Placer County Board Honors Elizabeth Jansen

Auburn, Calif.- The Placer County Board of Supervisors honored a community volunteer and philanthropist Tuesday whose family has deep roots in the Lincoln area.

Elizabeth M. Jansen received a commemorative coin created for a county citizen-recognition program established by the board. She was selected for the honor by 2nd District Supervisor Robert M. Weygandt, the board member who represents the Lincoln area.

“It is a great pleasure for me to give this award to Elizabeth,” Supervisor Weygandt said, emphasizing that she is a quiet community leader whose support is vital to groups and projects in the Lincoln area.  

Jansen is very active in the Lincoln Rotary Club and is a board member of the Placer Community Foundation, where she has a fund that provided a grant to enhance the learning experiences of students at the First Street Elementary School in Lincoln. She also is an active participant in the Lincoln Community Foundation.

Last year, she opened her ranch to the Mud Run 4 Life – an event designed to raise funds for suicide awareness and prevention.  The funds are used to promote self-esteem and prevent bullying.  Three families who each lost a child to suicide formed a non-profit organization to sponsor the Mud Run 4 Life and turned to Jansen for help in their search for a location to host the event. 

Jansen also is president of the Lincoln Area Archives Museum’s board, works many hours at the museum and contributed countless hours to “Images of America: Lincoln,” a history book put out by Arcadia Publishing.

“Elizabeth has deep roots in the Lincoln area,” Supervisor Weygandt said, noting that her great-grandfather founded the Walter Jansen & Son grain and feed business in Lincoln.

Jansen demonstrated her entrepreneurial spirit early in her career by co-founding a store that sells running shoes and accessories.
Jansen addressed the board, emphasizing that many residents are worthy of recognition. “We all know that hundreds of us could be standing here right now,” she said. “I’m honored to represent all of those people and I appreciate it very much.”

The board created the commemorative coin program in 2002 to recognize acts of heroism, longstanding community service and exceptional acts that dramatically improved or impacted people’s lives.

The commemorative coins feature the county seal on one side. On the other side are the word “hero” and the image of an eagle with a star and sun rays in the background. The second side of the coin was designed by J. Randal Smith, an Auburn native who is a nationally known artist.