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WILKES-BARRE — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was in town Tuesday night to again help raise money for the Plains (Georgia) Better Hometown Project.
Carter, the 39th president of the U.S. who turned 90 in October, attended a dinner at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion, 156 South Franklin St., where he greeted about 64 attendees and posed for pictures. Carter offered remarks to the crowd and an auction was held featuring several items signed by Carter and his wife, Rosalyn, who did not attend the event.
This was Carter’s third appearance in the area on behalf of the Plains Helping Plains initiative started by Larry and Diane Cook, owners of Cook & Cook Estate Liquidators of Dallas.
“Hi everybody,” Carter said when entering the building. “I have to go here and talk to some people, but I’ll be right back. Don’t leave.”
Carter and his trademark smile said he always looks forward to visiting Pennsylvania. He has made fishing trips to Spruce Creek near State College for the past 33 years. He said Pennsylvania reminds him of home.
Carter said he hopes to raise money for the historic preservation of his hometown, Plains, Georgia. He said the Cooks have helped greatly to raise funds for the project.
“We’ve fixed up several buildings, including the schoolhouse where Rosalynn and I attended,” Carter said. “You all should come down for a visit. We have about 634 residents now.”
Carter still has that boyhood, peanut-farmer charm that catapulted him to the presidency. And he is still making diplomatic trips. He will visit Russia and meet with President Vladimir Putin before continuing on to the Middle East, still with the hope of effecting a peace agreement there.
“We’re constantly trying to bring peace to that part of the world,” Carter said.
Carter forged lasting relationships with Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev and the People’s Republic of China and helped broker peace between Egypt and Israel. Carter served as president from 1977 to 1981.
Carter, the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, talked about The Carter Center and its worldwide mission of promoting peace and fighting disease in Third World countries.
He also discussed politics and the amount of money needed to run an effective campaign.
“There’s no doubt Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee,” Carter said. “The Republicans will have 12 to 15 candidates that will narrow to the four with the most money.”
Carter said it takes $200 million to run for president today. He said he and Gerald Ford raised zero money when they ran against each other.
“Neither of us was obligated to any special interest groups,” Carter said. “When so much money is put into the political process, the country becomes polarized.”
Joe Matteo, owner of the Mary Stegmaier Mansion since February of 2014, said the building will house a fine dining restaurant by the end of the year and in 2016, he will open the facility for weddings and banquets.
Matteo also owns the Frederick Stegmaier Mansion further down South Franklin Street that he operates as a bed and breakfast.
David Baker and his wife, Eva, made the trip from Wasilla, Alaska. They have attended all three events the Cooks have hosted with Carter.
“We like to support President Carter’s hometown and his peace and health programs,” Baker said. “He has had a global impact on many people and causes in his post-presidential years.”
Debbie Pride, a teacher at Meyers High School, brought two students from Wilkes-Barre Academy to meet Carter. Lydia, 12, and Aidan, 10, McFarlane were anxious to meet the former president.
“His hat size is 7 and he is 5-foot-9,” Aidan said.
The McFarlanes smiled when they met Carter and they got a picture with the former president.
Christopher Breiseth, former president of Wilkes University, brought a proclamation for Carter to sign in honor of Frances Perkins, who was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s secretary of labor. Perkins was an architect of modern-day social welfare policy. Much of the New Deal’s enduring legacy — the minimum wage, the 40-hour work week, the primary concept and components of Social Security — are the brainchildren of Perkins.
Carter signed the document and said, “She was one of my heroes.”
“We’re honored to have President Carter in town again for this worthy cause,” Larry Cook said. “He has been very gracious in supporting the project and we always look forward to spending time with him.”
The Plains Better Hometown Program provides for the historic revitalization of Carter’s hometown. Cook said many historic sites have been saved from ruin until the U.S. National Parks Service can take them over.
Cook said the project also provides for the beautification of the town.
“President Carter is very appreciative of the support our area has given to the project in his hometown,” Cook said.
The cooks have been frequent visitors to Plains, Georgia, traveling there three to six times each year to help with the project and to visit with the Carters.