Faithful Servants Awards: Bishop Boateng honours Northern Virginia first responders

Faithful Servants Awards, led by Bishop Adonteng Boateng and Fairfax County Communities of Trust Committee (COTC) on Friday, March 5, 2021, honoured the Northern Virginia First Responder Agencies in a simple but beautiful and well-organised event at their global headquarters in the United States.

The event, dubbed Faithful Servants Awards, honours men and women working in the field of law enforcement and fire and rescue, as well as private citizens, for their dedication, support, and community service.

What made this year’s Faithful Servants Awards peculiar, as discovered by TheAfricanDream.net, is that in previous years, like the inaugural one in 2018, awards were given to individuals selected by their respective agencies.

However, due to the effects of COVID-19, the awards scheme this year focused on collectively recognising the agencies.

“In my mind, every individual from these collection agencies across the board delivered an excellently selfless account of themselves. They all showed absolute and outstanding humanity in the face of a deadly pandemic, sometimes, even to the point of putting their own lives at peril to save others,” Bishop Boateng told TheAfricanDream.net in an interview at the event.

Overall, a total of 21 police departments, fire and rescue departments, sheriff offices and Virginia State Police, from across the Northern Virginia area, received the “Excellence in Community Service Award” in recognition and appreciation of their support and outstanding community service during COVID-19.

They represented Fairfax, Prince William, Arlington, Stafford and Loudoun Counties. Also represented were the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church as well as the Town of Vienna.

Receiving the award on behalf of their departments were Interim Chief Andy Penn, Major Tara Johnson, Captain II Richard Shupe, Acting Captain Courtney Ballantine, Randolph Woodson, LT Ronnie Lewis, and Major Daniel Janickey. Others are Asst.

Chief Thomas Arnold, Sheriff Stacy Kincaid, Captain Steve Pihonak, Cpt David Smith, LTC Christopher Hines, Chief Tim Keen, Interim Chief David Rohrer, Chief Peter Newsham. Chief Joseph Cardello, Sheriff Glendell Hill, Major Jason Dembowski, and Captain J-P N. Koushel. Community members receiving the “Community Excellence Award” were Sarah and George Barber, Beverly Howard and Willie Bailey.

Bishop Boateng presented a monetary donation to the COTC to assist them in continuing their support to the community and first responders, especially those who have lost family members due to COVID-19.

Sheriff Stacy Kincaid presented the “Soaring Eagle Award” to Bishop Boateng for their continued and exceptional community engagement and support.

In a video broadcast that was captured by TheAfricanDream.net at the event, Chairman Jeff McKay of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors thanked the COTC for “putting this event together today and also for the work they do year-round to build trust within our community and the men and women in law enforcement.