart and my mind is still the same. They are babies and you don’t abort them,” she said.

In the last 25 years, Woods has helped women of varied ages, the youngest was 16 and the oldest was 32. Woods is self-employed as a courier, often driving to Missoula. She said that it is important for people to really look around Plains.

“It makes you feel good if you help, rather than sit around and only focus on the ugliness of abortion,” she said. “I want people to really be more aware of the people around them. There are so many needs and it is important to figure out how to meet those needs.”

Woods is very active with her church, Church on the Move. Already this year, she has given away two sets of bunk beds to families who had children sleeping on the floor.

Reporter Douglas Wilks can be reached at [email protected] or 406-826-3402.