Garner celebrated the lives of those lost during the ConAgra Foods plant explosion June 9. Nearly 500 came to pay tribute at Lake Benson Park during speeches and an opening prayer at the beginning of the event with more coming throughout the day.

“They will forever be in my heart as I know they are in yours,” Plant Manager Mark Rauenzahn said of Barbara McLean Spears, Rachel Mae Poston Pulley and Lewis Junior Watson, who were lost in the accident.

ConAgra staff wore red shirts that said “ConAgra Foods Cares” to match community members’ wrist bands they received by giving a donation to the United Way ConAgra Foods Garner Plant Fund.

Rauenzahn said the healing process will continue, but he is so thankful for the community’s outpour of support.

“If you assisted in any way with any contribution, allow me to offer a heartfelt thank you,” he said.

White balloons dotted the sky during the dedication ceremony. Family, co-workers and community members released environmentally safe balloons in memory of those lost.

The ceremony was a way to start Garner’s healing process after the catastrophe.

“I think we have a lot of healing left to do,” Rauenzahn said.

He also announced gifts from the ConAgra Foods Company. The company donated $5,000 to the N.C. Baptist Men’s Association for lending a hand in the immediate week after the accident.

Region 4 Disaster Recovery Coordinator for the N.C. Baptist Men Lin Honeycutt said it was the organization’s pleasure to serve meals at the Senior Center.

“It was truly a blessing and an honor to be there with you those few days,” Honeycutt said. “May God continue to bless you.”

Another gift was presented to the United Way of the Greater Triangle in the amount of $10,000 for the ConAgra Foods Garner Plant Fund, which had raised $250,000 for the victims’ families so far.

An Oak tree will be planted in November with a memorial plaque beside it that reads, “In Memory of the Victims of June 9, 2009 Always In Our Hearts ConAgra Foods.”

Rauenzahn said all ConAgra employees hospitalized because of the accident were released as of Aug. 20. Although 70 workers are still too injured to return to work, ConAgra Foods has continued to pay all employees for 40-hour weeks.

The plant reopened July 27, but ConAgra plans to close the plant for two to three weeks later this year and demolish the south end of the building and begin the rebuilding process.

The plant on Jones Sausage Road is now at 60 percent production. The other 40 percent was picked up by other plants. However, ConAgra employees didn’t have to worry about production during the picnic. ConAgra shut down production Aug. 21 and pulled it back online Aug. 23 in an attempt to make sure every employee was able to attend the community event.

The picnic featured foods from ConAgra as well as Carolina Barbecue and Barry’s Café. ConAgra spokeswoman Stephanie Childs said it was important to the company to use local vendors for the event.

Barry’s Café was one of the firsts to help the rescue teams immediately following the accident. The café operates the Feed the Firefighters Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation created in 1994, to support rescue squads that spend a prolonged amount of time in emergency situations.