Jan was the committee member who assured that the Warm Springs area had its turn to host the Independence Day parade in it’s 5th year. Jan’s team worked hard to find the funding necessary to support the parade once the financial woes of the City meant it would have to be 100% privately funded. Through their efforts, Boston Scientific stepped forward and surprised the parade organizers with $25,000 to cover the lion’s share of the funding needed.

Jan is a veteran volunteer. She grew up in Millbrae, California, and moved to Fremont when she and her husband were looking for a place to raise their children in a safe environment and where housing was affordable. As the mother of 4 children, Jan has been involved in the usual activities of soccer and baseball, school activities, Boy Scouts and her church. But she has also been involved in activities that indicate a serious commitment to her community. 1) Jan organized the Neighborhood Crime Watch group in her neighborhood almost 18 years ago in response to a couple incidents there. This group includes 175 homes, and now she leads the 15 crime watch captains required to coordinate this large group. 2) Jan’s neighborhood has participated in the "National Night Out" event in August for more than 15 years as well as having an annual 4th of July picnic to keep the neighbors together. 3) She has become a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member. 4) With the vision to recognize one of the greatest challenges the community will face during an emergency, Jan has taken additional training to become a ham radio operator. 5) She has also taken the Fremont Citizens Police Academy training and highly recommends this for every resident of Fremont. Jan has done all this in addition to working for California State University at Hayward for the last 33 years.

Jan is an outstanding role model of community involvement and commitment! At the present, she and her husband are enjoying their 4 children who live with them while the youngest attends Irvington high school. Jan is looking forward to helping with future Independence Day celebrations here in the Fremont community -- where she has given her heart and soul. She hopes to be able to stay in Fremont for a very long time. We hope so too!