Our town has seen some memorable mile markers and some devastating losses in the last year, all of which helped make Garner what it is today.
The ConAgra natural gas explosion on June 9 was Garner’s own Sept. 11 – changing Garner’s landscape and bringing the town together as one family. It marked the loss of three lives and later a fourth due to injuries sustained during the accident. But it did more than that. Nearly 300 people lost their jobs at a time of economic crisis in North Carolina and the nation and it left many to wonder what the future holds for Garner’s relationship with the company.
Former Mayor Donald Rohrbaugh passed away in November after a long battle with leukemia. It was a great loss to his family, whom he loved so much. It also was a great loss for his community. He never stopped serving others, even after his time working on committees, the Board of Aldermen and as Mayor. He still found time and energy to keep up with what decisions the Town Council made and never seemed out of place offering his opinion on any issue.
At the end of this month, Garner’s Public Works will say goodbye to its longest tenured employee, Buster Stancil. Working with the Town since he dropped out of school as a teenager, Stancil saw Public Works grow from a dirt floor workshop to the large building on Rand Mill Road. Much like the Town of Garner, Stancil says he learned to walk before he ran. Public Works was a big help as well in Garner’s effort to raise nearly $15,000 for the United Way, a large donation in just five weeks of fundraising.
Garner also saw the loss of another great employee, Police Chief Tom Moss. After 20 years of great service to the Town, Moss retired. He opened the door for Brandon Zuidema to step in and steer the Police Department’s future. He has some big shoes to fill and many in Garner can’t help but to compare him to Chief Moss. However, with the New Year Zuidema will bring new direction for the department making it his home and helping to keep Garner a safe place to live.
In January, Miss North Carolina 2008 Amanda Watson went on to the Miss America pageant. Watson was one of two Misses Garner that competed in the pageant – the second was Kendria Perry, who competed as Miss Pennsylvania. While neither of the women became Miss America, they served Garner well as reputable young women. Tucker Dupree also represented Garner well when he medaled five times at the IPC Short Course World Championship in Brazil. Not only did Dupree win a gold medal, he broke a world record. It ranks him among world athletes, something the paralympian only dreamed of until now.
The Southeast Regional Library saw a major milestone in February when it celebrated 20 years of serving the Garner community. Paying tribute to the library’s history and its original branch manager Rosemary Carmichael, the Library held a birthday party complete with cake, balloons and scrapbooks of years past. Even though the library may have seen cutbacks from the state, it is sure to last another 20 years in a community where it has made itself a staple.
Garner has seen a number of additions in the last year. Golden State Foods opened, bringing with it nearly 120 jobs to Garner. The company got involved in the community immediately, becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce and inviting many to an open house earlier this month. The company’s largest client, McDonald’s, has been a huge support during the transition. Golden State Foods is also working with the Chamber of Commerce to encourage other big name businesses to move into the area. It’s a sign that Garner’s economic future is bright.
The Town saw the addition of White Deer Park in November. The nature-centered park is perhaps one of Garner’s biggest achievements, setting the standard high for park lovers. The Town also finished the 4.2-mile loop of sidewalk along Timber Drive, Aversboro Road and Vandora Springs Road, giving Garner residents the opportunity to be more eco-friendly and health conscious by biking or walking to more locations around town. The two major projects are Garner’s edge over surrounding communities.
Another major accomplishment the town saw was the return of the School Board seat to Garner. John Tedesco ousted incumbent Horace Tart of Fuquay-Varina along with the former Board member’s ideas of forced busing. The new School Board members got to work quickly giving no one an excuse to say they couldn’t accomplish what they set out to do. Garner High School also saw an administration change in the spring as Drew Cook took the job as principal. A Garner graduate himself, Cook has become an asset to the school and its students.
With so many amazing stories in 2009, it’s hard to think of what the New Year will bring. There will be many changes and a lot of great traditions kept. One thing is for sure – all of the stories the Garner News brings you in 2010 will be centered on you and our community. We will continue to strive for excellence and we hope you will continue to give us feedback. Thank you for allowing us into your homes each week. We really appreciate all of you and the great place we call our home.
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