Woman thanks volunteer for Habitat home nearly 40 years later

CHARLOTTE — The work continues at Habitat for Humanity’s Carter Work Project, with volunteers building eight homes in one week.

Among those volunteers is one man who is not a stranger to the organization.

Ed Baesel has lived in Dilworth for 37 years and worked with former president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn on a build back in 1987. Baesel said he has worked on countless Habitat projects, but he will never forget his first.

“My dad and I actually went, and we were out there with President Carter. We were framing at that point,” Baesel said.

The Carters facilitated the build of 14 Habitat homes in Optimist Park.

Rachel Little’s family lived in one of those homes. She said her father passed away in the home nine years ago. Now, she takes care of her mother in the same house.

In fact, Habitat for Humanity has a floor plan named after her mother, called The Ruby.

“Being a part of this one is special for me,” Little said.

For the first time, Little was able to thank at least one of the volunteers who made it happen: Ed Baesel.

“Thank you. Thank you for paying it forward without even knowing that you paid it forward. I am a product of what you built,” Little told Baesel.

Little said she hopes the 39 families who move into the Meadows at Plato Price will have the same experience she did, with a whole lot of community support. Because building houses is a task, but building hope — that’s impressive.

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