Former President Jimmy Carter’s daughter-in-law will visit the Orland Park Library to discuss the work of the potus’ center in Georgia.
Becky Carter, wife of Carter’s son Chip, will be a participant in a program called “A Life Dedicated to Service: President Jimmy Carter & Rosalynn Carter Collection” at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the library, 14921 Ravinia Ave.
Ricardo Fernandez, of Orland Park, also will discuss his friendship with Jimmy Carter and his personal collection of materials on the former president. The exhibit will be on display through February.
Fernandez, 49, said he knew very little about Carter when he attended a 2001 book signing at Walden Books in Orland Park, but he was interested to see a former president in person. After reading Carter’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, “An Hour before Daylight,” Fernandez said he became very impressed with Carter.
“I really liked [the book],” Fernandez said. “So, I sat down and wrote him a letter, and he wrote me back.”
Fernandez said as he learned more about Carter, he made visits to The Carter Center in Atlanta and began to support the center’s many causes.
“Once I started looking into what he does, [I learned] President Carter was very involved with service… and also Mrs. Carter. She’s been alongside him every step of the way,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said he often saw President Carter at the center’s events, and the two of them developed a friendship that has now spanned more than a decade.
In his presentation, Fernandez will discuss the collection he has assembled and his travels with Carter, sometimes aboard Carter’s plane, to Mexico, Haiti and 10 states.
“He goes to the most remote and isolated communities around the world, and he’s fighting diseases and …using his celebrity not to make money, but to serve his fellow man,” Fernandez said.
“The library feels so privileged to have Mr. Fernandez in our community and for us to be able to show an awesome collection like he has,” said Kelly Cuci, Orland Park Library’s head of outreach services..
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“I think that any time you have a president’s own personal memorabilia –regardless of which president it is — I think it’s important for the public to come see it,” Cuci said. “We hope the community comes out and they get to see all the artifacts. We don’t know when we’re going to get our hands on this collection again, so come and see it while you can.”
For more information, call (708) 428-5205 or visit www.orlandparklibrary.org.
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.