Missing Man: Jason Anthony Jolkowski - NE - 06/13/2001

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 12/12/04

Tomorrow marks 3 ½ years since Jason disappeared. (06/13/01) We actually last saw him at about 10:30pm (06/12/01) when he went to bed. Before that, he was playing video games with his little brother. I’m sure his last words to me were: “Goodnight, Mom.” Little did I know that it was his last goodnight to me for such a very long time. There have now been 1,278 nights when I didn’t get to hear his “goodnight”, see his smiling face, or hear his laughter.

“When have I ever lived in absolute belief, with no twinge of doubt? Yet, that is not what you require, Lord. Only keep me growing, every crisis a more effective teacher than the last.”
From my inspiration calendar for 12/13/04

May God give me continued strength for the journey ahead, no matter how long it takes.

Kelly Jolkowski

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 12/12/04

We love you Kelly and continue to pray for you and your son.

LTL

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 12/13/04

Thank you, LTL. That means alot to me.

Many blessings to you and yours,
Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 12/29/04

Kelly.

My thoughts and prayers are with you daily. I pray for you and for Jason in a short prayer at least one time each day...and always before I go to sleep at night....

One day he will be found! I feel in my heart he is alive somewhere...someday soon you will pick up the phone and you will hear
:"Mom, I want to come home,will you please allow this", or something similar...

This is my prayer for you and your family...


Hugs,
Gabby

A Project Jason Press Release  [/hr]Original Post: 01/09/05

Omaha,NE: January 13, 2005 will mark 3 years and 7 months since then 19 year-old Jason Jolkowski disappeared without a trace from the driveway of his Omaha, NE home.

While no viable clues have ever revealed the fate of their son, Jim and Kelly Jolkowski have not remained idle in their quest to make sure that other family members of a missing person will be able to get the proper assistance in their time of need.

In January 2003, the Jolkowskis introduced Jason's Law into the open session of the Nebraska State legislature. Jason's Law will establish a true Missing Person's Clearinghouse in Nebraska. The future law is named to honor their missing son, Jason.

Some of the benefits of the proposed law include a website with photos and information of missing persons of all ages, an 800 number to report sightings and get information, additional training for Law Enforcement, a uniform and required reporting system, and a library of related materials.

As Nebraska's budget was at a deficit the past two years, Jason's Law was not passed. Now a new legislative session has begun, and Jason's Law has been introduced again as LB111. The Jolkowski's are not going to give up on getting the bill signed into law, regardless of budgetary issues.

You may read the full text of the bill by going to the Nebraska Legislature website, located at http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/ Enter 111, the bill number, into the search box, and click on search.

Kelly Jolkowski has sought funding from dozens of charities and foundations without success. She commented: "The people must be educated about this cause. Unless it happens to them, or someone they love, it will remain on the back burner in their minds. They do not realize that it is a fact that every 37 seconds in America a child disappears. Every state bears the burden of helping and protecting their citizens, and Nebraska is no exception. We will continue our fight to educate the public and get Jason's Law passed. I will not give up until they have signed on the dotted line."

The next step in the legislative process will be a hearing, in which the Jolkowskis, along with other interested parties, will be allowed to testify for the bill in front of a senate committee. The hearing has not yet been scheduled.

For additional information, contact:

Kelly Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
kelly.jolkowski@projectjason.org

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Last edited by KellyJ : 01-09-2005 at 03:25 PM.

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 01/30/05

I received an age progressed "photo" of Jason, done by NCMEC. (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children) They are experts at doing this sort of thing. I have seen hundreds of such photos, and it looks like they do a good job. What they do is take photos of the parents at an age close to the time of the disappearance of the child, and do a blending of features and give consideration to the current age.

Here is his high school graduation photo, and then the age progressed photo:



Progressed to age 23 below

[img width=320 height=400]http://img.photobuck...ki/992083e1.jpg[/img]

Thank you for caring.

Here is a link to a printable poster with both photos:

Please Print & Post

http://www.missingki...earchLang=en_US


Print a poster: http://www.projectja...onJolkowski.pdf

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 01/31/05

I was recently contacted by radio personality Linda Greenberg, who has a weekly show on radio station WNAV, out of Annapolis, MD. http://www.lindagreenbergshow.com/


WNAV http://www.wnav.com/ is a CBS Radio affiliate for the area and is owned by Pat Sajak. The Linda Greenberg Show is broadcast live on Mondays from 2:30pm-3:00pm. You can listen live via the Internet, and the show is re-broadcast at 5am, 11am, 5pm, and 11pm weekdays. You will need the most current version of Real Player to listen live. All times listed are EST.

Linda asked me to be a guest on today's show about missing persons. Other guests included nationally known missing children's advocate Marc Klaas of the Polly Klaas Foundation, and Ted Williams, well known criminal lawyer and profiler and frequent guest on the Greta Van Susteren Show.

Linda asked me to tell my story, talk about the importance of having a Personal ID Kit, such as the ones we have available to download from our website, and one of our programs, Adopt a Missing Person.

Linda is very interested in the Adopt a Missing Person program. She had asked me to mail her 6 buttons, to include Jason and 5 others. She said she has already been able to get others at the radio station involved. This is an excellent opportunity to create awareness for our cause and for those we love who are not among us. Please be sure to tune in and listen.

The show will be rebroadcast daily on the Internet and also for local listerners until next Monday afternoon. Again, times are 5am,11am,5pm, and 11pm EST.

With Hope,
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post 02/11/05

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http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/1254912.html

"Jason's Law" Reviewed

Proposal would assist search for missing


An Omaha family is pushing for changes in the law to help locate missing persons and they have firsthand knowledge of what's at stake.

Nineteen-year-old Jason Jolkowsi was walking from the family home to Benson High three-and-a-half years ago. That was the last anyone knew of his whereabouts. Investigators have never determined what happened to Jason.

Jim and Kelly Jolkowski are now urging lawmakers to pass Jason's Law, a measure that would create a state repository of information on missing persons.

Kelly Jolkowski says, "We know. We've been there. And we're trying to put this into place so that there's faster assistance; so the state understands the need."

The Nebraska legislature's Judiciary Committee heard the proposal Friday afternoon.

It calls for uniform reporting by law enforcement and a statewide website so the public and police can be aware and watch out for missing persons.

(There is a video on this news link with the complete story.)

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 02/18/05

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http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1339508

Published Friday
February 18, 2005

Group starts missing-person campaign

BY KRISTIN ZAGURSKI

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The parents' desperate words call out from the poster:

"Michael, we miss you so much. We miss our walks on the beach. . . . We miss seeing your smiling face. Not knowing where you are or seeing you is so hard. Please come home."

Michael Allen Jarvi, 31, was last seen in March 2002 in Portland, Ore.

He's just one missing person that the Omaha nonprofit group Project Jason hopes to reunite with his family by distributing posters nationwide to places where homeless people gather.

The group will e-mail Internet links to participating agencies twice per month under its new "Come Home" program.

The organizations will then print the posters and hang them where staff members and homeless people can see them.

The posters will initially be put up at more than 1,100 locations in 34 states, including Omaha-area shelters, said Kelly Jolkowski, president and founder of Project Jason.

They will include a photo and physical description of a missing person who's possibly homeless, contact information for investigators and a message from the missing person's family.

Jolkowski said the personal plea is key to the posters.

"We had to reach out," she said. "We had to let them know that no matter what had occurred or how long they've been gone that they are loved and missed."

Jolkowski hopes the fliers will do some good by prompting homeless people to contact their families.

"Our hope is that they will read that and they will think of their family and that they will be encouraged to, if not go home, at least call home," said Jolkowski, whose son Jason has been missing more than 31/2 years.

The public also is invited to distribute the posters. They'll be posted at www.projectjason.org under the "Come Home" link.

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 02/24/05

Jason's Law passed out of the committee today, so that means, for the 1st time ever, it will make it to the floor to be debated upon by the whole Senate. We will launch our big letter writing campaign when it gets close to the time for the debate. Our Senator's aide will let us know when to start.

Thank you.

Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Hello,

We need your help and we need it now. Please do not put this off, as time is of the essence.

We have fought for three years now to pass Jason’s Law, LB111, which will establish a true Missing Person’s Clearinghouse in the state of Nebraska. Passage of this vital bill will give families of missing persons much needed assistance where currently there is little help when faced with this crisis situation.

Jason’s Law was passed out of the committee and is now up for debate on the senate floor for the very first time. It is IMPERATIVE that you contact your senator to let him/her know that you support this bill. As the bill came up for debate suddenly, there is little time to spare.

We have made this process as simple as possible so that you can help us to get this bill passed. We have a prepared letter that you can copy and paste into an email and send to your local senator. Please feel free to send your own letter or personalize ours.

Please do this right away, as the bill could be debated at any time. We need to reach senators all over the state, so that they are aware of the bill and its importance. Persons living in other states can write too, but our citizens’ input will have much more meaning to them.

In order to accomplish this, we ask you to forward this email to everyone you know who lives in Nebraska, and ask them to forward it to everyone they know living here. Each person needs to look up their local senator and then send the prepared letter to them via email. Occasionally, a senator does not have email. In those cases, please send your letter via US Mail, as we have high hopes that Jason’s Law will progress through the various stages of debate, and that our collective voices will continue to be heard. 25 Votes are needed to pass it to the next level of debate.

The prepared letter is at the end of this email, and you can also find it on Jason’s website:
http://members.cox.net/prayersandposters/page17.html Reading the letter will aid in understanding why we need Jason’s Law.

To locate your local senator, go to http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/senators/senators.htm Find your city in the list and click on “Email” to send an email or click on “Info” for the US Mail address for your senator.

In Lincoln and Omaha, there is more than one senator. If you live in Lincoln or Omaha and do not know who your senator is, you can click on “Map” and zoom in to see if a particular senator covers your home area. You can also utilize the following maps to determine what district you are in and then find your senator on the link given above.

Lincoln Area Map: http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/distri...ster_final.pdf

Omaha Area Map: http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/distri...etro_final.pdf

We’d also like to remind those of you who live in the Omaha area of the Project Jason Open House “More Than Just Volunteering”. This will take place on Wednesday, March 23rd, 7pm, at Swanson Elementary School at 8600 Harney St.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and for your willingness to help us be the voice for those who are not with us, but will be forever in our hearts.

Sincerely,
Jim and Kelly Jolkowski, Parents of Missing Omaha Youth, Jason Jolkowski
Founders of Project Jason, www.projectjason.org



Dear Representative ,


I write to you today on behalf of one of our state's most valuable assets, the family. There is nothing more important to the future of our state than its people, citizens that are well rounded, having that sense of pride of being a member of the larger family of Nebraskans that stems from the good values instilled in us from our individual families. We must work hard together to assist our state's families in any way that we can to ensure continued growth, and that Nebraska always remains "the good life".

Sadly, there is an area lacking in state law that can impact thousands of citizens each year. These citizens include entire families that have a missing loved one, whether that person is a child, or an adult. There are very limited avenues to pursue for families of missing adults. Currently, the only law covering missing persons in the State of Nebraska is the Missing Children Identification Act (Chapter 43, Article 20), LB 333~6, which flags vital statistic records for children age 16 and under. (The Amber Alert is also in place, but that is only activated in the case of known abductions of minors.) Although this is a necessary law, clearly there is much more that can be done, and should be done, to assist our families.

Currently, approximately 38 states have a missing persons clearinghouse, which serves as a means to disseminate information about the missing and to provide assistance to the families of these missing loved ones. Nebraska has no such official clearinghouse, although the Nebraska State Patrol does keep statistics on the missing and assists with basic notification of state law enforcement agencies when a person is reported missing as deemed necessary by local law enforcement.

Our neighbors in Iowa have paved the way in providing a true clearinghouse for missing persons of all ages. LB111 is patterned after the Code of Iowa, Chapter 694. LB111 will provide much needed benefits for families in this crisis situation. The assistance that could be provided by this law includes a 24 hour toll-free hotline to report missing persons, sightings of these persons, and to request general information. Educational materials, as well as a public speakers bureau, and ongoing training for local law enforcement agencies is also included. Most importantly, ongoing public awareness of the plight of the missing, including adults, is emphasized via means of a website, which will feature photos of the missing, descriptions, and vital information regarding their disappearance. A missing persons bulletin will be published monthly and public service announcements distributed weekly. There are many additional services provided, which you can review at the Nebraska Unicameral website.

The typical citizen is not aware of the true scope and magnitude of this problem. National statistics tell us that every 37 seconds, a child disappears. Awareness of the fact that a person is missing is a key to resolution. Just because we don't hear about it on the news, doesn't mean it isn't happening. So many times, these cases get no publicity at all. LB111 will help fill in the gaps and give an equal chance for all missing persons, who are citizens of Nebraska to be seen, then hopefully found safe and be reunited with their family.

I ask you today, as my state representative, to take action to ensure that our families in Nebraska are provided with a means of assistance when faced with the tragedy of a missing loved one, adult, or child. Please give Jason's Law (named after Jason Jolkowski, missing for over three years from Omaha) your utmost consideration and say "YES" to Nebraska families when LB111 is up for your vote. We never know when might find ourselves in this very situation, whether it be a missing child, mother, father, brother, or sister of any age. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 03/21/05

There will be a repeat broadcast of the Montel Williams show which featured missing persons Jason Jolkowski, Maura Murray, Jan Stavros, and Brooke Willberger this Thursday, March 24th. Please check your local listings for airtimes.

Jason's Law will most likely be debated in the legislature tomorrow. Please keep the senators in your prayers that they may hear our voices and do the right thing.

Thank you.

Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 03/22/05

For those who are watching our bill, they did not get to it today. It is on the schedule for tomorrow. Thank you.

Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 03/24/05

YES! I am happy to report that Jason's Law made it through round one of debate and passed with flying colors! The vote was 37-0. The next round could come anytime in the next several weeks. After that, there is a formal reading of the bill, and then it goes to the governor to sign. He could veto it, or if it doesn't move along quickly, and they start to talk budget, it could be killed because of budgetary issues. We have a fighting chance!

Thanks to everyone who sent letters and prayed. Do keep up the prayers to get this pushed through quickly.

The story was the featured Unicameral Update.

http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/update/index.htm


Missing persons clearinghouse bill advances


A bill that would establish a central repository for information on missing persons advanced to select file Wednesday.

LB 111 would require the Nebraska State Patrol to administer a state Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse to be used by law enforcement agencies.
Under the bill, the State Patrol would:

collect, process, maintain and disseminate information about missing persons;
train law enforcement agencies to report information to the clearinghouse;
develop training programs to prevent kidnapping;
maintain a statewide, toll-free telephone hotline 24 hours a day;
maintain a Web site accessible to law enforcement agencies and the public;
maintain a registry of educational materials;
distribute monthly missing persons bulletins; and
compile statistics regarding missing persons.

Omaha Sen. Patrick Bourne said he introduced the bill as a result of a constituent whose son has been missing since 2001.

Bourne said 38 states have similar clearinghouse programs to track missing people and inform the public of their disappearance. In 1999, 797,000 children were reported missing in the United States, he said.

“Education and public awareness are absolutely vital in finding these people who are missing,” he said. “Anything we can do to protect our children is a good thing to do.”

Sen. Elaine Stuhr of Bradshaw said requiring the State Patrol to develop training on kidnapping would take additional time and resources. She introduced an amendment proposing that information about kidnapping prevention be distributed in educational printed materials instead.

Stuhr’s amendment failed on a 4-15 vote and the bill advanced on a vote of 37-0.


Many blessings,
Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 04/04/05

Today we received word that Jason's Law went through the second round of debate without a hitch. The third round is a formality and could take place in the next two weeks. After that, it goes to the governor to sign into law. The governor was queried as to his disposition on it, as he could veto it, but it sounds as if he will not. Anyone is free to write him a brief note of support for Jason's Law (please also mention it is LB111)

http://gov.nol.org/mail/govmail.html

Thank you for the support and all of the prayers. We believe that Jason's Law will become a reality for Nebraskans very soon.

Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI
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Original Post: 04/04/05

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http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/1435532.html

Jason's Law Advances
Set for final vote


A bill to set up a clearinghouse for information on missing persons is set for a final vote in the Nebraska legislature.

State senators have advanced the bill known as Jason's Law.

It was named for Jason Jolkowski who disappeared in June of 2001.

Jason's mother is a driving force behind the legislation.

The measure is now set for final consideration.

National Strategy Meeting: Identifying the Missing  [/hr]Original Post: 04/25/05

We have been invited by the US Attorney General's office for a conference in Philadelphia on April 28 & 29 about the problem involving finding the missing and identifying the deceased. Attending the conference will be government officials, FBI, law enforcement, forensic scientists, and a few families of the missing. We are privleged to help represent families of the missing nationwide, along with our friend, Robert Cooke, father of missing Rachel Cooke.

We are also pleased that the US recognizes the in-depth problem and scope of the issue. With an average of 97,000 open cases annually, (about 850,000 are missing per year) plus 40,000 unidentified bodies, it is past time for action.

Please pray for us as we make this trip, and that we can come closer to resolutions, if not for us, then for others who face the ambiguous loss of their loved ones.

Kelly

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 04/30/05

A Project Jason Press Release:

4 Families, 4 Mysteries

4 families who have experienced the tragedy of having a missing loved one will come together on Sunday, May 1st to share their stories with dozens of bike riders at the 2nd annual Miles for the Missing Family Bike Ride sponsored by Omaha nonprofit organization, Project Jason.

Riders will meet the family members starting at 9:45am on the Wabash Trace Nature Trail in Council Bluffs, IA. Miles for the Missing is a casual ride, and riders can go distances from 1 mile up to 44. Sag and free water will be provided. Rider cost is $15 each, and children under age 10 ride free.

Families represented at the ride include: Jim and Kelly Jolkowski of Omaha, parents of missing Jason Jolkowski, who disappeared from his Omaha home on June 13, 2001; Carolyn Pospisil, mother of Erin Pospisil, who was last seen in Cedar Rapids, IA on June 6, 2001; Rebecca Gonzalez of Omaha, whose son Brendan was murdered by his father, but his body never recovered; and Kathy Wilson of Omaha. Her husband Greg, disappeared in January of 2005. His body was located in March, but the mystery of his disappearance still remains.

Project Jason members will be present to give away free Personal ID Kits and other safety information for families. They will also explain the services offered and awareness programs available for the missing. Proceeds from the ride enable Project Jason to continue to offer their free services to families of the missing nationwide and provide educational materials to all families.

Jim and Kelly Jolkowski continue to take part not just in local, but in state and national activities to increase public awareness of the missing, and to take steps to strengthen the aid given to these families. In early April, Kelly attended a national conference of missing persons organizations in Wilmington, NC, and was the Keynote Speaker at the New York State Missing Person’s Day. The Jolkowski family is also behind LB111, Jason’s Law, which will establish a Missing Person’s Clearinghouse for all ages in Nebraska. LB111 has passed through 2 of 3 rounds of debate in the state legislature.

Jim, Kelly, and Michael Jolkowski just returned from the Department of Justice’s “National Strategy Meeting: Identifying the Missing”, which took place in Philadelphia and brought together hundreds of government officials, forensic scientists, medical examiners, coroners, FBI, law enforcement, and families of missing and murdered loved ones from across the country. A few families of the missing and the murdered were chosen to represent the thousands upon thousands nationwide in this effort for all those involved to meet and put together a strategy to resolve the estimated 100,000 active missing person’s cases and to identify the 40,000 to 50,000 unidentified bodies nationwide. John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted was the Keynote Speaker. The Jolkowskis were able to meet with him briefly and share their experience.

For more information, please see www.projectjason.org, and click on the Miles for the Missing link, or call Kelly Jolkowski at 402-932-0095 or email: Milesforthemissing@projectjason.org

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI  [/hr]Original Post: 05/10/05

NPR's Radio's News & Notes with Ed Gordon show featured missing Tamika Huston on a segment that explores media bias in missing person's case.

Tamika's aunt talks about this issue, as she has fought for national attention for her niece since she disappeared in June of 2004.

Kelly Jolkowski, founder of Project Jason, and mother of missing Jason Jolkowski, also makes comments about bias towards male and minority cases.

You can listen to the broadcast by clicking on "Listen" at the top of the page.

Ed Gordon Show

Ed Gordon is an Emmy-award winning journalist, and a contributor to 60 Minutes. He previously reported for the Today Show and Dateline NBC

Re: Missing Person: JASON ANTHONY JOLKOWSKI

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Original Post: 05/13/05

Today marks 3 years and 11 months since Jason disappeared.

He will never be forgotten. Every action we take is done in his name. I know he would want this. I pray he is safe and happy. We miss him so much.

Kelly