500 attend benefit for Terry Weaver in Ridgeway
Photos by Tom Rivers
RIDGEWAY – Terry Weaver and his sister Kim Lockwood are in good spirits during a benefit on Saturday in his honor at the Ridgeway Fire Hall.
Weaver, a US Air Force veteran, has worked 30 years in corrections, including as a sergeant at the Orleans County Jail. He is fighting stage 4 lung cancer and also had a brain tumor removed in January.
Weaver was a in great spirits on Saturday, and shocked by the big crowd at the fire hall.
“I’m kind of a loner,” he said. “I’m not the most outgoing guy in the room.”
His family and friends wanted to raise money to help with co-pays for medical bills and other expenses. Lockwood said the benefit raised $14,000.
There were 200 baskets up for raffle, and other big ticket items. Lockwood said the community was generous in helping her brother.
Weaver, 54, lives in Shelby. He has never smoked and said he has been a “workout junkie.” He started having bad headaches and would blackout late last year, when he was diagnosed with the brain tumor.
He had two surgeries in January to remove that mass and he feels fortunate he didn’t lose his memory or suffer ill-effects from that surgery. He is currently taking chemo to fight the lung cancer.
Members of McAdoo family and Ridgeway Ladies Auxiliary served up more than 300 spaghetti dinners on Saturday. Michelle Lechner serves the salads while Donna Lockwood, Bonnie Gill and Nick McAdoo work on the spaghetti.
Lynn Starr works as a cook at the jail. She has known Weaver for several years. She helped secure many of the food donations for the meal on Saturday. She said Weaver is well liked by his coworkers at the jail.
“Terry is a top-of-the-line guy,” Starr said. “He is always good natured.”
Weaver would typically work major holidays so his co-workers with young families could be home with their children.
“He is a wonderful man,” said his sister, Debra Regan. “He is a special human being who doesn’t deserve this – nobody does.”
Eagle Creek was one of the three bands to perform during the benefit. From left include Nick Salvatore, Gary Tarr and Dick Brant. The Dave Viterna Group and The Who Dats also performed.
Eagle Creek entertains the crowd at the Ridgeway Fire Hall.
A large contingent from the Orleans County Sheriff’s office attended the benefit to support Weaver.
“As you can see everybody loves Terry,” said Sheriff Randy Bower. “To see this support is just overwhelming.”
The benefit on Saturday was from 2 to 7 p.m. Weaver appeared at 2:30 p.m. and stayed the entire time, despite fighting exhaustion from his chemo. The room was energized by Weaver’s presence, Bower said.
“When he showed up, it lifted everybody up,” Bower said. “Hopefully we lifted him up, too.”
