When Kincaid Furniture Company became a corporate partner with Habitat for Humanity International, company officials had no idea where that decision would lead them. Late last year, it led them right into the private residence of former President Jimmy Carter.

In November, Kincaid Furniture President Steve Kincaid and several others from the furniture manufacturer based in the Caldwell County town of Hudson went to Plains, Ga., to deliver a piece of furniture the former first lady, Rosalynn Carter, wanted to purchase.

They ended up spending an afternoon with President Carter and his wife.

The solid-pine dry sink the former first lady wanted is part of the company's Homecoming Collection. In its partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the company donates 1 percent of the wholesale price of each item sold from the collection to the organization.

When Kincaid heard from a store in Americus, Ga., that the Carters wanted to buy the dry sink, he offered to give it to them in appreciation for their many years of service to Habitat for Humanity.

"Because President Carter has been so involved with Habitat for Humanity and has been responsible for so much of their success, it made sense for us to show our appreciation," said Kincaid. "He is the face of Habitat. He still devotes a lot of time to Habitat."

The company inscribed a brass plate for the piece of furniture thanking the Carters "for tireless devotion to Habitat for Humanity International and its mission to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world." The dry sink will go in the home known as the pond house, where President Carter's mother, Miss Lillian, lived, according to Kincaid. She lived there after Carter became president. It is part of the homes and land the Carters have bequeathed to the National Parks Service.

Kincaid and his wife, Kim, went to Plains to make the presentation along with the company's vice president of marketing, Max Dyer; Tim Annas, vice president of merchandising; and district sales manager, Jon Porter. They were joined by Mark Minick of Minick Interiors in Americus, Ga., where Mrs. Carter first saw the dry sink.

What they had been told would be about an hourlong presentation ended up being much more. After taking them on a tour of his private residence, the former president invited the entourage to travel with him to see his childhood farm located in the community of Archery, just outside of Plains.

"The president took us out to his woodworking shop at his home and showed us where he builds all his furniture, as well as the various paintings he's working on now. He has built a lot of furniture," said Kincaid. "His private residence is a ranch-style house built in the '60s. It is not a pretentious house but a really nice ranch home. He took us in every room and told us about the furniture in it. The guardhouse where the Secret Service stays is about as big as his house," said Kincaid.

"He asked us if we wanted to go to Archery because they had a festival there (at the farm). So we loaded up and went. It was the Carters and the Secret Service cars and us."

Kincaid was impressed at how down-to-earth the former president was.

"He wanted to help us unload the furniture, and I said no, we would do that. He was real down-to-earth. I guess that would be the best way to describe him and Mrs. Carter. They were very nice and accommodating," Kincaid said.

"There was not one political word uttered. It was about his life and experiences," said Kincaid. "It is amazing how active he still is."