ANACONDA, MT–Anaconda Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (JCCCC) is proud to be a national Make A Difference Day partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Deer Lodge County. On October 18th and 19th, the Club hosted the statewide conference in Anaconda and incorporated the Anaconda JCCCC as part of this year’s annual event. 

Eighth graders from around Montana gathered in the Smelter City for training sessions, such as the Career Day held on the 19th. The youth enjoyed being exposed to various options, including the culinary arts program that Anaconda JCCCC offers as one of its eight trade choices.

Instructor Alice Bernardino, along with her lead chef apprentices, spent Friday morning with the conference-goers, topping pizzas and decorating cupcakes.  The eighth graders got to don aprons and hats just like those culinary arts students who guided them on what employability and professionalism mean in their field of training.

A week later, Alice and her crew served the horror-fied refreshments at a Halloween Spooktacular!  The third annual event allowed for donations to the local food bank, as well as all proceeds benefitting the Anaconda Community Foundation, which was established to support charitable work in Anaconda.

The Boys & Girls Club of Deer Lodge County is one of 19 chartered clubs in the state of Montana. Job Corps, established in 1964, is the nation’s largest education and training program for economically disadvantaged young people, ages 16-24.  On average, Anaconda JCCCC supports 75 staffers who live and work in communities of southwest Montana, and for every $1 invested, returns $2 to the local economy.