Project Jason retreat draws 20

Kelly Jolkowski could see the anxiety and sadness on the faces of the 20 people who came to a retreat Friday near Ashland, Neb.

They all have experienced the sorrow of having a loved one disappear and not knowing that person's fate.

But by Sunday, two days later, the participants had changed, said Jolkowski, who helps families of missing people. "Their faces lifted," she said. "They learned that they can still experience joy in their lives."

The participants came from places throughout the United States for the retreat, called "Keys to Healing: Mind, Body and Spirit." It was sponsored by Project Jason, a nonprofit organization named after Jolkowski's son, who disappeared from his Omaha family eight years ago at age 19. Saturday marked the anniversary of his disappearance.

The retreat, at Carol Joy Holling Camp, helped participants understand the physical and emotional trauma caused by a loved one's disappearance, Jolkowski said. They were treated to talks and help from a therapist, priest, dietician, personal trainer and massage therapist. "We pampered them," Jolkowski said. "That's what they needed."

Jolkowski said she hopes Project Jason can make the retreat an annual event. Project Jason covered $100 of each person's costs, she said. The retreat cost $155 per person or $288 for a couple and included everything for the weekend: meals, snacks, materials and lodging. - Susan Szalewski

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