PLAINS, Ga. — On Monday, the town of Plains honored Jimmy Carter on Presidents Day. This comes just days after the Carter Center released a statement saying Carter would spend his remaining time at home.
It is an annual event that Carter often attended in the past but today his niece carried on that tradition.
Leanne Smith sat in the middle of the audience, in the old high school where Carter and his wife Rosalynn once went to school, hearing from a historian about some U.S. Presidents and their campaigns including her uncle’s.
"There are very few people that can say the first time they were able to vote, they were able to vote for their uncle,” Smith said. “I did vote for my uncle in 1980.”
She said she was overwhelmed with tears seeing tourists walk through the exhibit highlighting Carter’s time as president and humanitarian work. Smith described his legacy as the good in the world.
“I think the peace, the humanitarian work, the love for people, you just want to know is it going to continue at the level that I think he promoted it. And it will.” Smith said.
She said with the news that her uncle is now in hospice it's now on others to carry on his legacy.
“For the people who love him and respect him, it’s just time for them to step up,” Smith said.
It’s even more important for people to know what Carter accomplished and what he stood for, she said. People, young and old took this Presidents Day to learn about the peanut farmer turned president.
One of those people, 14-year-old Camora, says today she learned a lot about the man from her hometown who became president.
“He was our 39th President. He is caring and a good person. He treats everyone the same.” she said.
Certainly a great legacy for the man known around Plains as Jimmy, JC, Mr. Jimmy and Deacon.