Riding for a cause

Leslie Gibson
Rockwall County Herald-Banner

ROYSE CITY June 27, 2008 05:57 pm

— Bob Shewmake of Royse City did not know about a benefit for him until the staff at the dialysis center told him, and he read it in the paper, he said.
He has been on dialysis for about 15 months. It is possible that medicine used in a heart bypass surgery in 2000 caused his kidney failure, say he and family members. Because of the heart, he is not a candidate for a kidney transplant, he said.
“My kidneys shut down during surgery, or from whatever they give you,” he said.
“In 2004 I started to have trouble. I wasn’t even going to do dialysis. ‘I lived my life, I’m not going to go through all the hassle,’” he told Pat Juarez Shewmake, his wife of three years. They have been inseparable for 18 years.
“And she started crying.”
“I just wanted to keep him a little while longer,” she said, as she sat next to him during the barbecue and hamburger lunch Saturday during the benefit trail ride and lunch at Peggy’s Feed and Tack.
“I asked God, ‘Am I being greedy on this?’” she said.
“I decided to keep my trap shut,” said Shewmake.
Shewmake and Juarez met at Dallas Independent School District, where he has since retired from HVAC maintenance, and she had worked in an elementary school.
“He’s my best friend,” Pat said.
Best friends filled Peggy’s Feed and Tack building and grounds, as did people new to one another, bound by common bonds: animals, in particular horses; music, in particular Last Train South Band; community support, led by Peggy Shinabarger, owner of the feed store; and family and friends.
Kelly Shewmake, one of Shewmake’s six children, all of whom attended Royse City schools, came with his two sons, Dustin, who graduated in May from Royse City High School, and eighth-grader Torey.
“Everybody went all out. It is very much appreciated,” Kelly Shewmake said.
Being raised in Royse City, he knew that “people are always doing things for other people, but its a little closer to home when it’s your daddy,” he said.
James Branch, on the planning and zoning committee of Royse City, had met Shewmake through that committee. They hit it off, Branch said, and he went out to visit. He learned the Shewmakes had no air conditioning.
Before the benefit took place, the Shewmakes had purchased a unit on on a newly-approved Lowes credit card, and they suggested the benefit money go to someone else. But the planners insisted, and the Shewmakes are very grateful they said, to be able to use the money to pay medical bills.
Shinabarger moved to Royse City three years ago to be near her children, Bubba Morris and Tricia Painter. After one year of her commute to Duncanville, where she had been a U-Haul dealer and used car salesperson for 25 years, she just woke up one morning, she said, and decided to put up a feed store. “In 30 days it was up,” she said, expressing great appreciation to her brother, Buddy Poteet, who has Silverado Trucking. “He helped me get this started,” she said, of his gift of money, and heavy equipment to get the site ready. She had seen how much her brother and son spent on feed, and thought “I might as well get the money.” She’s always ridden and had horses and animals, also.
Helping with the benefit was Donna Helvey, of Greenville. She works with the PRCA rodeo, and is preparing for the Ladonia rodeo. She just finished processing 4,000 people at the Hunt County Fair rodeo, she said.
“I’ve known Peggy since she opened up two years ago. She is a very community-minded person,” Helvey said.
Shinabarger said she is a “24-hour site.” “If they need antibiotics, they need them now,” she said, and gladly gets up at 2 a.m. to deliver. “I couldn’t ask for better customers.” They come from McKinney, Wylie, West Tawakoni, Greenville and more, she said.
She counts on dedicated volunteer help — Wendy Williams, to whom she refers as a sister, and Shelly Priest, who is like a daughter to her.
Williams has multiple sclerosis, which manifested itself in the 90s. She met Shinabarger Labor Day last year, and they hit it off, she said.
“When I got sick, I got real depressed,” said Williams, who for years managed fast food restaurants; in the summer adding two extra jobs as a grill chef, and a bartender, to support herself and two young children.
“You do what you gotta do,” she said. Keeping active through the feed store has really helped, she said.
Shelly Priest has a family of her own, husband Brandon, and sons Joshua and Jacen, who also helped with the benefit.
Rockwall County Sheriff Possee member Mike Groves organized the ride, Shinabarger said. Also from the possee was Jim Wardlaw, commander, Charles Lambreth, and Mark Harpst.
A total of 14 riders from the area, including roping and ranch hands, and pleasure riders, rode Saturday morning through land belonging to Sabine Valley Church, North Texas Municipal Water District, and to Mike McGowan.
“The horses did well,” Wardlaw said. Possee members also scouted the sites as a place for the annual possee trail ride, which was probably held for the last time at Caruth Ranch, Wardlaw said. Development is expected, in addition to already in place 205 Bypass.
Rigoberto Herrera, 16 years in Royse City, and a customer of Peggys Feed and Tack, rode a sorrell in the trail ride. “It was beautiful,” he said of the ride. He and several friends, who rope on area ranches also rode, including Adrian Viera, Saul Ayala, Miguel Esquive and Murio Esaviel.
Peggy’s Customer Kim Markham of Caddo Mills commented on the need for help for elderly sick. She has been in home health for many years. “There are so many heart patients that don’t have air conditioning, and a lot of elderly people that need help. You’d be surprised how many people don’t have anyone to help. It is good to see people come out and help,” she said, as she took pictures and visited.
Cooking for the benefit were Bill and Julie Riley of Royse City. As they served beans and barbcue, their son Dale Riley and his band Last Train South tuned up. The band has just released a CD, which Bill said will “take them to Nashville.”
The family wanted to help out when hearing of the benefit. “We buy our feed from Peggy,” he said. “She came out to our house when a band played and we had a big party. She’s a nice lady, too. She does everything for everybody.”
Horse and rider trainer Spook Wiggins of Wolfe City, conducted a clinic for Peggys Feed last year, and returned for the benefit. He and the Sheriffs Possee members spent time talking during lunch.
He is originally from the Great Basin of Southern Idaho. His background is Vaquero horsemanship, he said, from the early Spanish. “There is lots of tradition where I come from. If you are a good bridleman, your horse shows. It is a six or seven year process.” He was prepared to assist any riders who sought it with help during the benefit.
As the lunch ended, and trail riders began to leave, Shewmake gathered with his son and grandsons for a picture. “We’re very fortunate,” he said. “I’m a very fortunate fellow.”

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