News Release Archive

Job Corps to Honor Federal/State Training Partnership

Media Contact: Margery Biery , (509) 793-1624
Joe Herrin

For Release: September 10, 2003

On September 25th the Columbia Basin Job Corps Center in Moses Lake, will celebrate a unique and longstanding partnership to train incarcerated youth with the Sunrise Group Home located in Ephrata. Invited guests will tour both facilities, enjoy a luncheon prepared by center Culinary Arts students, and attend a graduation ceremony at the Wallenstein Theatre on the campus of Big Bend Community College, in Moses Lake, Washington.

This one of a kind partnership will celebrate 14 years of providing young men committed to the non-locked community treatment facility of the Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation program an opportunity to gain the education and vocational skills necessary to become productive and successful citizens.

"This partnership is a shining example of cooperation between the state and federal governments to enable young men committed to our program a second chance at turning their lives around," said Don Gauntz, Sunrise Administrator. "By successfully lowering recidivism it's a win-win for everyone especially these young men."

The graduation ceremony, scheduled for 2:00 p.m., will recognize the 100th graduate of the partnership along with 17 other graduating students. The keynote speech will be given by Dennis Braddock, Department of Social and Health Services secretary.

"Graduation is a special event every month and to honor the dedicated students and staff from both programs who have made this relationship such a success will make this a very special day," said Tom Zender, Columbia Basin Job Corps Center Director.

For more information about the September 25th schedule of events or the Job Corps program, contact Margery Biery at Columbia Basin Job Corps, 6739 24th Street, Bldg. 2402, Moses Lake WA 98837 or (509) 793-1624.

For information on the Sunrise Group Home contact Joe Herrin at (509) 793-1611.

The Bureau of Reclamation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, operates three Job Corps Centers in the Pacific Northwest.

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