Peter Lewis sat center right on the Jefferson Center stage with nothing to say. Seldom does that happen. But on December 1 this was not a night for him to talk, but rather to hear how he, as the founder and president of Apple Ridge Farm, had impacted the lives of children and adults throughout the Roanoke Valley.
Lewis, who has spent nearly 30 years with Apple Ridge, has retired. For almost a year, a subcommittee of the board met regularly to plan Lewis’s retirement because, in the words of the committee chair, Frances McCorkle Segura: “We wanted to give him the same attention and adoration he has given so many youngsters throughout the years.”
The evening opened with a reception in Fitzpatrick Hall, where hundreds of folks streamed in to wish Lewis well. Local dignitaries, including congressmen, legislators and council members showed up with a purpose – they wanted to sing his praises. Lewis, who is never lost for words, struggled on this occasion.
“That’s indeed one remarkable man right there,” said Roanoke City Council woman, Anita James Price. “Peter has done so much for Roanoke, this valley, this region, and it warms my heart to see so many folks here tonight wishing him well.”
After about an hour of mingling, the celebration moved to the auditorium, where Lewis was roasted, toasted and showered with numerous accolades. His son, John, who has been hired to take over as executive director of Apple Ridge, opened the affair with a roast to his dad. John Lewis talked about growing up at Apple Ridge, and all the time he had spent being mentored for this job, although he had no clue leading the organization was in his future. He also took a few pokes at his dad, but not before calling him a remarkable father and an exemplary model of what a man and a leader should be.
John Lewis’s roast was quite funny. He opened with “I have three words for you: it’s payback time and I love you!” He poked fun at his father’s lack of skills in technology and compared Facebook, Twitter and Skype to a “version of Pony Express, something my father might be more knowledgeable of.”
The other roasters included Lewis’s former pastor, Reverend Bill Lee, Alan Ronk, Ted Edlich, Reverend Joseph Keaton, Rita Bishop and Carl Palmer. All of whom spoke about Lewis’s uncanny ability to make things happen for children.
Palmer presented Apple Ridge with a Ford 12-passenger van, equipped with a handicapped lift. The van was made possible through a grant and donation from Valley Metro and Radar.
Mayor Sherman Lea declared December 1 “Peter Lewis Day,” and presented Lewis a key to the City.
At the end of the night, Peter’s silence turned to overwhelming gratitude for the accolades and honor bestowed upon him. He thanked his family, friends and community partners for their time.
“I’m honored and humbled by this outpouring of affection, but more importantly for the children we serve,” Lewis said. “I will never stop working for my shorties and pee-wees.”
