THROUGH heartbreak and happiness, Sherrill Weidenbohm’s story is one of kindness, resilience, and the joy that can be found in helping others.
Born and raised in Kempsey, Sherrill came from a family of eleven kids.
“My dad passed away when I was only three, so my mum Kathleen raised us on her own but we had the best life,” she said.
Sherrill started out working at Flanagans in Kempsey before heading to Sydney for several years in retail.
She later moved to Port Macquarie, marrying local Neville Weidenbohm in 1972.
Together they had a daughter, Simone, who now lives in Sydney.
Sadly, tragedy struck in March 1978 when a major storm downed power lines.
Neville was electrocuted and killed.
“That was a really hard time,” Sherrill said, “but you just find a way to keep going.”
Sherrill worked at Whalebone for around ten years before moving on to Country Comfort, where her charity work really began.
“That’s where it started for me – we were bringing kids from Westmead out here for a holiday.
“It just felt like the right thing to do,” she said.
After 15 years there, Sherrill and her partner Murray opened a coffee shop.
“I loved it,” she said. “And I ended up with a beautiful stepson and daughter too – and now two amazing grandsons.”
In 2005, Sherrill joined Woolworths, where her charity work only grew.
It’s also where she met Julie, the other half of the duo known as “The Two Mums”.
Since then, they’ve been unstoppable running street stalls, raising money for locals doing it tough, and organising toy drives, food runs and more.
“We did a toy run to Wauchope Preschool, we loaded up a ute and trailer with food for Tamworth during the fires, and helped out during the drought too,” Sherrill said.
In 2023, she was recognised as a Living Treasure on Australia Day, and she won the Woolworths Care Award last year.
“The biggest thing for me is helping people,” she said.
“That’s what it’s always been about.”
One of Sherrill and Julie’s ongoing efforts is collecting kids’ clothes to send to a Solomon Islands orphanage.
“We give them to Mary, and she gets them over there a couple of times a year. Every bit helps,” Sherrill added.
By Chan ANSELL
