By AMY RENFRANZ
special to the blowing rocket

Many visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway pay little notice to the men and women who keep the restrooms clean and pick up trash in the picnic areas.

However, it is the work of these maintenance rangers that keeps the park beautiful and functioning.

One of the parkway’s maintenance rangers was recognized for his enthusiasm and dedication to achieving this end on Sept. 20.

Ranger James Jordan was awarded the 2012 Employee of the Year for the Southern Highlands District.

Jordan has been a seasonal ranger for 10 years. In the six months a year that he works for the park, he can be found mowing, maintaining the Julian Price Campground and cleaning all the restroom facilities at the Julian Price Picnic Area.

Jordan is the only maintenance ranger to service the campground and picnic area during the busy weekends of June and July, according to Blue Ridge Parkway officials.

“Despite his heavy workload, Jordan brings a spirit of lightheartedness to the job. He shares vegetables from his garden with his co-workers and never hesitates to offer a helping hand to someone in need,” according to those he works with.

“His big laugh will be missed by fellow rangers through the winter until we are all reunited again in the spring,” they said.