Ask Candace Peterson what the fundraising goal is for the Richard Peterson Memorial Benefit, and the answer won’t be a dollar amount. That’s because Candace, an organizer of the event and wife of Richard’s twin brother, Roger, knows the goal has already been achieved.

“Seeing all the people come together in his honor, and everyone sharing stories,” she said. “We hit it out of the ballpark.”

Saturday’s benefit, from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Eagles Club, will help cover the medical bills that accumulated as Richard fought cancer. The longtime Austin resident died on March 7. A raffle, silent auction and live music will be included in his fundraiser.

Richard was born July 26, 1962, in Minneapolis to Tilferd and Annabel (Espe) Peterson. He grew up in Austin and attended Austin High School, where he and Roger took part in numerous activities and made many friends.

“We played multiple sports together throughout our high school days,” Roger said.

After graduating in 1980, the twins parted ways. Roger went to college in Mankato while Richard served in the army for two years.

Later, Richard worked at Brick Furniture in Austin, and eventually moved on to Hormel Foods. There he worked in the flavoring department for about 20 years.

In his free time, Richard liked to spend time with family and friends, watch the Minnesota Vikings and NASCAR, ride his motorcycle and target and trapshoot.

Richard always had a positive attitude at work, and weathered even the most trying situations well.

“He always had a smile on his face,” Candace said. “He never had a bad word to say about anybody.”

Richard was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011, then with bone cancer a year later.

Upwards of 400 people came to Richard’s wake on March 11, and about 300 to the funeral the next day. Roger said it’s a testament to the kind of person Richard was. With that in mind, the Eagles may well be bursting at the seams Saturday.

The benefit has been months in the planning, and Candace said it’s just about complete.

“We actually started it before Richard passed,” she said, recalling they came up with the idea around the 2012 Christmas season. “It was just kind of a way to help the family pay his medical bills.”

It would also be a way to celebrate Richard’s life, she added, as his condition looked to be terminal at that point.

“He even had stated he wouldn’t be around for it,” she said.

After Richard’s funeral arrangements, Candace said she and Roger focused on the benefit, and setting it up became like a second full-time job. Their coordination involved calling friends to tell them about the benefit and rallying the support of businesses to contribute raffle and auction prizes. Many friends also helped by donating their time and collecting items for the silent auction.

Items at the benefit will include a large screen television, an autographed REO Speedwagon guitar and a trip for two to Las Vegas. Sports teams have contributed to the cause as well, including the Wild, the Twins and the Vikings, who have placed a football with Adrian Peterson’s autograph up for raffle.

Eagles bartender Randy Tigner said the Eagles would help in the fundraising effort, too.

“Food will be served, with a portion of the proceeds going to the family,” Tigner said.

Richard’s coworkers at Hormel, from the flavoring department to human resources, have shown their support, as well.

“The Hormel company itself, they’ve been just a huge support,” Candace said, adding “Everyone has just really stepped up to the plate.”

They also gave Roger an opportunity to get to know his brother still more. Even after his brother’s death, Roger has had the opportunity to learn more about Richard’s life in Austin.

“Meeting his coworkers has been really an eye-opening experience, to find out exactly what kind of a person he has become over the years,” Roger said.

The same strong show of support is coming from the people Richard graduated with, who are now entering their 50s but still remain close-knit from high school.

“It’s been a tremendous outpouring from our classmates,” Roger said, adding many fellow AHS alumni are coming from other states, including Texas and California, just to attend.

To Roger, the benefit event is a reminder that life is not always fair, and time is precious and limited. He said many of the AHS class of 1980 recently agreed to get together more often.

“It just kind of brings everybody a little closer together,” Roger said.