Friends and well wishers gathered at the Perry Elks Club Saturday evening for a fundraising supper and raffle for Aaron Francis and Andrew Stringer, who were injured in a workplace accident Dec. 4 at Tyson Fresh Meats near Perry.
An unexpected release of steam injured the maintenance-crew workers, who were transported to Iowa City by air ambulance immediately after the accident and are still recovering.
“It was pretty much unexpected,” Stringer said Saturday, while greeting visitors with his 1-year-old daughter Emery in his arms.
Francis said he was both burned and suffered a head injury in the explosion. Francis said his recovery is complicated by his PTSD, the result of two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Army.
Both men suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns.
The free-will fundraiser was served from 5-8 p.m., with a donation earning a a pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, cheesy potatoes, and a variety of salads and desserts.
The benefit fundraiser for Stringer and Francis will help defray travel costs for treatments in Iowa City and related expenses.
About 200 people attended the event. Employees of Great Western Bank helped serve the food.
