As I was driving with my children to pick up their grandfather’s Christmas gift, Jannel Rap’s red Saturn caught my attention.  I followed her car fascinated by the missing person stickers all over it.  I followed her until she parked her car in the local shopping center.  I jumped out and introduced myself and asked her about the Gina sticker on her car.

I was amazed by her response and how quickly she could tell the story with such clarity.  She knew the spiel because she has told this story a million times over the last nine years. 

On October 17, 2000 Gina Bos went missing after leaving an open mic night at a local club with her guitar in hand.  Jannel explains that Gina was on track with a bright future.  Gina had just gotten a new job at Kinko’s and Habitat for Humanity had just poured the slab on a brand new home for her and her children, ages 11, 13, and 15 at the time. 

Habitat for Humanity gave the house to another family and her children went to live with her parents and Jannel helped after Gina’s disappearance.

Jannel decided to take this huge negative in her life and do something about it.  She started a foundation in her sister’s name and honor, Gina For Missing Persons Foundation, to help bring media attention on all levels to find the nearly 850,000 missing persons each year through music venues. Since 2001, the foundation has found 500 persons and about half of those were deceased.

Jannel formed “The Squeaky Wheel Tour.”  The tour runs from Gina’s missing date of October 17^th to November 4^th, her birthday and the musicians sing while bringing attention to missing persons that do not garnish media attention.  Some of the musicians involved, include Meatloaf, Little Feat, Susan Gibson, Karen Black, Christina Aguilar, Eddie Money, and Rick Springfield’s band The Squirts.

Just last month Jannel received a tip that a homeless woman looked like Gina, but it was not her.  It is believed that Gina was murdered, but Jannel holds out hope that maybe due to Gina’s history of depression it is possible that she could be wandering the streets.

Please visit the website www.411gina.org .  It has more details, including thousands of missing person profiles organized by state and other international countries. 

“Found” is the organization’s motto.  They are trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

Her car got my attention and I hope this helps get yours.  Thank you!