SCRANTON, Pa. -- As Charlie Spano thumbed through the pages of an old photo album, his mind drifted back. In the late 1980s, he campaigned for a presidential candidate who believed in his values. That man was former President George H.W. Bush. The 41st President passed away at the age of 94.
“When you looked back at the candidates, I thought that George H.W. Bush had a great wealth of knowledge and had served his country from World War II onward,” said Spano.
After campaigning for George H.W. Bush, Spano became an alternate delegate at the Republican National Convention in 1988. It was there he was able to meet the man he campaigned for and was able to shake his hand.
“I seen him from afar, and when he took the oath of office, and when a chance to saddle up to the barrier at the hotel, we never thought we would get a chance to say hello, but we did,” said Spano.
Spano says the former president had a lot of values. One of those was volunteerism.
“He was very big into volunteerism. He was very conscious in people's desire to volunteer in their community,” said Spano.
Former President George H.W. Bush's 1988 speech mentioning "A thousand points of light" put a spotlight on people serving the community.
At Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre, Douglas Hamilton believes that message still inspires many groups today.
“His heart was let's get people involved in making a difference, let’s not depend on the government for everything, let's get our hands dirty, let's get out there and make a difference. It makes a difference in your own heart,” said Hamilton.
Spano says his legacy will be passed down through his family.
“The Bush family is going to have long-lasting deep influence in the country because their values and background is a marker for a lot of people to look at and aspire to,” said Hamilton.