LEWES, Del. -- On Thursday, volunteers, employees, politicians, and local residents gathered at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Lewes to celebrate former President Jimmy Carter's life and legacy.
Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, were Habitat for Humanity's most famous volunteers for over 35 years. Together, they worked alongside over 108,100 volunteers who have built, renovated or repaired more than 4,447 homes in 14 countries.
Sussex County Habitat for Humanity volunteer Tony Etze attended Thursday's event. He worked on five Carter Work Projects and stood alongside the former president for one of them.
"What he tells you in orientation on the first day is 'Don't come to talk to me,'" says Etze. "'If you come up and talk to me, you're taking away work from two people.''. "He'd say, 'You're here to work, and that's what we're here to do."
Sussex County Habitat for Humanity Director of Development & Advocacy Katie Millard worked with Carter on his final work project in 2019.
"You can tell a lot about somebody by their actions, and especially by their actions to someone when they have no idea who they are," says Millard.
CEO Kevin Gilmore reflected on Carter's inspiring legacy of love and inclusivity.
"I think he did that through Habitat for Humanity by bringing together hundreds of thousands of people to care for each other and to care for their neighbors," says Gilmore.
As part of a celebration, attendees signed a door symbolizing the thousands of doors Carter opened for people, literally and metaphorically. Over the next few weeks, the public will be able to sign the door, which will then be permanently on display at the Habitat Humanity Restore in Lewes.
