Recipients of the inaugural Charlotte Chaplaincy Compassion Award included a variety of people who have responded with an abundance of kindness, care and compassion at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and elsewhere. Their “passion to help” makes the airport a more welcoming place, organizers said. (Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald)CHARLOTTE — Ten individuals and groups were recognized Aug. 9 for going above and beyond in kindness at Charlotte Douglas International Airport with the inaugural Charlotte Chaplaincy Compassion Award.
The award recognized members of the airport police and security teams, USO volunteers, airport staff, chaplains and others for situations in which they assisted people in need with an abundance of kindness, care and compassion at the airport and elsewhere. They represented outstanding examples of people who go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pain of others.
“There are so many acts of compassion that occur at the airport every day,” said Terri Pope, a member of the airport chaplaincy’s board of directors and retired American Airlines executive. “Our hope is to recognize some of those actions through this award program.”
Recipients were:
- Barbara Cousan, a master security training instructor for the TSA at the Charlotte airport
- Gail Gillies, terminal logistics manager for the City of Charlotte’s Department of Aviation
- Members of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Airport Division’s third shift: Sgt. Shabeer Mohammad and Officers Rocky Smith, Timothy Payne, Mark Wassell, Wesley Terry, Reginald Boyce and Travell Bice
- Members of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Airport Division’s K-9 Unit: Jonathan Cerdan, Jennifer Hetrick, Amanda Gorrod, Alex Betts, Brandon Ferguson and Chad Paxton
- Danny Carter, a member of American Airlines’ Customer Care Department
- Canapea Wilson, a supervisory transportation security officer for the TSA at the Charlotte airport
- USO Fallen Warrior Support Team
- Deacon Kevin Williams of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Charlotte
- Airport chaplains Laurie Parker and Karen Cloninger
Keynote speaker at the inaugural awards luncheon was Haley Gentry, CEO of the Charlotte airport. Emcee was Father Joe Mulligan, a priest of the Diocese of Charlotte.
The award was sponsored by the Inter-Faith Chaplaincy at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, an interdenominational, non-profit organization that provides emotional and spiritual support with its “ministry of presence” to passengers, military personnel, and airport and airline employees at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
Deacon David Reiser, executive director of the airport chaplaincy, agreed. “As the first award ceremony honoring workers exhibiting compassion to the millions of travelers that pass through CLT every year, I’m reminded of the connection to the vision and mission of the Airport Chaplaincy. The vision is an airport experience transformed by compassion and human connection. The mission is to care for travelers and the airport community by offering personal, emotional and spiritual support. The airport chaplains follow that mission daily, but it was an honor to commend others who exhibit the same passion to help.”
Learn more about the airport chaplaincy at www.cltairportchapel.org.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle