Park ranger receives national award
By Katherine Weadley

Hiking, biking, kayaking, hunting, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and fishing are some of the more popular things to do at Ridgway State Park, near Ouray. Just ask Montrose resident and Lyons High School graduate Johnathon Freeborn -- he’s a park ranger there. However, Freeborn’s not just any park ranger; he’s a Senior Park Ranger and was recently recognized as one of the top park rangers in the country.

A Web site dedicated to camping enthusiasts called Reserve America recognized Freeborn as one of the "country's top rangers who dedicate their careers to serving park visitors while preserving the country's public lands for future generations," according to one of the Reserve America web sites (www.thecampingclub.com).
Freeborn, along with four others received the silver medal. The national gold medal winner, the top honor for the year, went to Joseph Aniskiewicz of Darien Lakes State Park in the New York. Freeborn was nominated by another park ranger he worked with at Sylvan Lake State Park near Eagle before coming to Ridgway three years ago.
The entire states park division and the staff at Ridgway State Park should share the credit, according to Freeborn. “It’s the whole division that should get the credit,” he said.
Customer testimonials were included as part of the nomination process for the award. Camper Julia Parker wrote, "I have known John since he worked up at Sylvan Lake State Park as a park ranger. Johnathon Freeborn always followed the very necessary laws and rules of the park to a tee...but the exception to John is that he treats all people, including the people violating the rules with respect and compassion.”
Freeborn was born to Lois and John Freeborn in 1975. An only child he grew up in Lyons and graduated from Lyons High School in 1993. His dad said “He was always a leader. He played sports and took over the Christian Athletes program at the school. I’m not surprised at his success in the park system. He’s committed, determined.”

Freeborn always wanted to work outside. “One of the glories of the job is being able to be outside,” said Freeborn. Originally, according to his dad, Freeborn wanted to be a division wildlife officer, but instead he made his mark in the park system. After high school Freeborn went to college at Colorado State University and received his degree in wildlife biology in 2001. During the winters he worked at a camping and gear store in Ft. Collins and in the summer he was a seasonal park employee. “He almost starved to death going to college but he got it done,” said his dad.

Winning this award hasn’t slowed Freeborn down. This week he’s in Boat Accident Reporting and Investigating training in Pueblo. He’s also in the process of taking First Responder classes. First Responders are just shy of an Emergency Medical Technician designation. “He has had to attend several motorcycles versus vehicle accidents around here lately. The motorcycle never wins,” said Rhonda Palmer, Ridgway Park Visitor Services Manager.

In addition, he and several other rangers took an ESPN sports television crew off-roading to film in Grand Mesa. “You can’t really see me in the shots, I’m too far away,” said Freeborn. He was the only park ranger from Ridgway to attend the ESPN shoot.

At the beginning of November, Freeborn and another Ridgway Park Ranger, Scott Rist, took two physically challenged hunters out to hunt deer in Ridgway Park. “They both had their bucks by noon,” said Palmer. According to Palmer the mobility impaired hunters from Utah got into vehicles, drove to the designated hunting spots, then got into their wheelchairs and went as far as they could. Then they got out and crawled. Rist and Freeborn were on hand to help them through the entire process.

Palmer says that these hunts aren’t frequent. You need to have willing park rangers plus it is necessary to get permission a long time in advance from the Department of Wildlife. “Freeborn is a sweetheart, he’s really just great. He does so much,” said Palmer.

Freeborn’s dad credits Freeborn’s success to discipline. “He never got in trouble. He probably had more discipline than I did. Plus, he’s a single guy and all of his time goes to the park, furthering his own education and making sure the park is a great place to visit.”