Heavy rains cancelled my assignment with the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project today. I was supposed to drive a van for a VIP tour, but the weather was just so ugly. So ugly, in fact, that tonight’s Closing Ceremonies were moved from outdoor Yankie Stadium to the stunning indoors of the Beau Rivage Hotel & Casino.
It was a really cool night.
Being a board member has it’s privileges I guess. My girls and I ended up sitting in the row directly in front of the Carter family (in addition to Jimmy & Rosalynn, their son and daughter-in-law, Jeff & Annette). Check out this picture I snapped. You’ll notice the Secret Service agent directly behind President Carter is not too happy with the gentleman who wanted to shake hands with the ex-president!
I had the privilege of sitting next to Larry Gluth. After Hurricane Katrina, Larry took a year’s sabbatical from his Vice-President position with Starbucks in Seattle to work with Habitat for Humanity on the Gulf Coast. In the early days of merging the two Mississippi Gulf Coast affiliates, I had an important meeting at my house where Larry was present via speaker-cell phone, but I had never met him in person. It was a privilege to meet him tonight. Since that sabbatical, Larry made the huge decision to resign from Starbucks, a business he had been with since it had about 150 stores (now it has 15,000 locations in 43 countries!), to work as a VP with Habitat for Humanity International. It was nice to speak with someone who moved his family cross country in a massive career switch at this point in my life.
After the program, we were entertained by The Road Hammers (check out the pic).
So check this out: The Road Hammers came from a reality show on CMT Canada like “Making the Band.” That’s right, this is a Canadian country music band!!! And now, a country music channel is following them around for another reality show!
But the night was cool for other reasons, too: we met volunteers from Maryland. And Texas. And Wisconsin. And Indiana. And Washington state. And watched videos from this week’s project that would bring tears to your eyes.
It has been quite a week.
Minutes to Memories 
Awesome, Al. I am so proud to have a friend who has been so instrumental in helping to bring housing to those who could not do it on their own.
Right back at ya John. You too, my friend.