Friends are family are uniting around Salado native Tom Gidley, Jr. who is fighting cancer.

Steven Jackson, who grew up with Tom and went all 12 grades in Salado schools with him, is working with other classmates and lifelong friends for a fundraiser at Jack’s Barn, 525 Pace Park Rd. on Oct. 15.

The event will kick off at 11 a.m. with $10 barbecue plates for sale throughout the day. “We’ll be cooking it up ourselves,” Jackson said. “There’s Alex Berumen and several of us working on that.”

A silent auction will feature gift baskets and cards from many of the shops in town. There will also be a live auction. 

Some of the auction items include these:

• A sponsor table for six at Johnny’s Outback concert.

A jewelry set from Salado Creek jewelers

• A Johnny Cash record collection all first pressings 18 total albums.

• A two-hour music session with Christian & Avery

• Horse riding lessons

Follow the Cancer Benefit for Tom Gidley Jr. Page on Facebook for details on silent and live auction items as they come in.

The event will continue into the night with live music by Lance Wade Thomas.

The son of Tom and Gaylen Gidley, Tom is a second generation Saladoan, born and raised in Salado. He graduated from Salado in 1990 and played football and baseball for the Eagles. He played football for the late Dan Wasik and was among the early baseball players for Melvin Bates. “We were in eighth grade when Coach Bates came to Salado,” Jackson recalled.

Tom is married to Kelly and they have two children: James Thomas and Amber Nicole.

Like his father before him, Tom has been a lifelong self-employed electrician. He learned the trade working under his father. 

He is able to work, but is limited by the effects of the chemotherapy he is undergoing to battle the cancer.

When he isn’t working, his passion has been the drums. “He has played with several bands around the area,” said Debra Jackson, who is working with her husband Steve to raise funds for the Gidleys. “Such a laid back personality until you get him behind his drums…”