Papa John's delivers on time to Wayne County
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on October 12, 2016 4:01 PM
Anthony Compton , 8, walks with his free pizza in Herman Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Papa John's delivered free pizzas to more than 1,500 people within two hours Wednesday at the Herman Park Center.
Four days after Hurricane Matthew hit Wayne County, a long line of people who have no power or food waited at the Papa John's food truck near the Goldsboro Parks and Recreation building.
Scheduled to pass out pizzas at 11 a.m., 13 Papa John's employees who volunteered saw the line extend at 10 a.m. out to Herman Street and circle back to the fence which divides the parking lot from the tennis courts.
Andrea Ajagbe stood with her three children close to the beginning of the line.
"We lost a lot of our food when the power went out," she said, who lost power for more than two days.
"We tried to get back out and get groceries, but they're a lot of stores that have lost their refrigerator items," she said.
Her children, Caitlyn Ajagbe, 16, Doris Ajagbe, 13, and Baba Femi Ajagbe, 4, were happy Papa John's corporate office in Louisville, Ky., wanted to help Goldsboro.
"We're thankful for it," Caitlyn said, who believes Papa John's may be her new, favorite type of pizza.
Jeremy Bach, Papa John's field ops specialist in Louisville, said founder John Schnatter saw the news coverage of Matthew, and he asked a team of volunteers to help feed Goldsboro.
Bach then contacted Goldsboro City Manager Scott Stevens, who reached out to Parks and Recreation director Scott Barnard to hold the event.
"These people are in need," Bach said, who estimated the amount of pizzas for one day at 7,500. "They've lost a lot. If we can give them a pizza and help them today, that's great."
Papa John's employee handed two 8-inch pepperoni pizzas to each person in line. Bobby Cox and Miranda Lovelace were one of the many people who remained patient as line moved slowly.
Cox and Lovelace said they will be without power until Sunday. Lovelace said 12 houses on Aycock Street, where they live, are without power.
"Very, very generous and thoughtful," she said. "Not just to us, but to all the people out here. There are still a lot people around her that are still without. They're are people without water."
Barnard said Papa John's will continue giving away pizzas at Herman Park until Saturday, and he said the park is the best location for the event.
"I guess I could just say that the meaningfulness is just to our citizens who have a place to get a hot meal," Barnard said. "I had a fella walk up to me and say he hadn't eaten in two days."
"I'm blessed because that's not my reality, but that is the reality for many people in our community."
The Papa John's truck will remain in Wayne County until Saturday and continue serving until 7 p.m. each day.