The Virginia Knights of Columbus received a prestigious national award for their involvement in a significant parade in Fredericksburg, specifically for the Religious Freedom Parade held in 2002.
National Service Award: The Fredericksburg Council 4034 was honored by the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus with the Service Program Award for Community Activity. This was the top national award for community service projects for the year 2002.
The Project: The award recognized the council’s leadership in organizing the annual Religious Freedom Day Parade and ceremony in Fredericksburg. This event commemorates the 1786 passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, authored by Thomas Jefferson.
Significance: The 2002 parade was particularly notable as it occurred shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks, focusing on national unity and the foundational American right to religious liberty.
Welcome to the Fredericksburg Religious Freedom Alliance 
Congratulations, again, to the Knights Fredericksburg Council 4034, on their national award for the 225th Anniversary celebration of Mr. Jefferson’s Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. Our working together toward the 250th Anniversary, next January, is yet another testimony to the importance of this freedom.
R. Kravetz
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P.S. I knew and worked for decades with Knights Gene Albrycht and Don Hildebrand. Gene and Don were anesthetists in my department at the old Mary Washington Hospital, on Fall Hill Avenue across from James Monroe High School. Gene first brought my attention to the monument when I arrived in Fredericksburg in 1976, his having already recruited Dr. Leidecker as point man to approach City Council about moving the monument to a better location. Gene and Don were the first to spearhead the yearly celebration among their brother Knights. And, as they say, the rest is history.
RK
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