Alaska Job Corps students, staff fill sandbags to help community

PALMER — It was 3:50 p.m., Friday, Sept. 21 and everyone was looking forward to the start of the weekend. But that’s also when the Alaska Job Corps Center received a call from the local police.

Was there any way students or staff could help with the frightening storm consequences? “Sandbags were needed right now!” police said.

So leadership coordinator Roger Gossett breathed deep and set off figuring logistics, collecting permissions, students, vehicles and staff. Within 30 minutes the Alaska Job Corps Center had mobilized a volunteer force.

The next five hours were spent at the Regional Landfill tying up and stacking loaded sandbags and packaging palates.

Staff member Laura didn’t care about dirtying up her white jeans. Students didn’t care about missing Friday night dinner dates.

The overall goal was assisting with the rising floodwaters that were surging into evacuated properties, displacing families and children throughout the Matanuska-Susitna Valleys.

“Our Job Corps students worked hard without complaint, never slowed down, and put plans on hold. They were all over it,” Gossett said.

Center Director Malyn Smith added her own praise for students and staff.

“When the call came in, there was absolutely no question. Job Corps is here and we’re ready,” she said. “We jumped in. This is our community and this is how we work.”

Alaska Job Corps is a residential career technical training facility in Palmer Alaska. It is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and managed by Chugach Alaska Corp.