19-04-2024
Jan France - Innovator, Parental Abuse, Survivor
Jan France was born in Chicago, to a mother who was an RN, a father who served in World War II, and a grandfather who served in World War I. She has devoted much of her life to GIVING AND SERVICE. In 1983, she conceived the idea for a wagon train in June 1983, organized, was the executive director, strategic planner, coordinator of a 3-year plan, and fund-raiser of $3 million dollars in sponsorships for the Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train, which covered 3,228 miles within the state, planned the route to 150 overnight stops in 150 communities to represent the 150 years since Texas’s independence, created the logo, did the marketing, and drove the first wagon herself. Soon she had assistant and wagon masters such as: Walt Garrison, fullback for the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry, head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, Gib Lewis, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives and other with Governor Mark White of Texas riding in the front wagon with Jan, sponsored by: Coca-Cola, Wrangler Jeans, Dairy Queen, Texas National Bank Dallas, Texas National Telephone Association, John Deere, American Honda Motor Co, Southwestern Bell Telephone and others.
Later in 2002, in Texas, she taught English to Spanish speaking immigrants at night for free, and founded America's Disaster Relief, which aided various disaster-affected areas across the United States, she kicked into high gear, using her past marketing and organizational skills, bringing into play 5 vans with trailers, 10 drivers, supplies, donations and funds, She was instrumental in relocating 100 families [500 people] into homes completely furnished to victims of Forest Fires, Cedar Rapid, IA floods, Boulder Colorado floods and the locals of Western Colorado.
With the left-over donations, in 2006 she bought a 750 square foot thrift shop for $1,000.00 in Montrose, Colorado, which expanded to 10,000 square feet, where 100% of the profits went to disaster relief and in 2008 she built a food truck on a 16 ft flat-bed trailer, selling tamales and other items with partner GUMER, volunteering 12 months a year for 7 years, with 100% of the net profits going to American Disaster Relief, from serving areas from Colorado to Florida, Alabama, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Missouri, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, in August 29 2005, where she brought back to her home, now living in Colorado, people who had nothing but the clothes on their backs. She also served at Hurricane Sandy, NY in 2012 when I met her while I was volunteering at Midland Beach, Staten Island, one of the worst hit areas, and stayed in touch since.
In 2015 they progressed to a Mobile Kitchen where they no longer needed a commissary where they had to pay to prepare the Tamales and foods, or sleep in truck seats or motel rooms, they had a shower, bed and restroom and kitchen, all with the mission of aid to others. However, in the same year Jan was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 70. Despite that diagnosis, she continued to volunteer and fundraise for several years, until last year 2023, deciding to sell the Mobile Kitchen and cancel all events, still volunteering and fundraising remotely. Her tireless efforts over the years have been an inspiration to many.
She attended in her early days, New York Institute of Interior Design – New York, New York, Barbizon School of Modeling before heading off to Saint Petersburg College / University of South Florida. She became a Showroom & Runway model in New York City and Florida and a Ford Agency Model……
She was an Equestrian: riding, driving a team, riding instructor, endurance, cross country. She did Ranch work, managing 30,000 acres: branding cattle, showmanship horses and cattle, team penning…..She holds certifications as: Certified Radio Marketing Consultant – RAB – Dallas, Texas, Marketing and Promotions Event Professional as well as Licensed Real Estate Agent – Texas
In the television/radio/film industry, she was: Radio Director of Promotions/Marketing, designed sales packages & promotions; Copywriter; Press releases; Live remote air personality, air voice, co-host of talk shows, interviews; Motivational speaker at seminars, Teacher of marketing classes, Co-writer and co-director of commercials (Ford, 7-Eleven, Coca-Cola); Technical advisor for the movie Lone Star– selected sites, arranged / approved props and costumes, advised on angle and method with film crew/director
JAN MARCHED WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING, HUGGED ROSA PARKS. AND OTHERS. YOUR MOTHER’S FATHER WAS A PROMOTER BEFORE TV, WORKING WITH JIMMY PICKENS, MINNY PEARL AND OTHERS. YOU WERE FRIENDS WITH THE SINGER, BRENDA LEE….
Jan was also consultant to: State of Alaska, State of Oklahoma, State of South Dakota, State of Wyoming; Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train, Founder; Residential General Contractor & Home Design – Florida / Texas; Founder / Creator of Nation-wide Non-Profit Organization America’s Disaster Relief since 2002 – present.
Jan holds honors from: State of Florida, Valley Forge, PA; Prestigious Texas Woman, Texas House of Representative; Outstanding Texas Woman, Texas Senate; Pioneer Woman Award, Marshall, Texas; Reserve Grand Champion Team Driving National Horse & Mule Association Finals 1987; National Cowgirl Hall of Fame - Heritage Division; Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train Museum – Ft Worth Stockyards Exchange Building; Five Books featuring Jan France – October 2011 Arcadia Publishing Images of America Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train By J’Nell Pate / 1987 Sulphur Spring to Cowtown By Donna Neal-Stepp; October 2011 – STAR in the Western Heritage Walk of Fame, Ft Worth, Texas (below STAR of Roy Rodgers & Dale Evans); Numerous other awards and citations from Oklahoma, Wyoming, South Dakota, Missouri, Florida, and Alaska.
