Page 2 - aruba-today-20241001

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 1 OcTOber 2024
A concert and 30 new homes mark Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday

and long legacy of giving

Continued from Front

"The image of a president
of the United States sleep-
ing in a church basement
and physically helping re-
hab a tenement building
captured the world," said
Jonathan Reckford, CEO of
Habitat for Humanity Inter-
national. The Carters went
on to build homes annually
for 35 years. Carter repeat-
edly said that working with
the organization was a way
he put his Christian faith into
action, Reckford recalled.
Cleora Taylor, a medical
assistant, met the Cart-
ers in August 2018 when
they helped build 41 new
homes in South Bend and
Mishawaka, Indiana.
Years later, Taylor recalled
how the former president
greeted her by name and
knew about her children,
including her daughter,
who was 11 at the time and
has autism.
"It means so much to me
that he knew me," said Tay-
lor, speaking from her living
room in the home The Cart- Former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter answer questions during a news conference at a Habitat for
Humanity project Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn.
ers helped her build, on a Associated Press
street named Carter Court.
"He's just such a good, wel- by the size of donations er took up the mantle, vow- heads of state to muster Taylor, who lives near South
coming, humble guy. I'm or the heft of assets under ing to outlive the last such their commitment to pub- Bend, Indiana, said she saw
just glad to be a part of a management, Carter's giv- parasite. lic health interventions, that commitment firsthand
legacy that he's leaving ing came in the form of his "To the demise of the said Steven M. Hilton of the as Carter, 93 at the time,
behind." seemingly ceaseless per- worm" is the catchphrase, Conrad N. Hilton Founda- helped her put up a kitch-
Presidential historian Cas- sonal effort. according to Dr. Jordan tion. Since 1991, the foun- en wall in her four-bedroom
sandra Newby-Alexander, From building homes to Tappero, deputy director dation said it has commit- home.
professor of Virginia Black monitoring elections and for neglected tropical dis- ted nearly $50 million to The "It was just so amazing that
history and culture at Nor- pursuing the elimination of eases at the Bill & Melinda Carter Center for eradicat- he still was out here, outside
folk State University, said a painful but neglected dis- Gates Foundation, which ing Guinea worm and to at that age, working with
the strength of Carter's leg- ease, Carter used his stat- has given $263 million to support its work treating us," she said. "It made us
acy is in his morality. Unlike ure and presence to rally The Carter Center since and controlling trachoma, want to work harder."
many who claim to care resources and attention to 2000, mostly to support its a disease that can cause She still gets emotional
about the disadvantaged, his causes. work on Guinea worm. irreversible blindness. thinking about that week,
Carter has shown that they "In so many ways, he set The number of cases has Hilton considers Carter to an incredible opportunity
— and not power or mon- the standard for how presi- fallen from 3.5 million when be "a remarkable man with for her and her four kids.
ey — are his main concern, dents should be in their the center started to only a deeply compassionate "Not only did I get to meet
Newby-Alexander said. post-presidency, as some- 13 known cases in humans heart." Jimmy Carter and his wife
"I think he has probably one who is going to con- in 2022, and now focuses "I feel fortunate to have and his children and hun-
done more personally in his tinue to do good, someone on closing the "last mile" of witnessed firsthand the dreds of volunteers, other
post-presidency than any- who's going to continue to infections in several African strength of his character, celebrities, I get to own a
one else because he's not positively impact society," countries. Even after Carter including his dedication to piece of the world. I get to
out there looking for atten- Newby-Alexander said. entered hospice in Feb- seeing enormous humani- own a piece of land," she
tion," she said. "He's looking Carter's legacy of giving ruary 2023, Tappero said, tarian challenges through said.
to change things. He's not back also includes working Carter was still contacting to the end," Hilton said in a "I never thought that I
out there trying to make to eradicate Guinea worm, his team. statement. would be able to do some-
money for himself. He's out a commitment The Carter "He still wants updates and Tappero draws inspiration thing like that, being a sin-
there trying to live the life of Center has made since wants to know what's go- from the Carters' humility, gle mother. And for them
a Christian — a true Chris- 1986. ing on because his mind energy and dedication. "If to have to put so much into
tian, one who cares about The U.S. Centers for Disease will never stop until the last we all had one-fifth of his it, the volunteers and for
the poor and the homeless Control and Prevention heartbeat," Tappero said, energy, commitment and Jimmy Carter to actually
and the children." had identified the disease speaking in March 2023. passion," he said, "the world be here? It was amazing
While leadership in phi- as a candidate for eradi- Carter engaged directly would be a much better for people to care like he
lanthropy is often gauged cation after smallpox. Cart- with health ministries and place." cares."q