State Capitol Building, Lincoln NE, May 19, 2004:

People who live in Nebraska are used to inclement weather. When we hear about a storm coming, we often rush to the store to get supplies so that we are prepared for the worst. But how often do you hear about families being prepared for the tragedy of losing a child or other loved one? What do we do to prepare for that? How many families are ready?

Every 37 seconds in America, a child disappears. That is an average of 2,000 children per day. In the course of a year, over 850,000 adults and children disappear. Of those 850,000, approximately 97,000 cases will remain open. Almost half of those are adults.

Most families do not know the steps to take when a loved one is missing. Many are not prepared. Project Jason, a nonprofit organization founded by Jim and Kelly Jolkowski, the parents of missing Omaha youth Jason Jolkowski, is working to make sure that all families are ready to "weather the storm" of losing a loved one.

On May 19th, Governor Johanns declared June 13-19th, 2004, as Nebraska State Missing Person's Week. The ceremony took place at the State Capitol building at 10:30am in the Warner Chamber. Jim and Kelly Jolkowski represented the organization. Kelly presented Governor Johanns with four Project Jason Child ID Kits, one for each member of his family, introducing the campaign; "You're Never too Old to Have a Child ID Kit".

The Jolkowski's then announced Project Jason's event for State Missing Person's Week, the Miles for the Missing State Tour. They will travel across the state that week, stopping in over a dozen cities to meet families and local Law Enforcement, and to distribute their free English or Spanish-language Child ID Kits and other educational materials. Posters will be available featuring missing persons from Nebraska, as well as other children and adults from around the country whose families have been assisted by Project Jason. The Miles for the Missing State Tour schedule will be available here soon.

Kelly Jolkowski stated in summary: "We speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and for those who are gone from our sight, but never from our hearts. We give hope to the families of our missing loved ones, and assist them in their search."

The proclamation reads as follows:

Nebraska State Missing Person's Week June 13-19, 2004

WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center there were 876,213 missing person entries (juveniles and adults) in the year 2000. An average of 2,001 children disappeared daily, including children from the state of Nebraska, and

WHEREAS, as of March 31, 2003 there were 97,297 active missing person cases in the United States. Of those missing, approximately 54,184 are juveniles and nearly 43,113 were reports of individuals eighteen and older. These statistics include citizens of the state of Nebraska, and

WHEREAS, in response to these alarming trends, nonprofit organizations such as Project Jason, were founded for the purpose of educating the public in an effort to prevent future abductions and disappearances, and to provide assistance to families of the missing, and

WHEREAS, all missing persons deserve to be searched for regardless of their age; and

WHEREAS, citizens, media, and law enforcement must be made aware of the plight of missing persons regardless of their age; and

WHEREAS, families and communities of missing persons should have this week to offer much needed support and to keep public interest alive active in the continued search for those missing persons; and

WHEREAS, our awareness, support, efforts, and search for missing persons must continue, and

WHEREAS, every missing person is someone's son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister, husband or wife, and

WHEREAS, the state of Nebraska is committed to the safety and well-being of all its citizens, both children and adults, and

NOW, THEREFORE I, Mike Johanns, Governor of the state of Nebraska, do hereby proclaim the week of June 13-19, 2004 as

MISSING PERSON'S WEEK in Nebraska, and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of the observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the Great Seal of the State of Nebraska to be affixed this nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Four.

Mike Johanns, Governor