Terry Shearer Earns 2026 VT100 Stoney Award: For the Ultimate Volunteer
Featured image: Terry Shearer on his way to accept the 2026 Stoney Award at the 2026 VT100 pre-pace meeting. Credit: Judith Gibson-Okunieff.
Each year, the Vermont 100 gives the Stoney Stone Award to the VT100 Volunteer of the Year. This award is given in memory of Stoney, who was a dedicated volunteer during the early years of Vermont Adaptive. Stoney was always there, no matter the conditions, or what needed doing, or who needed help. He couldn’t imagine a life without the Vermont Adaptive program and they couldn’t have done it without him.
For 2026, we honored a volunteer who has contributed to the VT100 for over for 2 decades, Terry Shearer.
Terry has worn nearly every ‘behind the scenes’ hat at this event…from aid station supply sorting, course clearing, trail marking, restocking, aid station clean-up, chem lighting, and the list goes on. He’s the ultimate ‘can do’ guy, that is always available, always says ‘yes’ to any task that needs to be done.
Most years, once he’s done with these tasks, he pins on a pacer bib to support a runner towards their 100k or 100-mile goal … And then quietly goes back to whatever behind the scenes task needs his help next.
By the time of this year’s pre-race meeting, he had already spent the day staging water for the second third of the race, and after, he left immediately to get a few hours of sleep before getting up at 1am to start setting up all the aid stations in the first half of the race ahead of all the runners. Of course, he also paced a runner after that, and again filled in with whatever other gaps needed a helping hand.
Events like the VT100 happen because there are countless people behind the scenes that our participants don’t know and never see. Some are here for a year or two, some are lifers. The VT100 is so lucky to have Terry Shearer as a lifer volunteer and an enduring supporter of this event. If there’s something you need done, skip Ghostbusters and give Terry a call.
Terry, we are so grateful for all your many years of service, energy, passion, knowledge, and contribution to the Vermont 100. You have made an amazing and lasting impact. Thank you!
