I just wanted to thank my wonderful online family for all the support given us in the past 5 years. We had the poster campaign and the prayer vigil at the park and I would say we accomplished the goals for this event and more.
At the event, people started showing up right away. Kinkos Copies at 71st and Dodge donated a giant poster of Jason, 500 B&W posters, 250 color posters, and 50 copies of the Prayer Vigil. If we'd had to pay for this, I'm sure it would have cost at least $300 or more.
You'll be thrilled to hear that we completed the postering of the target area of our neighborhood. The 500 posters were placed in an hour and a half! We also gave out quite a few of the color ones for people to put in businesses. We had Jason's button to give away, and I know that we gave out many of those, too. (I'm too tired to count them tonight.) We had coverage from 3 TV stations, and we were top story on one. I also had a radio interview.
Melissa Harris and her girls came as well as the parents of missing Erin Pospisil. Melissa helped me and some of our board members assign campaign areas to the volunteers.
I believe we had at least 40+ people who stayed for the vigil. I will paste the text from the vigil below, so that you can see the prayers we said.
It's late, but I did want to thank you all.
With hope for Jason, always,
Kelly
Jason Jolkowski 5 Year Missing Date Poster Campaign and Candlelight Vigil
Thank you for coming and supporting our family with your prayers and your presence. More importantly, thank you for not forgetting Jason. It is vital for us to rally as a community and continue in our efforts to find Jason, or at least to find the person(s) who know what happened to him. 5 years is much too long to live without answers.
Jim, Kelly, and Michael Jolkowski
Prayers for the community: (If you are not comfortable with the Community Prayers, feel free to remain silent. Please pause in between each prayer and think of Jason.)
(We also include in these prayers the family and friends of all missing persons and those who may be waiting for answers.)
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Readings from Scripture: Family Members
Other Prayers:
Saint Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find Jason, who is lost. As least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my personal loss. To this favor I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.
(The 2 prayers below were ones I wrote about 6 months after he went missing. They can be found on his website.)
Dear Lord, hear me in my plea. I ask You, if it be Your Will, for the quick and safe return of Jason to his loved ones. If it not be Your Will at this time, Lord, then I ask for the graces necessary for Jason's loved ones to be able to carry this cross. Even though it may seem like the darkest of times, let them know that the light of Your Love shines ever so brightly upon them and that You have wrapped them in the mantle of Your most generous and Sacred Heart. Please, Lord, as a new day dawns without Jason, let them know that as they take each difficult step forward, You are right there by their side. When they falter, let them know that it is You who pick up their cross & enable them to carry on. May they never doubt Your immense love of them, & may they find the peace & joy that comes from loving You.
Almighty God, may You & all the angels and Saints watch over Jason. Let him know how much he is loved. Keep him from harm's way, and protect his soul from temptation. Strengthen Jason's body and soul on his journey, and provide him with his necessities. Please guide him in what he does, and, if it be Your Will, lead him back home to his loved ones. Amen.
(extinguish candles-end of service)
May God bless you and yours. Reach out tonight and tell someone that you love them. Thank you.
www.projectjason.org
We need your support for Jason and all the others like him.