LCSTARs

The LCSTARs page was established to recognize the achievements of team members who have gone above and beyond the necessary requirements to be a professional search and rescue person. They are truly an inspiration to other team members. It is also about getting to know our fellow team members and getting a peek at what makes them tick and some insight into the diverse kinds of people that join the SAR community and what they find so captivating about their experience.

Jack Robinson

by Julie Rasmussen -- Published Winter 1993

On a cattle ranch in Pine, Colorado (near Conifer) this LCSTAR claims his birthplace. The majority of JACK ROBINSON'S childhood however was spent in Broomfield where, incidentally, Jack's parents an three older brothers still live. Of his school days he recollects riding horses to attend classes in a two room schoolhouse while the horses were allowed to graze in the cemetery nearby.

In high school Jack met his wife, Judi, through the rural youth organization, 4H, which promotes scientific agriculture and home economics. In 1964, united with hands, heads, hearts, and health, they were married. The early years were spent in Boulder where Jack was employed by Empire Sports Car and Judi worked at the Mercantile bank. The couple have two grown daughters. Laura is 21 and is majoring in special education at CSU. Kristin, 25, works as a medical assistant and is married to a travel agent.

Jack currently is a parts manager at Ed Carroll motors where he's worked for 26 years. Judi works at Ambassador Travel. Her occupation has proven quite advantageous since the Robinsons love to travel. Jack boasts of Judi's creative insight for expanding the company's business by conceiving the idea for locating the travel "ambassadors" in Steele's grocery stores. She and Jack are able to travel frequently and in February they will spend one week in England. Jack hopes to catch a glimpse of Lady Diana while there.

Everyone has a preferred mode and style of travel whether it be by car, train, or plane; with others; or alone. While exploring new lands this duo rents a car and tours on their own. Jack's fascination with travel is most specifically related to people. He enjoys people watching; noting their culture, manner of dress, and how they make their livelihood. He is also intrigued with the variety of fresh foods like meats and vegetables that are available in the open air markets they visit. While their children were young the Robinsons were very active with the Girl Scouts and travelled with several dozen Cadets to such places as Knoxville for the world's fair, Padre Island, and New York city.

In addition to travel, Jack enjoys gardening; vegetable gardening that is. (Judi tends to the flowers.) He boasts such succulent crops as tomatoes, beans, onions, cucumbers, garlic, squash, peaches, apples, raspberries, and gooseberries. No Brussels sprouts growing here though! He despises them. Jack kindly allows his pesticide- free, organic garden to be "shared with the bugs".

There's probably no problem with this since there's a lot to go around. Much of the best fruits of his labor are distributed amongst family and friends anyway! In the Spring Jack starts his young seedlings in a 12'x12' sunken greenhouse in his backyard. Spring's his favorite season because summer's just around the comer with the days getting longer and warmer.

In addition to gardening as a stress reliever Jack also likes to work out at the health club, ride his bicycle and go hiking. He doesn't share his wife's enthusiasm for football though. She attends Bronco games whenever possible. He'd be satisfied watching COPS as well as other emergency shows, home repair shows and national geographic.

Jack enjoys the great outdoors more casually now than in years past. There was a time when he'd hunt deer, elk and pheasant via pack horse. On one not-so-successful fishing trip Jack recalls a terrifying predicament on the South Platte river when he and two fishing buddies overturned in their boat and lost ALL of their gear which, incidentally, was never to be retrieved. Fortunately all swam to safety but Jack says that in 30 seconds his life passed before his eyes.

The idea of joining the SAR team piqued Jack's interest about 10 years ago and he decided to become a member in 1990. Recently he has found a significant niche in his contribution to the team as he is currently working with Mike Fink on fund raising. Jack claims that believing in what you're doing makes it easy to "sell" people on donating. He enjoys fund raising, finding it easy to do because, he says, "I believe in it". He likes meeting the public, educating them, addressing the barrage of questions and letting them know the facts. Many want to know "how much we charge" to which Jack explains that we're all volunteers in a not-for-profit organization.

He finds that most people are very impressed and receptive to what he has to say. (Jack smiles as he claims, "nobody 's hung up on me yet!") Some folks are even interested in getting more info about joining the team. Jack's been making phone calls, mailing brochures with letters, and contacting previous donors. Even his boss, Ed Carroll, is supportive and lets him make calls at work since "it's for a good cause".