NE NE - Jason Jolkowski, 19, Omaha, 13 June 2001 - #2
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Thinking of Jason and all who love and miss him...
A Project Jason Media Brief:
The family of Jason Jolkowski requests the media's assistance to ensure that the public is aware that Jason is still missing, and has been for seven years as of June 13, 2001. We need the public's help to be our eyes and ears when we cannot, and to perhaps provide the clue that will be the key to unlocking this sad mystery.
Jason was 19 years old when he disappeared from the driveway of our Benson area home. No leads or clues have ever surfaced. While the evidence appears strong that Jason did not runaway, there is no evidence he was harmed. We still wait and hope.
Assisting the Omaha police and the family on this difficult anniversary month are the Carole Sund Foundation, offering a $5000.00 reward. In addition, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have completed an update on Jason's age progression photo. This photo is an artist rendering of what Jason might look like today. A printable poster noting the reward and the new photo can be found on the Project Jason website. http://www.projectjason.org/downloads/JasonJolkowski0613.pdf
June 24th will mark his 27th birthday. Jason's parents, Jim and Kelly Jolkowski of Omaha, started nonprofit organization, Project Jason in the aftermath of Jason's disappearance. In honor of Jason's birthday, and to continue their mission to help families of the missing, Project Jason has launched a campaign to bring in donations which not only would pay general operating expenses, but would also allow them to enhance the services offered to families of the missing, including their bus bench program which was launched right here in Omaha, and a retreat to be held in 2009.
Detailed information about the Birthday Campaign, Project Jason's accomplishments and goals, as well as a moving personal letter to Jason, can be found at
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3021.0
For more information about Jason Jolkowski and Project Jason, please see www.projectjason.org
To contact Kelly Jolkowski, please email [email protected]
The family of Jason Jolkowski requests the media's assistance to ensure that the public is aware that Jason is still missing, and has been for seven years as of June 13, 2001. We need the public's help to be our eyes and ears when we cannot, and to perhaps provide the clue that will be the key to unlocking this sad mystery.
Jason was 19 years old when he disappeared from the driveway of our Benson area home. No leads or clues have ever surfaced. While the evidence appears strong that Jason did not runaway, there is no evidence he was harmed. We still wait and hope.
Assisting the Omaha police and the family on this difficult anniversary month are the Carole Sund Foundation, offering a $5000.00 reward. In addition, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have completed an update on Jason's age progression photo. This photo is an artist rendering of what Jason might look like today. A printable poster noting the reward and the new photo can be found on the Project Jason website. http://www.projectjason.org/downloads/JasonJolkowski0613.pdf
June 24th will mark his 27th birthday. Jason's parents, Jim and Kelly Jolkowski of Omaha, started nonprofit organization, Project Jason in the aftermath of Jason's disappearance. In honor of Jason's birthday, and to continue their mission to help families of the missing, Project Jason has launched a campaign to bring in donations which not only would pay general operating expenses, but would also allow them to enhance the services offered to families of the missing, including their bus bench program which was launched right here in Omaha, and a retreat to be held in 2009.
Detailed information about the Birthday Campaign, Project Jason's accomplishments and goals, as well as a moving personal letter to Jason, can be found at
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3021.0
For more information about Jason Jolkowski and Project Jason, please see www.projectjason.org
To contact Kelly Jolkowski, please email [email protected]
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:HappyBday Kelly!
http://www.kptm.com/Global/story.asp?S=8550418
Remembering Jason: Helping Find Others
Posted: June 24, 2008 08:58 PM CDT
By Julie Hong
Omaha (KPTM) - He vanished without a trace seven years ago.
Jason Jolkowski would be 27 years old this June 24th.
So on his birthday, his family reflects on his life and want to share a very special gift.
"It would be so wonderful to be able to buy you a gift and sing Happy Birthday to you, even in our funny, off-key way," reads Kelly Jolkowski.
It's a birthday letter with words of love, hope and reflection Kelly wrote to her son.
"We reflect on him as a person. We miss his laughter and his kind generous spirit."
Tuesday, June 24th is the 7th birthday the Jolkowski's celebrate without him.
Jason Jolkowski disappeared without a trace from his Benson home seven years ago.
He would be 27 years old.
"It's still extremely difficult to not know anything to not know is he dead, is he alive, is he okay, did somebody hurt him. Why?" says Kelly.
And while the Jolkowski's don't have those answers, they do have Project Jason, a non-profit organization dedicated to help other families like theirs.
"We need the public's help to find Jason, to remember the missing, other families like ours and to help us accomplish our goals."
Kelly says since she can't give her son a gift this year, she hopes the public will give in his honor by donating at least $27 dollars to Project Jason.
It's a gift that Kelly says she hopes will help find Jason, and help other families.
But, more than anything it's a gift she says Jason would want.
"That's part of the birthday campaign we know that with his generous spirit, he would want us to do this," says Kelly.
The Carole Sund Foundation continues to offer a five-thousand dollar reward for any information that leads to Jason.
Money raised from Jason's Birthday Gift campaign will help with the operating costs of Project Jason pay for awareness programs, fund an upcoming retreat and help pay for ads of missing people on area bus benches.
You can donate by logging on to www.projectjason.org
You can donate through PayPal or mail a check.
Jason's mom also says there are updated posters with Jason's age progressed photo. The family would appreciate any help if people can print out the poster and put them up in their neighborhoods or where they work.
Remembering Jason: Helping Find Others
Posted: June 24, 2008 08:58 PM CDT
By Julie Hong
Omaha (KPTM) - He vanished without a trace seven years ago.
Jason Jolkowski would be 27 years old this June 24th.
So on his birthday, his family reflects on his life and want to share a very special gift.
"It would be so wonderful to be able to buy you a gift and sing Happy Birthday to you, even in our funny, off-key way," reads Kelly Jolkowski.
It's a birthday letter with words of love, hope and reflection Kelly wrote to her son.
"We reflect on him as a person. We miss his laughter and his kind generous spirit."
Tuesday, June 24th is the 7th birthday the Jolkowski's celebrate without him.
Jason Jolkowski disappeared without a trace from his Benson home seven years ago.
He would be 27 years old.
"It's still extremely difficult to not know anything to not know is he dead, is he alive, is he okay, did somebody hurt him. Why?" says Kelly.
And while the Jolkowski's don't have those answers, they do have Project Jason, a non-profit organization dedicated to help other families like theirs.
"We need the public's help to find Jason, to remember the missing, other families like ours and to help us accomplish our goals."
Kelly says since she can't give her son a gift this year, she hopes the public will give in his honor by donating at least $27 dollars to Project Jason.
It's a gift that Kelly says she hopes will help find Jason, and help other families.
But, more than anything it's a gift she says Jason would want.
"That's part of the birthday campaign we know that with his generous spirit, he would want us to do this," says Kelly.
The Carole Sund Foundation continues to offer a five-thousand dollar reward for any information that leads to Jason.
Money raised from Jason's Birthday Gift campaign will help with the operating costs of Project Jason pay for awareness programs, fund an upcoming retreat and help pay for ads of missing people on area bus benches.
You can donate by logging on to www.projectjason.org
You can donate through PayPal or mail a check.
Jason's mom also says there are updated posters with Jason's age progressed photo. The family would appreciate any help if people can print out the poster and put them up in their neighborhoods or where they work.
Thank you. That's interesting that the episode is still being broadcast somewhere.
http://www.wahoonewspaper.com/site/tab7.cfm?newsid=19823375&BRD=2712&PAG=461&dept_id=557009&rfi=6
Missing person cases in Nebraska go unsolved
By: Jon Burleson
07/02/2008
In Douglas County, law enforcement lists 1,850 people missing. About half the cases involve children.
On June13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski, then 19, became a statistic. Since that day, his mother, Kelly, has been striving to make him more than that to lawmakers.
"Nobody knows how big an issue this is," Jolkowski said. "Those who are missing are more than a height, weight, hair and eye color. They are people."
After laboring on behalf of missing persons for the last seven years, Jolkowski has mobilized a new effort to get law enforcement the tools they need to help families of the missing. Project Jason's Campaign for the Missing is a grassroots effort to pass legislation in each state that will serve to improve the law enforcement community's ability to locate and ensure a safe return of missing persons.
"This is so needed," she said. "Things fall through the cracks. Families aren't told to get vital pieces of information that could help them solve the case."
The campaign's central focus will address the national problems of missing persons and the identification of human remains and provide the framework for improving law enforcement's response. It will also improve the collection of critical information about missing persons, prioritize high-risk missing persons cases and ensure prompt dissemination of critical information to other law enforcement agencies and the public that can improve the likelihood of a safe return.
"Most law enforcement officers are not trained in missing persons cases," Jolkowski said. "Some police academies don't even teach about missing persons investigations."
The Department of Justice, working with federal, state and local law enforcement; coroners and medical examiners; victim advocates; forensic scientists; key policymakers; and family members who have lived through this tragic experience, developed the legislation to be presented in the Nebraska Unicameral.
The bill made it mandatory for law enforcement to follow certain procedures at the beginning of a missing persons case. Certain steps need to be taken in a specific order and resources must be allocated to assist, Jolkowski said.
"Nobody told me to get his toothbrush or his comb," she said, "and by the time I knew, it was too late."
On almost a daily basis, unidentified bodies are found across the country. Over the last year, law enforcement agencies have reported from 40-50,000 bodies with no means to identify them, Jolkowski said. These bodies are usually buried or even cremated with no DNA saved for the possibility of a future identification.
"The families of those missing live in a horrible limbo of not knowing," Jolkowski said. "These families need an answer and this legislation could help provide an answer."
Having run into a roadblock in the last Unicameral session, Jolkowski has been waiting patiently for the next session. Patience is something she has developed over the last seven years.
But, she has not been idle. Jolkowski has been working with Nebraska legislators, such as Steve Lathrop and Brad Ashford to move the bill forward this time around.
"Last time, I was told that the $50,000 needed to run the program each year wasn't available," she said. "I feel that if Nebraskans knew how many people go missing each year, they would be willing to help find them."
If you are interested in helping make a difference in the lives of thousands of missing persons and their families, send an email to [email protected].
My Notes: I have not personally been working with the named senators. The comment about the $50K was in reference to Jason's Law, which we passed a few years back. The $50K kept that bill from passing during the first two years of our efforts. The Campaign for the Missing law is a different mandate. This law is meant to be passed in all 50 states, not just Nebraska. KJJ
Missing person cases in Nebraska go unsolved
By: Jon Burleson
07/02/2008
In Douglas County, law enforcement lists 1,850 people missing. About half the cases involve children.
On June13, 2001, Jason Jolkowski, then 19, became a statistic. Since that day, his mother, Kelly, has been striving to make him more than that to lawmakers.
"Nobody knows how big an issue this is," Jolkowski said. "Those who are missing are more than a height, weight, hair and eye color. They are people."
After laboring on behalf of missing persons for the last seven years, Jolkowski has mobilized a new effort to get law enforcement the tools they need to help families of the missing. Project Jason's Campaign for the Missing is a grassroots effort to pass legislation in each state that will serve to improve the law enforcement community's ability to locate and ensure a safe return of missing persons.
"This is so needed," she said. "Things fall through the cracks. Families aren't told to get vital pieces of information that could help them solve the case."
The campaign's central focus will address the national problems of missing persons and the identification of human remains and provide the framework for improving law enforcement's response. It will also improve the collection of critical information about missing persons, prioritize high-risk missing persons cases and ensure prompt dissemination of critical information to other law enforcement agencies and the public that can improve the likelihood of a safe return.
"Most law enforcement officers are not trained in missing persons cases," Jolkowski said. "Some police academies don't even teach about missing persons investigations."
The Department of Justice, working with federal, state and local law enforcement; coroners and medical examiners; victim advocates; forensic scientists; key policymakers; and family members who have lived through this tragic experience, developed the legislation to be presented in the Nebraska Unicameral.
The bill made it mandatory for law enforcement to follow certain procedures at the beginning of a missing persons case. Certain steps need to be taken in a specific order and resources must be allocated to assist, Jolkowski said.
"Nobody told me to get his toothbrush or his comb," she said, "and by the time I knew, it was too late."
On almost a daily basis, unidentified bodies are found across the country. Over the last year, law enforcement agencies have reported from 40-50,000 bodies with no means to identify them, Jolkowski said. These bodies are usually buried or even cremated with no DNA saved for the possibility of a future identification.
"The families of those missing live in a horrible limbo of not knowing," Jolkowski said. "These families need an answer and this legislation could help provide an answer."
Having run into a roadblock in the last Unicameral session, Jolkowski has been waiting patiently for the next session. Patience is something she has developed over the last seven years.
But, she has not been idle. Jolkowski has been working with Nebraska legislators, such as Steve Lathrop and Brad Ashford to move the bill forward this time around.
"Last time, I was told that the $50,000 needed to run the program each year wasn't available," she said. "I feel that if Nebraskans knew how many people go missing each year, they would be willing to help find them."
If you are interested in helping make a difference in the lives of thousands of missing persons and their families, send an email to [email protected].
My Notes: I have not personally been working with the named senators. The comment about the $50K was in reference to Jason's Law, which we passed a few years back. The $50K kept that bill from passing during the first two years of our efforts. The Campaign for the Missing law is a different mandate. This law is meant to be passed in all 50 states, not just Nebraska. KJJ
Project Jason is pleased to present an exclusive story of hope, "A Mother's Day Miracle, Missing for 14 Years". Each day, for 5 days, a new part will be posted here:
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3174.0
A Mothers Day Miracle, Missing for 14 Years
Written by Kelly Jolkowski with Vicki Hamilton Loux
For 14 long years, Vicki Hamilton Loux had not seen the face of her beloved son, Mark Hamilton. Mark became mentally ill as a young man, and had fled the care center where he was staying.
For 11 of those 14 years, Vicki had never once spoken to someone who knew personally what it is like to have a missing loved one. Family members had a difficult time in dealing with Marks disappearance, even to the point of denial. Vicki was alone in her grief and nearly alone in her search. For her, the search was like grasping at a shadow, the shadow of her missing son. Each time she felt close, the shadows of what could be eluded her. His face remained as dark as the shadows, although her hope was a light that never faded.
Continue on to the rest of today's segment: http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3174.0
There is always hope.............
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Please help us with Jason's Birthday Campaign:
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3021.0
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3174.0
A Mothers Day Miracle, Missing for 14 Years
Written by Kelly Jolkowski with Vicki Hamilton Loux
For 14 long years, Vicki Hamilton Loux had not seen the face of her beloved son, Mark Hamilton. Mark became mentally ill as a young man, and had fled the care center where he was staying.
For 11 of those 14 years, Vicki had never once spoken to someone who knew personally what it is like to have a missing loved one. Family members had a difficult time in dealing with Marks disappearance, even to the point of denial. Vicki was alone in her grief and nearly alone in her search. For her, the search was like grasping at a shadow, the shadow of her missing son. Each time she felt close, the shadows of what could be eluded her. His face remained as dark as the shadows, although her hope was a light that never faded.
Continue on to the rest of today's segment: http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3174.0
There is always hope.............
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Please help us with Jason's Birthday Campaign:
http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=3021.0
YouTube videos about Jason and Project Jason, courtesy of our volunteer, Linda:
Jason Jolkowski 6 Year Missing Event/Campaign for the Missing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5c2wYm8OT0
Project Jason Launches Bus Bench Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQBSbxJcyjI
Jason Jolkowski 7 Year Missing/Birthday Campaign
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZAxtBn5U_0
Jason Jolkowski 6 Year Missing Event/Campaign for the Missing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5c2wYm8OT0
Project Jason Launches Bus Bench Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQBSbxJcyjI
Jason Jolkowski 7 Year Missing/Birthday Campaign
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZAxtBn5U_0
JanetElaine
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Bumping for Jason.
Gabby
The Gabster
Praying for Jason, and those who continue to search to bring him home.
JanetElaine
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2007
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Bumping for Jason. We're still praying for you and your family.
Project Jason is pleased to announce its newest program, the Awareness Angels Network.
( More information can be found at http://www.projectjason.org/awareness.html)
Its a fact that one in six missing persons are found as a result of a visual aid, such as a billboard or a poster, thus the importance of poster dissemination in missing person cases. Placing posters is an easy way for you to get involved, and it can make a real difference for the families of the missing.
With your Awareness Angels Network (AAN) membership, youll receive notifications via email about new missing person cases, updates on current cases, and recovered persons. These notifications inlcude a link to a special Awareness Angels Network poster you can print and place.
Once you are subscribed, the email notifications you receive include a link to the printable poster for a specific missing person, plus a link to Project Jasons forum, where you can keep up on the latest case news and information.
We encourage you to:
*Print copies of this poster and display them near your home, at your workplace and in public places.
*Give copies of this poster to friends and associates who can place posters near their homes and workplaces.
*Give copies to friends or associates who travel so they can place the posters in more wide-reaching areas.
When the missing person is located, we will notify you. At that time, you will be asked to remove any indoor, outdoor and Internet postings of this person.
Email notifications will be sent to you upon the following events:
New Case: Project Jason receives a new case submission from the family of a missing person and completes the verification process. New cases are persons who may have been missing for any period of time and the family is registering with us for the first time.
Updated Case: This notification will be sent out upon any substantial change of information on the original Project Jason poster. This could include the addition of an age progression photo, or new information received that could aid in location of that missing person.
Annual Missing Date Notice: On or before the annual missing date of persons registered with Project Jason, an AAN notification will be sent out to remind the members that the person is still missing and to request poster placement.
Law Enforcement Request: This notification will be sent out upon the request of law enforcement who may seek a targeted distribution area. There may be evidence that the missing person may be in a region other than the one he/she disappeared from, and poster dissemination is needed in this area. Project Jason officials may also, at their discretion, and based upon reliable sources, request distribution in another area.
Location Notice: A person whose case was previously sent out on the AAN has been located alive. Any additional information that can be made public will be found on the link included in the notification.
Deceased Location Notice: A person whose case was previously sent out on the AAN has been found deceased. Any additional information that can be made public will be found on the link included in the notification.
Project Jason has divided the US into 14 geographical regions for this program. You may subscribe to as many regions as you wish. We encourage multiple region subscriptions since were a very mobile society. It doesnt take long for a person to travel great distances. In some cases, a missing person may not necessarily be in the same area or location where he/she was last seen. Your notification emails will cover missing persons who were last seen in the region to which you subscribed.
Once you subscribe to a region, you will be offered a special widget which you may add to your website, blog, MySpace, Facebook, etc. The widget is our thank you for being an Awareness Angels Network member. It will also serve to encourage others to become members, as the widget links right to our site. The more helping eyes, ears, and hands we have, the greater the odds of success.
From now until about mid-September, the focus of the program will be outreach to gain subscribers. When we begin the email notifications, it is important to have a reasonable subscriber base. In mid-September, we will begin to send the notifications on a more regular basis.
We're asking interested persons to subscribe AND to send this message to others.
Remember the facts: One in every 6 are found because of visual means, such as a poster. You can make a difference with your Awareness Angels Network membership!
If you haven't subscribed yet, read what the families of the missing have to say about poster placement by our Awareness Angels Network members:
The totality of my life has only one purpose, to find my missing daughter and bring her home safe. Every other aspect of my life has come to a halt. Thank you very much for placing posters of my child.
Reza Jou, father of missing Donna Jou
My heart is lifted and hope shines every time someone displays a poster of my son. I believe it is through the love and kindness of the public that my son will eventually be found; but without their concern and active participation, I fear this agonizing mystery will continue to go unresolved. Please, please help me find my son.
Vicki Barnard, Mother of Missing Ahren Barnard
Each poster placed carries the hopes of our family, that someone, somewhere, knows something, and will step forward to shine light on the darkness of loss. So, from my heart I thank you for each poster hung, and for each prayer quietly spoken.
Christy Davis, mother of missing Michael "Austin" Davis
I want to thank each and every one of you who hangs a poster for my son, Brian. This is the only way that I may hopefully find him and bring him home so that I may have some peace in my life someday. Someone knows what happened, and only with your help can I keep my son alive in the publics eyes.
Randy, Brian Shaffer's Dad
Time Marches on, yet it stands so still. Your smallest remembrance or recognition could help bring our loved one home. Thanks to all those who care.
Donajean Kapp, Sister of Dori A. Myers, Abducted 01-11-06
Words cannot express what it means when strangers care enough to place posters for us. The memory of this act is forever etched in our hearts.
John Lopez, Jeff and Lesa Stivers, Father, Uncle and Aunt of missing Marissa Lopez
(You'll be able to read more soon from the families we serve on the Awareness Angels Network page on our main website.)
About the Awareness Angels Network logo you see pn our program page:
The angel's wings represent the members of the Awareness Angels Network, who will answer our plea for help and place posters to help find a missing person. In this representation, the father was ready to go out and place more posters of his missing daughter, but just then, she was found and returned to his loving arms. The angel's wings surround them, also representing the love and concern we have in our hearts for others, even those whom we have never met. The logo tells the story of what CAN happen when we all work together to make a difference.
With your help, we'll have many happy endings.
Subscribe here today: http://www.projectjason.org/aan.html
Note: You can also subscribe to our Project Jason newsletters on the website noted above. You may choose either the Supporter's Newsletter (general news about Project Jason and the missing) or the Family Member Newsletter. (specialized information of interest to family members of missing persons) These selections are below the AAN regions in the list. The newsletters will begin publication in September.
All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance. Please help us help them. Subscribe to the Awareness Angels Network today, and ask your friends to as well. Thank you.
There is always hope.
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
( More information can be found at http://www.projectjason.org/awareness.html)
Its a fact that one in six missing persons are found as a result of a visual aid, such as a billboard or a poster, thus the importance of poster dissemination in missing person cases. Placing posters is an easy way for you to get involved, and it can make a real difference for the families of the missing.
With your Awareness Angels Network (AAN) membership, youll receive notifications via email about new missing person cases, updates on current cases, and recovered persons. These notifications inlcude a link to a special Awareness Angels Network poster you can print and place.
Once you are subscribed, the email notifications you receive include a link to the printable poster for a specific missing person, plus a link to Project Jasons forum, where you can keep up on the latest case news and information.
We encourage you to:
*Print copies of this poster and display them near your home, at your workplace and in public places.
*Give copies of this poster to friends and associates who can place posters near their homes and workplaces.
*Give copies to friends or associates who travel so they can place the posters in more wide-reaching areas.
When the missing person is located, we will notify you. At that time, you will be asked to remove any indoor, outdoor and Internet postings of this person.
Email notifications will be sent to you upon the following events:
New Case: Project Jason receives a new case submission from the family of a missing person and completes the verification process. New cases are persons who may have been missing for any period of time and the family is registering with us for the first time.
Updated Case: This notification will be sent out upon any substantial change of information on the original Project Jason poster. This could include the addition of an age progression photo, or new information received that could aid in location of that missing person.
Annual Missing Date Notice: On or before the annual missing date of persons registered with Project Jason, an AAN notification will be sent out to remind the members that the person is still missing and to request poster placement.
Law Enforcement Request: This notification will be sent out upon the request of law enforcement who may seek a targeted distribution area. There may be evidence that the missing person may be in a region other than the one he/she disappeared from, and poster dissemination is needed in this area. Project Jason officials may also, at their discretion, and based upon reliable sources, request distribution in another area.
Location Notice: A person whose case was previously sent out on the AAN has been located alive. Any additional information that can be made public will be found on the link included in the notification.
Deceased Location Notice: A person whose case was previously sent out on the AAN has been found deceased. Any additional information that can be made public will be found on the link included in the notification.
Project Jason has divided the US into 14 geographical regions for this program. You may subscribe to as many regions as you wish. We encourage multiple region subscriptions since were a very mobile society. It doesnt take long for a person to travel great distances. In some cases, a missing person may not necessarily be in the same area or location where he/she was last seen. Your notification emails will cover missing persons who were last seen in the region to which you subscribed.
Once you subscribe to a region, you will be offered a special widget which you may add to your website, blog, MySpace, Facebook, etc. The widget is our thank you for being an Awareness Angels Network member. It will also serve to encourage others to become members, as the widget links right to our site. The more helping eyes, ears, and hands we have, the greater the odds of success.
From now until about mid-September, the focus of the program will be outreach to gain subscribers. When we begin the email notifications, it is important to have a reasonable subscriber base. In mid-September, we will begin to send the notifications on a more regular basis.
We're asking interested persons to subscribe AND to send this message to others.
Remember the facts: One in every 6 are found because of visual means, such as a poster. You can make a difference with your Awareness Angels Network membership!
If you haven't subscribed yet, read what the families of the missing have to say about poster placement by our Awareness Angels Network members:
The totality of my life has only one purpose, to find my missing daughter and bring her home safe. Every other aspect of my life has come to a halt. Thank you very much for placing posters of my child.
Reza Jou, father of missing Donna Jou
My heart is lifted and hope shines every time someone displays a poster of my son. I believe it is through the love and kindness of the public that my son will eventually be found; but without their concern and active participation, I fear this agonizing mystery will continue to go unresolved. Please, please help me find my son.
Vicki Barnard, Mother of Missing Ahren Barnard
Each poster placed carries the hopes of our family, that someone, somewhere, knows something, and will step forward to shine light on the darkness of loss. So, from my heart I thank you for each poster hung, and for each prayer quietly spoken.
Christy Davis, mother of missing Michael "Austin" Davis
I want to thank each and every one of you who hangs a poster for my son, Brian. This is the only way that I may hopefully find him and bring him home so that I may have some peace in my life someday. Someone knows what happened, and only with your help can I keep my son alive in the publics eyes.
Randy, Brian Shaffer's Dad
Time Marches on, yet it stands so still. Your smallest remembrance or recognition could help bring our loved one home. Thanks to all those who care.
Donajean Kapp, Sister of Dori A. Myers, Abducted 01-11-06
Words cannot express what it means when strangers care enough to place posters for us. The memory of this act is forever etched in our hearts.
John Lopez, Jeff and Lesa Stivers, Father, Uncle and Aunt of missing Marissa Lopez
(You'll be able to read more soon from the families we serve on the Awareness Angels Network page on our main website.)
About the Awareness Angels Network logo you see pn our program page:
The angel's wings represent the members of the Awareness Angels Network, who will answer our plea for help and place posters to help find a missing person. In this representation, the father was ready to go out and place more posters of his missing daughter, but just then, she was found and returned to his loving arms. The angel's wings surround them, also representing the love and concern we have in our hearts for others, even those whom we have never met. The logo tells the story of what CAN happen when we all work together to make a difference.
With your help, we'll have many happy endings.
Subscribe here today: http://www.projectjason.org/aan.html
Note: You can also subscribe to our Project Jason newsletters on the website noted above. You may choose either the Supporter's Newsletter (general news about Project Jason and the missing) or the Family Member Newsletter. (specialized information of interest to family members of missing persons) These selections are below the AAN regions in the list. The newsletters will begin publication in September.
All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance. Please help us help them. Subscribe to the Awareness Angels Network today, and ask your friends to as well. Thank you.
There is always hope.
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
(We have permission to post this article.)
http://www.omahafamily.com/Oct_08_ebook/Oct_08_issue.pdf
Omaha Family Magazine, Oct 2008
Omahas Kelly Jolkowski: A Voice for the Missing
By Denise Harrison
Its after midnight, and once again Vicki Hamilton Loux cant sleep. This distraught Missouri mom is out of ideas. In desperation, she goes to her
computer and composes an email to send across the miles to a woman she has read about but has never met. It reads:
Hello -
I have a mentally ill missing adult son. His name is Mark Hamilton and he has been missing for 11 years. The police in my area wouldnt even file a
missing person report until last year and this was after I threatened to go to the media. He was found in another state, far from me, in 01/2005. They
asked him a couple of questions, then let him go. Now no one will file a missing person report again. I need help. Will you please contact me?
Vicki
500 miles away, the email sets off a two-toned chime signaling its arrival on the computer of Omaha resident Kelly Jolkowski. Jolkowski is another mother not sleeping tonight, but this night its because there is so much work to be done: missing person posters to be printed, articles to be written, speeches to be crafted.
Back in Missouri, Loux turns away from the computer, wondering what to do next, when the phone rings. Despite the late hour, its Jolkowski on the other end. As Jolkowski explained later: After 11 long years, Vicki finally had someone to talk to who truly understood what it is like to live, day by day, when your child is missing. There was relief in her voice, even with major hurdles in front of us.
During any given month, Jolkowski may receive dozens upon dozens of such pleas for help from anywhere in the country. The organization she founded, Omaha-based Project Jason, is a place families of the missing can turn when they need advice. Whether their loved one has been missing for days, weeks, or years, the families and friends face ordeals that most people will never know -- frustrations, fears and grief that only people in a similar situation can understand. In Jolkowski, they find someone who does know, and they find a sympathetic soul: Kelly Jolkowski also has a missing loved one. Her son, Jason, disappeared seven years ago.
Before June 13, 2001, she and her husband, Jim, and their two boys lived an ordinary family life. That day, however, their lives changed forever. Jasons parents were both at work that morning, but Jasons brother saw him retrieve the trash cans from the driveway -- his normal chore then he set off on foot, a short seven-block walk, to meet a coworker for a ride to work his shift at a local restaurant. But he never arrived at the meeting location, and he has not been seen since.
There was no place the Kelly and Jim Jolkowski could turn to get advice and comfort. There was no resource to tell them what steps they should be taking. When we were not able to locate our son, we felt that God was calling us to help other families find missing loved ones and cope with their disappearances, says Jolkowski. When we lost Jason, we had no one to turn to who could tell us what we needed to be doing, no one to talk to who would truly understand our terror. So we founded Project Jason in 2003 with the vow that no one else should have to go through what we did without assistance.
October 6th marks the five-year anniversary of Project Jason. In that short time, the organization has assisted more than 400 families of missing persons, getting their stories in local newspapers, national magazines and even in trucking magazines, getting their missing persons posters in homeless shelters and hospitals, and giving hundreds of one-on-one recommendations. They have helped locate a number of missing persons, and they have distributed more than 50,000 posters and 4,750 photo buttons of missing persons to spread the word. They have also given out more than 13,500 personal ID Kits in English and Spanish. Those kits ensure that families have on hand all the information they need for every family member, from the youngest to the oldest, if ever needed. Kits will be available at Omaha Family Safety Day October 5 at the LaVista Convention Center.
Its a great feeling, knowing that Kelly is in our corner. A godsend, says Julie Connell, whose 19-year-old nephew, Ben Roseland, has been missing from Iowa since this past February. You hate to have someone go through what Kelly has with her son, and you see that, now, she is now such a positive force in other peoples lives. When I read about those she has helped who have returned home, it gives us hope and faith. Kelly is one of those heroes you hear about who goes through something terrible but comes out swinging.
Jolkowski has, indeed, become a national hero to many. Just this year, she was a featured speaker at both the opening and closing ceremonies for the Ride for the Missing sponsored by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
But dont confuse Project Jason with organizations that are limited to solely finding missing children. Project Jason helps with all missing persons persons of any age, gender, race or social status. They are all loved by someone and deserve to be found, says Jolkowski.
Missing persons cases, when it comes to those over the age of 17, are not typically easy for police departments to handle. Authorities often assume the missing person will turn up any time or that they simply walked away from their lives. Some police departments insist on a 48-hour waiting period before the family can file a missing person report, thereby losing crucial early hours in a search, even though there is no law that mandates a waiting period.
There are many difficulties associated with missing adults, and this is another area where Jolkowski makes a national impact. Six states, so far, passed new laws based on the organizations Campaign for the Missing. The initiative improves the law enforcement communitys ability to locate and ensure a safe return of missing persons by outlining specific procedures that should be followed. Those are procedures such as ensuring that DNA, descriptions and photos of the missing person be included in national databases and improving interagency communications about the missing. Project Jason was also behind Nebraskas Jasons Law, which created a true missing persons clearinghouse for missing persons of all ages.
Within days of receiving Louxs plea for help, Jolkowski thought of a way to help Loux get her son listed once again among the missing. The case was re-opened and his information was added to the FBIs national database for missing persons. As a result, Loux could receive assistance from the various agencies that help with missing adults cases.
Eight months after her son was again listed as a missing person (relisted thanks to Jolkowskis efforts), Project Jason received an email from a family in Florida who saw his missing person poster on the Project Jason website and believed the man staying with them may be Louxs missing son. Their calls to local law enforcement about the situation had not been returned. And they felt his mental state required intervention. They finally found his information on the Project Jason website and contacted Jolkowski.
We enlisted the help of Libba Phillips from Outpost for Hope, an expert on missing mentally ill who knows how to request assistance from mental health crisis professionals in the area, says Jolkowski. To our great joy, it was confirmed that the person staying with this family was indeed Mark Hamilton!
After much coordination with agencies local to the Florida location, finally, after 14 years, Loux had the miracle she longed for. This time, a very different email arrived in the inbox at the Jolkowski home.
After waiting 14 long years, on Sunday, May 11, 2008, I was able to once again, hug my sweet son, Mark - and on Mothers Day! wrote Loux.
Miracles Do Happen. Prayers Do Get Answered.
And Thank You, Project Jason.
Vicki Hamilton Loux
Mother of Found Son, Mark Hamilton
June 3, 2008"
Certainly, most dont end as happily as the case of Mark Hamilton. But if Jolkowski had her way, they would. Project Jason relies solely on donations, and has far more goals and projects on behalf of missing persons and their families than current funds allow them to pursue. All donations are tax-deductible and received with love and gratitude. If you would like to contribute, please mail any amount to:
Project Jason
P.O. Box 3035
Omaha, NE 68103
You can donate online at http://www.projectjason.org/help.html
To see the huge variety of initiatives going on at Project Jason, and to view the forums that cover missing persons cases, go to to http://www.projectjason.org.
http://www.omahafamily.com/Oct_08_ebook/Oct_08_issue.pdf
Omaha Family Magazine, Oct 2008
Omahas Kelly Jolkowski: A Voice for the Missing
By Denise Harrison
Its after midnight, and once again Vicki Hamilton Loux cant sleep. This distraught Missouri mom is out of ideas. In desperation, she goes to her
computer and composes an email to send across the miles to a woman she has read about but has never met. It reads:
Hello -
I have a mentally ill missing adult son. His name is Mark Hamilton and he has been missing for 11 years. The police in my area wouldnt even file a
missing person report until last year and this was after I threatened to go to the media. He was found in another state, far from me, in 01/2005. They
asked him a couple of questions, then let him go. Now no one will file a missing person report again. I need help. Will you please contact me?
Vicki
500 miles away, the email sets off a two-toned chime signaling its arrival on the computer of Omaha resident Kelly Jolkowski. Jolkowski is another mother not sleeping tonight, but this night its because there is so much work to be done: missing person posters to be printed, articles to be written, speeches to be crafted.
Back in Missouri, Loux turns away from the computer, wondering what to do next, when the phone rings. Despite the late hour, its Jolkowski on the other end. As Jolkowski explained later: After 11 long years, Vicki finally had someone to talk to who truly understood what it is like to live, day by day, when your child is missing. There was relief in her voice, even with major hurdles in front of us.
During any given month, Jolkowski may receive dozens upon dozens of such pleas for help from anywhere in the country. The organization she founded, Omaha-based Project Jason, is a place families of the missing can turn when they need advice. Whether their loved one has been missing for days, weeks, or years, the families and friends face ordeals that most people will never know -- frustrations, fears and grief that only people in a similar situation can understand. In Jolkowski, they find someone who does know, and they find a sympathetic soul: Kelly Jolkowski also has a missing loved one. Her son, Jason, disappeared seven years ago.
Before June 13, 2001, she and her husband, Jim, and their two boys lived an ordinary family life. That day, however, their lives changed forever. Jasons parents were both at work that morning, but Jasons brother saw him retrieve the trash cans from the driveway -- his normal chore then he set off on foot, a short seven-block walk, to meet a coworker for a ride to work his shift at a local restaurant. But he never arrived at the meeting location, and he has not been seen since.
There was no place the Kelly and Jim Jolkowski could turn to get advice and comfort. There was no resource to tell them what steps they should be taking. When we were not able to locate our son, we felt that God was calling us to help other families find missing loved ones and cope with their disappearances, says Jolkowski. When we lost Jason, we had no one to turn to who could tell us what we needed to be doing, no one to talk to who would truly understand our terror. So we founded Project Jason in 2003 with the vow that no one else should have to go through what we did without assistance.
October 6th marks the five-year anniversary of Project Jason. In that short time, the organization has assisted more than 400 families of missing persons, getting their stories in local newspapers, national magazines and even in trucking magazines, getting their missing persons posters in homeless shelters and hospitals, and giving hundreds of one-on-one recommendations. They have helped locate a number of missing persons, and they have distributed more than 50,000 posters and 4,750 photo buttons of missing persons to spread the word. They have also given out more than 13,500 personal ID Kits in English and Spanish. Those kits ensure that families have on hand all the information they need for every family member, from the youngest to the oldest, if ever needed. Kits will be available at Omaha Family Safety Day October 5 at the LaVista Convention Center.
Its a great feeling, knowing that Kelly is in our corner. A godsend, says Julie Connell, whose 19-year-old nephew, Ben Roseland, has been missing from Iowa since this past February. You hate to have someone go through what Kelly has with her son, and you see that, now, she is now such a positive force in other peoples lives. When I read about those she has helped who have returned home, it gives us hope and faith. Kelly is one of those heroes you hear about who goes through something terrible but comes out swinging.
Jolkowski has, indeed, become a national hero to many. Just this year, she was a featured speaker at both the opening and closing ceremonies for the Ride for the Missing sponsored by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
But dont confuse Project Jason with organizations that are limited to solely finding missing children. Project Jason helps with all missing persons persons of any age, gender, race or social status. They are all loved by someone and deserve to be found, says Jolkowski.
Missing persons cases, when it comes to those over the age of 17, are not typically easy for police departments to handle. Authorities often assume the missing person will turn up any time or that they simply walked away from their lives. Some police departments insist on a 48-hour waiting period before the family can file a missing person report, thereby losing crucial early hours in a search, even though there is no law that mandates a waiting period.
There are many difficulties associated with missing adults, and this is another area where Jolkowski makes a national impact. Six states, so far, passed new laws based on the organizations Campaign for the Missing. The initiative improves the law enforcement communitys ability to locate and ensure a safe return of missing persons by outlining specific procedures that should be followed. Those are procedures such as ensuring that DNA, descriptions and photos of the missing person be included in national databases and improving interagency communications about the missing. Project Jason was also behind Nebraskas Jasons Law, which created a true missing persons clearinghouse for missing persons of all ages.
Within days of receiving Louxs plea for help, Jolkowski thought of a way to help Loux get her son listed once again among the missing. The case was re-opened and his information was added to the FBIs national database for missing persons. As a result, Loux could receive assistance from the various agencies that help with missing adults cases.
Eight months after her son was again listed as a missing person (relisted thanks to Jolkowskis efforts), Project Jason received an email from a family in Florida who saw his missing person poster on the Project Jason website and believed the man staying with them may be Louxs missing son. Their calls to local law enforcement about the situation had not been returned. And they felt his mental state required intervention. They finally found his information on the Project Jason website and contacted Jolkowski.
We enlisted the help of Libba Phillips from Outpost for Hope, an expert on missing mentally ill who knows how to request assistance from mental health crisis professionals in the area, says Jolkowski. To our great joy, it was confirmed that the person staying with this family was indeed Mark Hamilton!
After much coordination with agencies local to the Florida location, finally, after 14 years, Loux had the miracle she longed for. This time, a very different email arrived in the inbox at the Jolkowski home.
After waiting 14 long years, on Sunday, May 11, 2008, I was able to once again, hug my sweet son, Mark - and on Mothers Day! wrote Loux.
Miracles Do Happen. Prayers Do Get Answered.
And Thank You, Project Jason.
Vicki Hamilton Loux
Mother of Found Son, Mark Hamilton
June 3, 2008"
Certainly, most dont end as happily as the case of Mark Hamilton. But if Jolkowski had her way, they would. Project Jason relies solely on donations, and has far more goals and projects on behalf of missing persons and their families than current funds allow them to pursue. All donations are tax-deductible and received with love and gratitude. If you would like to contribute, please mail any amount to:
Project Jason
P.O. Box 3035
Omaha, NE 68103
You can donate online at http://www.projectjason.org/help.html
To see the huge variety of initiatives going on at Project Jason, and to view the forums that cover missing persons cases, go to to http://www.projectjason.org.
Gabby
The Gabster
Prayers for our Kelly and her organization....Prayers to Jason and those who love and continue to search for him.
Hello,
I just wanted to share with you a few words about what today meant to me. The date is October 6, 2008. There isn't anything of great historical significance on this day, at least none that the typical person remembers, but there is something about this day that we can't forget.
In the summer of 2003, after we had lost our two year bid to pass Jason's Law here in Nebraska, I knew I could not wait and we had to do something for the families of the missing. The "something" turned out to be Project Jason. Just as I could never imagine being the mother of a missing son, nor could I imagine passing laws and starting a nonprofit organization. With the help, love, and support of family and friends, I spent that summer doing intense research about nonprofits and how to start one. On October 6, 2003, Project Jason was born.
Even though it was born as a result of our failure to pass Jason's Law, and our inability to find our own son, we knew it was what God wanted of us. Friends and family who were there with us at the start insisted it should be named after Jason, and would have it no other way. It became a great way to honor his name in each and every action we take. We have all confidence our son would want this.
We began without a penny to our name. We didn't even know where the money would come from to open up the bank account. It was on the list of first steps to take, so we made the appointment to visit the banker. The day before the appointment, a woman who had heard what we were trying to do gave one of our board members a check. It was for $100, just the right amount to start the bank account.
A few weeks later, we started wondering how we would pay the fees to the IRS to submit our 501 c 3 status application. A woman at work had heard about us, and was asking me questions one morning about how to start up a nonprofit and what types of fees were involved. I came back from lunch, and there was a check from her on my desk for the exact amount of the IRS fees.
There were little things like this along the way that kept happening, things that made it clear that we were doing the right thing. It was no easy task, and sometimes we learned as we went, working together for a common goal and cause. Our original treasurer had never filled out an IRS application, and spent countless hours working on it. My brother-in-law had never built a website from scratch, but he learned quickly what to do so we could communicate our mission statement and reach out to the community who needed our services and support. My husband took over many of the household chores so that I could write, develop our services roster and awareness programs, and communicate with the families we serve.
We were like the little engine that could, and we kept chugging along, taking the hill one step at a time. We had the website up by December and submitted our IRS paperwork. We began our first awareness program, the 18 Wheel Angels in January, and in February, the IRS notified us that we had our 501 c 3 status! Jason's Law passed in May, and we didn't stop there.
Sometimes, it seems as if that all happened yesterday, and it remains clear in my mind. We've grown much since then, now having numerous awareness programs and servicing several hundred families rather than a handful. We added a forum housing well over a thousand missing person cases, not to mention private family member conversation areas. We've distributed more than 50,000 missing person posters through our various awareness programs, and given away close to 14,000 Personal ID Kits. We've assisted in the passage of laws in several states, and have had a direct impact in the location of several missing persons, including a man who was missing for 14 years.
None of these things would be possible without your support, and the hard work of our board members and volunteer staff, most of whom do not have a missing person in their own life, but still give so generously and lovingly of their time. I could NEVER do what I do without all of them. I thank everyone who has played a part in our story and brought us to this day.
Our story shows that you never know what life holds for you, and despite our tragedy, there has clearly been a far greater amount of good. Not only have I learned how to run a nonprofit in these past five years, but I learned how to see beyond our personal pain, and how in working together in service to others, we can make a difference.
There were so many little miracles along the way to today and there will be more miracles as we continue on this journey together. I just know it.
With Hope, Always,
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason
President and Founder, Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Lovely article published about Project Jason in the Omaha Family Magazine:
http://www.projectjason.org/downloads/OmahaFamilyMagazineOct2008.pdf
I just wanted to share with you a few words about what today meant to me. The date is October 6, 2008. There isn't anything of great historical significance on this day, at least none that the typical person remembers, but there is something about this day that we can't forget.
In the summer of 2003, after we had lost our two year bid to pass Jason's Law here in Nebraska, I knew I could not wait and we had to do something for the families of the missing. The "something" turned out to be Project Jason. Just as I could never imagine being the mother of a missing son, nor could I imagine passing laws and starting a nonprofit organization. With the help, love, and support of family and friends, I spent that summer doing intense research about nonprofits and how to start one. On October 6, 2003, Project Jason was born.
Even though it was born as a result of our failure to pass Jason's Law, and our inability to find our own son, we knew it was what God wanted of us. Friends and family who were there with us at the start insisted it should be named after Jason, and would have it no other way. It became a great way to honor his name in each and every action we take. We have all confidence our son would want this.
We began without a penny to our name. We didn't even know where the money would come from to open up the bank account. It was on the list of first steps to take, so we made the appointment to visit the banker. The day before the appointment, a woman who had heard what we were trying to do gave one of our board members a check. It was for $100, just the right amount to start the bank account.
A few weeks later, we started wondering how we would pay the fees to the IRS to submit our 501 c 3 status application. A woman at work had heard about us, and was asking me questions one morning about how to start up a nonprofit and what types of fees were involved. I came back from lunch, and there was a check from her on my desk for the exact amount of the IRS fees.
There were little things like this along the way that kept happening, things that made it clear that we were doing the right thing. It was no easy task, and sometimes we learned as we went, working together for a common goal and cause. Our original treasurer had never filled out an IRS application, and spent countless hours working on it. My brother-in-law had never built a website from scratch, but he learned quickly what to do so we could communicate our mission statement and reach out to the community who needed our services and support. My husband took over many of the household chores so that I could write, develop our services roster and awareness programs, and communicate with the families we serve.
We were like the little engine that could, and we kept chugging along, taking the hill one step at a time. We had the website up by December and submitted our IRS paperwork. We began our first awareness program, the 18 Wheel Angels in January, and in February, the IRS notified us that we had our 501 c 3 status! Jason's Law passed in May, and we didn't stop there.
Sometimes, it seems as if that all happened yesterday, and it remains clear in my mind. We've grown much since then, now having numerous awareness programs and servicing several hundred families rather than a handful. We added a forum housing well over a thousand missing person cases, not to mention private family member conversation areas. We've distributed more than 50,000 missing person posters through our various awareness programs, and given away close to 14,000 Personal ID Kits. We've assisted in the passage of laws in several states, and have had a direct impact in the location of several missing persons, including a man who was missing for 14 years.
None of these things would be possible without your support, and the hard work of our board members and volunteer staff, most of whom do not have a missing person in their own life, but still give so generously and lovingly of their time. I could NEVER do what I do without all of them. I thank everyone who has played a part in our story and brought us to this day.
Our story shows that you never know what life holds for you, and despite our tragedy, there has clearly been a far greater amount of good. Not only have I learned how to run a nonprofit in these past five years, but I learned how to see beyond our personal pain, and how in working together in service to others, we can make a difference.
There were so many little miracles along the way to today and there will be more miracles as we continue on this journey together. I just know it.
With Hope, Always,
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason
President and Founder, Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Lovely article published about Project Jason in the Omaha Family Magazine:
http://www.projectjason.org/downloads/OmahaFamilyMagazineOct2008.pdf
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