For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced that Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram and Walking Tall Wilmington’s Randy Evans have received the Attorney General’s Dogwood Award. These awards are given annually to honor North Carolinians who are dedicated to keeping people safe, healthy, and happy in their communities.
“Sheriff Ingram has shown great leadership among North Carolina law enforcement as we work together to confront the opioid crisis,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I appreciate his work to get people who are suffering from the illness of addiction into treatment and to hold the drug dealers and traffickers who are profiting off of people’s sickness accountable. I look forward to working with him on this and other public safety issues in the future.”
Current president of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, John W. Ingram V, has been the elected sheriff of Brunswick County since 2008. He has been serving as a law enforcement officer since 1991. Under his leadership, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Department launched the Anchor Initiative to connect people suffering from addiction with treatment. Since 2017, the Anchor Initiative has served more than 150 people.
“It is indeed humbling and a true honor to be one of the recipients of NC Attorney General Josh Stein’s Dogwood Award,” said Sheriff John Ingram. “Because it is recognition of our work in combatting the addiction epidemic that we are still in the midst of, it makes it all the more special. This issue remains a focus and passion of mine and I will continue to keep it at the forefront in my work as Sheriff of Brunswick County. I share this honor with all of those who have worked with me in finding ways to help those struggling with addiction and save lives.”
“Randy Evans is doing important, crucial, on-the-ground work to serve the people of Wilmington,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “When I heard about how he respectfully serves people experiencing homelessness – and also advocated on their behalf with hurricane shelters to ensure their safety during Hurricane Dorian – I knew he exemplified exactly what the Dogwood Awards are all about: helping out our neighbors to make our communities safer and stronger for everyone.”
Randy Evans is the founder and director of Walking Tall Wilmington, an organization that has provided meals and other services to people experiencing homelessness since 2017. Walking Tall Wilmington is committed to building relationships with the people they serve. Prior to Walking Tall Wilmington, Randy co-founded the Hope Center, where he realized his passion for working with people experiencing poverty. He is a native of Hillsborough, NC.
“I’m humbled to be a recipient of the 2019 Dogwood Award,” said Randy Evans. “Walking Tall Wilmington seeks to build interpersonal relationships with individuals experiencing poverty, and deconstruct the modern understanding of charity.”
A full list of 2019 Dogwood Award Recipients is below:
- Wanda Boone, Together for Resilient Youth, Durham
- Mark Bowling, Vidant Health, Greenville
- Tom Brewer, President, Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Association of North Carolina, Charlotte
- Danny Britt, Columbus and Robeson County
- Mandy Cohen, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh
- Casey Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, Cherokee Indian Hospital, Cherokee
- Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, Durham Police Department
- Molly Diggins, State Director, Sierra Club, Raleigh
- Officer D.K. Evans, School Resource Officer, Greensboro Police Department
- Randy Evans, Founder and Director, Walking Tall Wilmington
- Dennis Gaddy, Founder and Executive Director, Community Success Initiative, Raleigh
- Chief Gina Hawkins, Fayetteville Police Department
- Sheriff John Ingram, Brunswick County
- Luka Kinard, Student/Speaker on Dangers of E-cigarettes, High Point
- Sheriff Alan Norman, Cleveland County
- Dennis Riddell, Alamance County
- Mayor Bob Scott, Franklin
- Chief Wayne Scott, Greensboro Police Department
- Mayor Patrick Taylor, Highlands
- Chief Catrina Thompson, Winston-Salem Police Department
- Don Waddell, General Manager, Carolina Hurricanes, Raleigh
- Chief Mike Yaniero, Jacksonville Police Department
Contact:
Laura Brewer (919) 716-6484
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