Benefit for Edgerly successful, fight for life continues

The benefit for Todd Edgerly may be over, but donations are still being made to the account at Bridge City Bank.

The Community Center was packed Saturday as tickets were dropped into jars corresponding to the many raffle items. There was plenty of good music as attendees enjoyed pulled pork or brisket sandwiches. Hot links and boudain were also available.

Bins and bins were filled with tee-shirts, plus koozies and bracelets were available for purchase stating “I wear grey for Todd Edgerly, brain cancer awareness.” At the end of the night only about eight tee-shirts remained.

Flo Edgerly, Todd’s mother, said benefit organizers Molly LaHaye and Nicci Hargrave Glass kept telling her, “It’s going to be huge!” Floe had no idea it was going to turn out as large as it did.

“I couldn’t put my mind on that,” said Flo. “I’ve been involved in a lot of benefits for a lot of people. We always had to go to the merchants and business places and ask for donations. No one asked for any donations [for Todd’s benefit]. All Molly did was put it on Facebook that they were going to have a benefit for Todd and they started calling in wanting to donate. That doesn’t happen... and that was all over the Golden Triangle. It wasn’t just in Orange, it was everywhere.”

“That is awesome. Such a tribute to my son and the whole family,” said Flo.

She said people are saying they had such a good time; they want to know when they were going to do it again.

Flo couldn’t believe the turnout. “They’d come and fill it up, then they’d leave, then another wave would come in. It was constant all day long,” she said.

“We had so many people from out of town.” Members of IBEW came from Beaumont, Port Arthur, Houston, Galveston and Austin. “They were from all over,” she said.

Todd made two appearances with his parents at the benefit. Both times he arrived; applause broke out in the room as he entered. It had been raining the first time he arrived. They had to use umbrellas to keep him dry from the car to the building. He didn’t stay very long because he was tired, but when he returned around 6:30 p.m., he had rested and taken a nap. Todd greeted many friends and really enjoyed the visit. Flo said he high-fived everybody.

“It did him good,” said his mother.

“Couldn’t you feel the love in that room? The last time I saw [Todd] was when he got out of the car. I couldn’t get close to him, it was awesome.”

The Edgerlys are very grateful for the generosity of the community. One man went up and asked for a cup of ice and gave the girl a $100 bill. The volunteer told him ice was free. He said, “I know, but I can pay for it if I want to.”

Flo said a pair of house shoes that came from Walmart sold for $200. A red bicycle went for $3,900.

“A photographer had donated a family portrait. It went up to $200, [the auctioneer] almost let it go for the $200, then David Carpenter raised his hand and said $500,” said Flo. “He could have got it for $201 and he hollered out $500.”

One of Todd’s union buddies from California called the Edgerly home. He wanted Flo to send him a bunch of shirts, can huggers and arm bands. Todd was awake at the time so Flo let him talk to Todd for a minute. She said the man was so glad he got to hear Todd’s voice. “He’s just touched so many people’s lives. It’s amazing.”

Flo said money raised will cover Todd’s treatment for about three months. “It’ll put a little dent in it,” she said.

The Edgerlys want to give thanks to organizers LaHaye, Glass and Mike Guillotte who lined up the entertainment.

When money from the benefit was deposited Monday, the phones at Bridge City Bank were ringing with people calling to find out how to donate.

Direct monetary donations can still be made through the mail to: Todd Edgerly Benefit/Care of Bridge City Bank, Acct # 146766-06, PO Box 887, Bridge City, TX 77611.