FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 1/4/08

FIND JALIEK TASK FORCE DISTRIBUTES REWARD POSTERS

and

ANNOUNCES MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY BAKE SALES

On Saturday, January 5, 2008, starting at 10:00am, teams of volunteers from the Find Jaliek Task Force will be visiting businesses and public places in Greenwich, Cambridge, Salem and Saratoga to distribute Missing/Reward posters. At the same time, the task force is announcing and distributing posters for their Martin Luther King Day Bake Sale that will take place on Monday, January 21st at Kmart on Route 29 in Greenwich, NY from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Local residents, community groups and businesses are being asked to contribute by bringing goods to the sale or by calling the task force, toll-free on 1-877-4-JALIEK. 

The bake sale posters have a photo of the missing 12 year-old as well as a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. poised in prayer.  It also carries the message, "We have a Dream: That we find Jaliek; That we find Peace; That we find Truth; That we find Justice".

The poster also offers "Free Rattlesnake Eggs with every purchase over $1.00 (while supplies last)".  According to Tom and Elaine Person, the respite family who watched Jaliek for the six days before he disappeared, they had given Jaliek several packages of the rattlesnake eggs to take home with him on November 1st. The Person's, who are both volunteer clowns, use the fake eggs as a joke when clowning. Tom Person said, "Jaliek was looking forward to playing the prank on his younger brother and some of his friends".

At the same time this bake sale is taking place in Greenwich, there will be an identical Martin Luther King Day Bake Sale taking place in Albany at a location to be determined.  Organizers from the task force and volunteers from the Albany YMCA hope to have it take place during the festivities that are planned in downtown Albany. During the six days before he disappeared, Jaliek played basketball at the Albany YMCA with his respite father, Tom Person.

100% of the proceeds from both bake sales will be deposited into the Find Jaliek Reward Fund and held at the Trustco Bank in Greenwich.

This fund has been established in order to create a constantly increasing reward for information leading to Jaliek Rainwalker being found.

The task force’s unique and community-based reward in intended to publicize Jaliek’s disappearance and encourage anyone who has any information about what happened to Jaliek to come forward.  The funds, initially provided by Jaliek’s maternal grandparents and other foster families who cared for him, will come from individuals, groups and businesses in the form of donations, pledges, monies raised from events and offered goods and services.

So far, the reward includes $5,000, a free lunch once-a-week for a year at the Washington Square Deli and a $250 Wal-mart’s gift certificate donated anonymously.   A recent donation by William Malick of Albany offers a cup of Stewart Shop’s coffee every day for a year. Mr. Malick is a long-time close friend of the Person Family and many more contributions are expected.

If, at a future date, the reward is no longer necessary, all donations will be returned to the donors and other monies, raised through fundraisers will be used to buy books for the Greenwich library in Jaliek’s name.

For additional information or to contact the Find Jaliek Task Force, visit www.findjaliek.org or call toll-free 1-877-4-JALIEK.