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, 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, with Governor Mark White of Texas riding in the front wagon with Jan. Some of her sponsors were: Coca-Cola, Wrangler Jeans, Dairy Queen, Texas National Telephone Association, John Deere. 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 and soon had 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 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, as they served areas from Colorado to Florida, Alabama, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Missouri, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. She also served at Hurricane Sandy, at Midland Beach, Staten Island, NY in 2012, one of the worst hit areas. In 2015 they progressed to a Mobile Kitchen, however, in the same year Jan was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 70, until last year 2023, she began volunteering and fundraise remotely. In her early days, Jan attended New York Institute of Interior Design – New York, New York, Barbizon School of Modeling, becoming a model, with Ford Agency. She was an Equestrian: riding, driving a team, riding instructor, endurance, cross country. She did Ranch work, managing 30,000 acres. In the television/radio/film industry, she was: Radio Director of Promotions/Marketing, designed sales packages & promotions; 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 & MORE. 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)

HARD ISSUES

Jan France was born in Chicago, to a mother who was an RN, a father who served in