AKRON – Sheriff Fatheree is excited to announce that the Summit County Sheriff’s Office will host the county’s first ever Faith & Blue weekend. This inaugural event will take place on Saturday, October 9th from 11:00am-3:00pm at the University of Akron Fieldhouse located at 289 S. Union Street in Akron.
Faith & Blue is a national initiative with the goal of healing divisions and building bridges between law enforcement and the community through the connection of local communities of faith and houses of worship. Thousands of Faith & Blue events will be held nationwide during that second weekend of October. At a time when tensions and distrust between law enforcement and the public are at an all- time high, Sheriff Fatheree believes that Faith & Blue is a wonderful and unique opportunity to bring all parties together to engage with one another at a basic level, and rediscover our shared backgrounds, beliefs, and values.
Law enforcement and communities of faith from throughout Summit County are invited to participate. Fun interactive events, contests, and demonstrations are being planned in which the public, members of law enforcement, and local faith leaders can participate together. There will be performances by local faith groups as well as interfaith prayer services. Food will be available to purchase from local food trucks and vendors. Akron Metro RTA will provide free transportation to anyone displaying the Faith & Blue event flyer, and the Summit County Public Health Department will host an on-site COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
Houses of worship, local police departments, community organizations, and local businesses wishing to participate or support the event should contact DEI Director Esther Thomas, Chaplain James Allshouse, or Chaplain Glenn George at (330) 643-2152 or ethomas@sheriff.summitoh.net.
Sheriff Fatheree would like to thank our partners who have helped with this endeavor: The University of Akron, the Akron Community Foundation, Akron Metro RTA, and Thomarios Construction.
For more information on the Faith & Blue initiative, visit faithandblue.org.