Attorney General Josh Stein Honors Seven Triad Area North Carolinians with Dogwood Awards

For Immediate Release:
Monday, September 30, 2024

Contact:
Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today honored seven North Carolinians in the Triad with the Attorney General's Dogwood Award. These awards are distributed to honor people who are working to improve the health, safety, and well-being of their fellow North Carolinians. Photos from today's awards ceremony are available here.

Recipients in the Triad area:

Chief William Penn

"The Winston-Salem Police Department has worked tirelessly on behalf of victims and survivors of sexual assault," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "The Department completed testing all 900 of its older untested sexual kits, which helped the state officially end the backlog of sexual assault kits in April. Law enforcement is sending a clear message in North Carolina: we will never give up on cold cases."

"Thank you to North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein for honoring the Winston-Salem Police Department with the Dogwood Award," said Chief William Penn. "I must extend my deepest gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the Winston-Salem Police Department, whose unwavering commitment secures the hope and well-being of our community every day and night."

Chief William Penn leads the Winston-Salem Police Department.

Chief John Thompson

"Chief Thompson knows that to keep our communities safe we have to have cops on the job," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "It has been an honor to work alongside him to advocate for attracting and keeping public-spirited law enforcement officers."

"I would like to acknowledge the exceptional work our team does 24/7 to keep our community safe, as well as their efforts to retain and recruit top talent to one of the best police departments in North Carolina," said Chief John Thompson. "I also want to share my appreciation for the strong support of Attorney General Stein, as well as from our community, city officials, and our many local, state and federal partners."

Chief John Thompson leads the Greensboro Police Department.

Donna Bledsoe

"Preparing our young people for success and guiding them as they navigate life's challenges is meaningful and important work," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "As North Carolina's 2023 Principal of the Year, Donna Bledsoe has been giving kids the support they need and sending them into the right direction."

I am deeply grateful and humbled to receive the Dogwood Award from Attorney General Josh Stein," said Donna Bledsoe. "It is a privilege to lead alongside the dedicated staff at Cedar Ridge Elementary in Surry County Schools and to advocate for the remarkable work happening in public schools across North Carolina. I firmly believe that strong public schools are the cornerstone of strong communities, and I remain committed to ensuring that every student, no matter their zip code, receives the best education possible."

Donna Bledsoe is the principal of Cedar Ridge Elementary School in Lowgap. She was named the 2023 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year.

Will Marrs

"Public school educators work tirelessly to prepare our kids with the knowledge they need to succeed in whatever careers they wish to pursue," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "I appreciate Mr. Marrs' commitment to helping his students prepare for all the challenges ahead."

"I am absolutely humbled to be receiving this award amongst some of the names on the list of past recipients," said Will Marrs. "I love the job that I show up to everyday as a Career and Technical Education teacher in my district and I wholeheartedly believe in the power of the connections we get to make with students through hands-on, real-world learning that takes place every day in our classrooms. I'm incredibly grateful to be a voice and a small representation of how hard passionate educators work in this state and the good things that are happening in North Carolina public education."

Will Marrs is a teacher at Davie County High School.

Rep. John Faircloth

"I was proud to work alongside Rep. Faircloth to advocate for strategies to attract and keep law enforcement officers on the job," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "Rep. Faircloth has spent his career serving the people of North Carolina, and his legacy to protect North Carolina families will endure."

"Recruiting committed, civic-minded law enforcement officers is key to keeping our communities safe," said Rep. John Faircloth. "As a former officer and legislator, safety for North Carolina families was always my top priority. I am proud to have worked alongside Attorney General Stein to support law enforcement, and I appreciate this recognition."

Rep. John Faircloth represented District 62 (Guilford County) in the North Carolina House of Representatives for seven terms until his resignation in September.

B.E.A.R Team

"Not only is our state battling an addiction crisis, but many North Carolinians are also experiencing mental health crises," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "The B.E.A.R. Team and their trained crisis counselors are providing comfort to the people of Winston-Salem and giving them the resources and care they need."

"Being a recipient of the Dogwood Award is an honor that I will share with the entire BEAR Team," said Kristin Ryan, B.E.A.R. Team Director. "Being recognized for our around the clock dedication to those in need is humbling and inspires the team to continue to push the boundaries and strive for excellence."

Kristin Ryan is director of the Behavioral Evaluation and Response Team, which is part of the Winston-Salem Fire Department and provides intervention services to people experiencing mental health and substance use crises.

Reidsville Police Department

"The fentanyl crisis continues to devastate North Carolina, but officers at the Reidsville Police Department are attacking the issue head-on," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "They made an arrest in a huge fentanyl bust to help get this dangerous drug off our streets and protect their community, and I appreciate Chief Robert Ray Gibson's leadership."

"I am truly honored that the Reidsville Police Department has been selected for the Attorney General's Dogwood Award," said Chief Robert Ray Gibson. "I couldn't be prouder of our officers for their relentless dedication and efforts in combating drug activity in our community. Reidsville officers will continue to make it clear that illegal drug operations have no place in our neighborhoods."

The Reidsville Police Department is in Rockingham County.

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