Fifth Annual Squeaky Wheel Tour®

October 05, 2009

GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation is gearing up for its fifth annual Squeaky Wheel Tour®, set to begin on Oct. 17 and continue until Nov. 4. The 19-day series of concerts will feature hundreds of artists in an attempt to raise awareness of missing people. The tour will include visits to multiple cities within 23 U.S. states.

The GINA for Missing Persons Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was created by performer Jannel Rap in honor of her sister Gina Bos.

In October 2000, Gina vanished following a performance in Lincoln, Neb. Her car was later found across the street from the pub where she had performed. The trunk was open, and her guitar was found inside. To this day, that guitar is the only piece of evidence Gina's family has

In the months that followed Gina's disappearance, her family fought tirelessly to get her story told. However, they had no scandalous details that would pique the media's interest. As a result, Jannel decided to use her greatest gift, music, to mobilize an international community of families of missing people to generate much-needed attention and inspire hope.

Nine years later, thousands of GINA artists worldwide work together to create the Squeaky Wheel Tour®. Each stop on the annual tour features information about at least one missing person's case. Attendees of the concerts enjoy listening to the artists perform, and afterward they are asked to pass out flyers to educate members of their community. The tour has been a great success, and to date more than 400 people profiled by GINA artists and GINA programs have been located.

GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation programs include: flyer distribution, support to families of the missing in their search, Web casts, Web site referrals for families, GINA concerts, a GINA singer/songwriter contest, the Squeaky Wheel Tour®, and the Look, Listen and Pass it On DVD. Additionally, a TV Series, FINDing Gina, is being developed.

For more information, please visit the GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation Web site at www.411Gina.org.

Photo Credits: GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation