Community Event Saturday To Honor Johnny Strand

WACHAPREAGUE — The life of Johnny Strand, the charismatic Onley Pizza Hut manager who was slain May 1, will be celebrated at an outdoors community event at 5 p.m. today at Wachapreague Park.

It will follow Strand’s funeral, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Macedonia A.M.E. Church in Accomack.

“Johnny blessed a lot of people,” said the Rev. Robert Garris Jr., who is organizing the event. “This is what needs to be done.”

Everyone is invited.

Strand, 49, who had worked for Pizza Hut since it opened, was found dead in his Melfa home. Police this week arrested an Accomac man on a murder charge in connection with his death.

The celebration of Strand’s life will feature gospel music with intermittent opportunities for attendees to take a microphone and say a few words on how Strand touched their lives.

There also will be hot dogs, hamburgers and Pizza Hut pizza available. Garris is going to local businesses this week to solicit donations of food and beverages.

There also will be a massive reprint of the photograph that Jay Diem, the News’ photographer, took of Strand in 2007 as the manager stood in front of Pizza Hut.

Garris has asked the Parksley Sign Co. to enlarge the photograph “life-sized” so that attendees can bring a camera and have their photo taken with it.

Donations also will be collected for the Johnny Keith Strand Memorial Scholarship, which is being organized by longtime friend Jesse Poulson.

Like many people, Garris, who is pastor at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Onancock, has a personal story about how Strand influenced his life.

The event will be a tribute to Strand. Garris credited Accomack County Parks and Recreation Director Bill Allen with coordinating the use of Wachapreague Park for the event.

www.delmarvanow.com