Former First lady, Rosalynn Carter turns 95!

Editor

To honor the milestone, the Carter Center and Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers are encouraging admirers to share tributes to the former first lady on social media

UNION BEACH, NEW JERSEY, USA (10/12/13)-Rosalynn Carter holds 1 year-old Alexa Burke, the daughter of a Habitat homeowner, on the final day of the 2013 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Union Beach, located 40 miles south of New York City, suffered significant damage at the mercy of Superstorm Sandy. Over 80 percent of the town's homes were affected by flooding, while more than 50 were completely washed away during the storm, and another 200 were leveled in the months that followed. ©Habitat for Humanity International/Ezra Millstein

Rosalynn Carter plans to celebrate her 95th birthday on Thursday at her home in Plains, Georgia.

According to a Carter Center representative, the former first lady’s celebration will be “quiet,” with President Jimmy Carter and other family members in attendance.

But, while Rosalynn is spending time with her loved ones, the folks who help operate the Carter Center and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers are planning something special in which everyone is encouraged to participate.

On Thursday, supporters are encouraged to send Rosalynn birthday wishes on social media — or post personal tales about how her life’s work has influenced them — using the hashtags #MrsCarterMakingHistory and #95thBirthday.

“Mrs. Carter has always been ahead of her time,” said Dr. Jennifer Olsen, chief executive officer of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, in a statement. “Whether it was raising caregiver issues to the national stage, fighting mental health stigma, or advancing women’s rights, Mrs. Carter is a trailblazer.”

Dr. Olsen’s commendation was repeated by Paige Alexander, CEO of the Carter Center: “Mrs. Carter’s leadership, vision, and warmth influenced millions of Americans as well as millions of people worldwide. She was a trailblazer in pushing concerns and policies and creating resources to address them decades before they became commonplace. Her efforts to improve and de-stigmatize mental health have become increasingly relevant in people’s lives today.”

Rosalynn Carter has advocated for a variety of topics as the first lady and throughout her life, including mental health, caregiving, women’s rights, and vaccine access. She has fought for environmental causes and end-of-life care, and she and her husband have been key figures in Habitat for Humanity.

“We are grateful for Mrs. Carter’s ongoing zealous pursuit of actions and policies that continue to make a significant difference in people’s lives,” Alexander added. “A very happy 95th birthday to Rosalynn Carter!”