The Charleston Job Corps Center (CJCC) operating under Horizons Youth Services (HYS) is honored for receiving the opportunity to utilize their carpentry and painting skills for the good of the community. Students in carpentry and painting constructed and painted a “Happy Wheels” cart for the Ronald McDonald House, Charleston WV.

Following floor plans provided by the Ronald McDonald House; students were a part of the project from inception to completion. Students in the carpentry and painting trades worked on the project for six months. There will be a student showcase of the Happy Wheels cart during Monday Business Meeting on March 19 before delivering to the off center site.

According to the website www.rmhc.org, “A Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to call home so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little to no cost.” The Ronald McDonald house provides families with hot meals, private bedrooms and playrooms for children. The Happy Wheels cart is constructed for food and snacks on the upper level with games, crayons and coloring books, magazines and activities on the lower level.

Students who participated in the project were Ashanti Dodson, Calvin Hodges, Lamont Hill, Ricky Johnson, DaVon Washington and Cierra Dunlap under the instruction of Tommy Fitzwater, Carpenters Local Union 1207 and Billy Stevens, Painters and Allied Trades International Union.

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. The Charleston Job Corps Center is overseen by the Philadelphia Regional Office of Job Corps and is operated by Horizons Youth Services.