2013 Persons Of The Year: Richard Freisinger

January 5, 2014

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NorthEscambia.com is naming several Persons of the Year for 2013. More honorees will be named on Monday.

Richard Freisinger of Molino has been named one of our North Escambia persons of the Year.

Freisinger, a Tate High School graduate, has dedicated decades of service to the Molino community.

Freisinger was a charter member of the Molino Ruritan Club—a rural service organization—giving back to the community through its efforts of supporting the schools, the fire department, scholarships, and residential fires through fundraisers to meet these needs.  Freisinger was employed in 1954 in the research laboratory with Monsanto Textiles and later the analytical research laboratory working 29 years until an early retirement in 1985.  He currently operates a small tree farm after row cropping corn and soybeans for many years.

Freisinger and his wife, Jacqueline, saw the need for a rural, central water system for the Molino community and in 1965 after many hours of door-to-door contacts Molino Utilities was founded with over 200 users (members).  This system followed the first system of this type located in Walnut Hill.  Today this utility has over 2,000 members and has been extended to the Barrineau Park, Dogwood Park, and the Pine Barren communities. He served as a director for over 40 years.

He was involved with others in the community with the formation of the Molino Volunteer Fire Department and served as a volunteer firefighter for 10 years.

In 2001, Freisinger was  appointed to the board of the Escambia Soil and Water Conservation.  He  served for 12 year, including  six years as chairman,  before retiring this year.  He served on the board of Three Rivers RC&D for 29 years to the present time.  In 2006 he received appreciation from the Board for ‘Outstanding Efforts on the Big Escambia Restoration Project.’  This was the culmination of a long-time effort to remove the log jam on the Escambia River.

Freisinger is active in his church and has been recognized by the Escambia County Commission.

Pictured top: Sheriff David Morgan  talks with Molino residents Jacqueline and Richard Freisinger following a town hall meeting at Fran’s Diner. Pictured inset: Richard Freisinger. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlrage.

Comments

7 Responses to “2013 Persons Of The Year: Richard Freisinger”

  1. Molino Lady on January 7th, 2014 8:25 pm

    Richard Freisinger is a wonderful person and continues doing community projects. We all appreciate him.

  2. Sandy Enfinger on January 6th, 2014 10:18 am

    I am happy to see this honor go to such a deserving person. Way to go Richard – you have definitely earned the recognition!!!

  3. Jane on January 6th, 2014 5:32 am

    He deserves this so much and I am happy to see all the things he quietly went about doing finally recognized!

  4. Don Dixon Jr. on January 5th, 2014 10:46 pm

    Still “A true Work in Progress. Mr. Freisinger you’ve earned this recognition and make the Molino community very proud.

  5. Linda on January 5th, 2014 1:30 pm

    Congratulations Richard on your recent honor as Person of the Year. All of us in the Molino area have benefited from your’s and Jackie’s efforts to improve services to this area. We are proud of you and all your accomplishments for the betterment of all Molino citizens. Thank you for being such a good stewart in your own community.

  6. Terri Sanders on January 5th, 2014 8:54 am

    Way to go!!! You two have always been so involved in the Molino area!!1

  7. just listening on January 5th, 2014 8:43 am

    Reading the write up Richard seems to be quite a person. Need more like him that see into the future and work hard for the communities for improvements. My Hat is off to you Sir.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News