Weaver being honored with Woman of Courage Award

SANDPOINT — A survivor of a federal standoff at Ruby Ridge in August 1992 is being presented with the Bonner County Republican Women's Woman of Courage Award.

Sara Weaver, author of "Ruby Ridge to Freedom" will be presented with the award Saturday, June 8, at the Elks Lodge in Ponderay. BCRWI is a not-for-profit group dedicated to educating, informing, and fostering relationships and friendships among Republican women

Weaver wrote the book to recount what happened after federal agents swarmed her parents’ property near Naples in August 1992, leading to a long standoff that left three people dead, including her mother and brother.

Weaver's brother Sam, 14, was the first to die, followed by a U.S. marshal and then her mother, Vicki, who was holding her 10-month-old daughter when she was shot.

After the shootings, the surviving Weavers and a family friend were under siege in their house until the standoff ended 11 days later. It would be followed by years of court cases, and the family eventually got a $3.2 million settlement from the federal government for the death of Vicki Weaver.

The siege was initiated in an attempt to arrest Sara’s father, Randy, for failing to appear in court after being charged with selling illegal weapons to a federal agent. However, according to a 1994 US Department of Justice Report, a letter from the U.S. Probation Office had the wrong trial date. As a result, he did not appear in court, which led to the warrant for his arrest. 

"Despite the multiple injustices the Weavers experienced, Sara fully supports law enforcement and does not believe the actions taken that summer reflect the behavior of the average person in uniform," Jennifer Cox, BCRWI publicity chair, said. "Sara’s forgiving nature is just one of the reasons she was selected as this year’s WOC."

Longtime BCRWI member and secretary Anita Aurit said women selected for the award have often faced hardships and opposition as they work for conservative values. 

"They are role models who represent the principles our country was founded upon," Aurit said.

Weaver's resilience, strength, love, and faith made her an ideal recipient for the award, BCRWI officials said. The group has presented the annual Woman of Courage Award for a decade. Past recipients include Dorothy Moon, chair of the Idaho Republican Party; and the late Dr. Pamela Bird, a beloved author, inventor, pilot, and businesswoman.

Tickets to the BCRWI Woman of Courage luncheon are $40 and can be purchased online until May 31 at bcrwinc.com.