Anaconda, Montana

The Horizons program and the MSU Extension Service will be offering a free Grant Writing Workshop “Elements of Successful Grant Writing” on Friday, April 17, 10 am – 4 pm at the Community Service Center, 3rd floor conference room, 118 E. 7th Street. Dr. Mike Vogel from MSU will present the workshop. Mike has successfully brought large grants for his housing programs and has a near perfect success rate on all his grants. To sign up for the course call the MSU Deer Lodge County Extension Office at 563-4035. Lunch will be provided for those who register by April 6.

The Horizons Survey found our Senior Citizens are deeply concerned about their health and ability to stay in their homes. The MSU-Extension Office put one article in the Leader and Standard asking women who were interested in a strength training Tufts University Strong Women program for older women to call their office. Over 40 women called thus two classes were launched in February and will continue through May. The office already has a list of interested women for the fall 2009 Strong Women class. To sign-up or find out more, contact Barbara Andreozzi, 563-4035.

the Anaconda area an opportunity to apply for three mini-grants to be awarded this Spring. Each of the three grants is worth up to $5000 with a total of $15,000 to be awarded. The grants should address the areas of community improvement, education, and/or health and human service. More information and grant applications are available at the Community Foundation office at 117 East Seventh Street on the third floor or by calling 563-5259.

On February 25th, the Anaconda Community Hospital working in partnership with the Horizons Project will offer the first class for those interested in attaining certification as nurses assistants. The CNA Training Program is designed to offer local residents an opportunity to receive the training necessary to complete the certification requirements for employment with the Hospital and other health care services agencies in the area. The hope is that this class will be the model for future CNA training opportunities which in turn will serve to fill an contining demand for trained staff in this area of the state. Call 563-9178 or the Community Hospital if you have questions or need more information about this opportunity.

On Wednesday and Thursday, February 11 and 12, the Anaconda Horizons Project kicked off a new round of computer training classes; one entitled, “An Introduction to Computer-based Office Applications-Microsoft Office 2007″, and a second class entitled “An Introduction to QuickBooks”. Nearly thirty local residents have enrolled in the two classes designed to improve the computer skills of those seeking employment and for those already employed. These two classes represent the fourth set of training opportunities offered to area residents by the Horizons Project and its partners; Anaconda High School, the Deer Lodge County Superintendent of Schools, and Anaconda Local Development.

The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Commission approved a special use permit to allow the new after-school facility (Donna’s House) in the ‘Medium Density Residential Development District, located at 212 E. 4th Street in Anaconda, at their November 18, 2008 commission meeting. Thus the Donna’s House Committee is now seeking an architect to review the home and develop plans for a safe environment for the new after-school facility. Horizons funds will assist with the architectural review. The new house location is in the heart of families with moderate to low incomes and in need of afterschool programs.

Rob Kellegher with the Anaconda Community Hospital has been spearheading our efforts to bring a training program for Certified Nurses Assistants to Anaconda. It is difficult if not impossible for those who are unemployed or underemployed to travel to Butte to access this training so our intention is to bring the training here to Anaconda through a partnership between the Hospital and the Horizons Team.

Rob and the staff at the Community Hospital have identified an Instructor for the CNA training classes and they are in the process of acquiring the necessary certifications to move forward. The present goal is to offer the first class to eight participants early in February, 2009, with additional classes to be offered as possible.

The partnership that includes Anaconda High School, the County Superintendent of Schools, Anaconda Local Development and the Horizons Project is presently offering two classes for small business people and for those who might be starting small business in the community. One of the classes, Introduction to Business Accounting, was offered last spring and is being offered again. The second class is a new addition. This five week class offers an introduction to applications of Microsoft Office Suite© in a business setting. A number of those in presently enrolled in these classes have recently been laid off from area businesses and so are seeking to improve their skills for future employment opportunities. Both classes will conclude in early December.

Two additional classes will be offered through the partnership with Anaconda High School and the Horizons Project. These two five week classes will be offered beginning in January, 2009. The two classes will be Introduction to Quick Books© and the second class will be Introduction and Intermediate Business Applications Using Microsoft Office Suite© Both classes are designed to improve business skills for those already employed in business settings in our community and for those seeking employment in those areas.

A third class is in the planning stages. This five week class will provide training in “Soft Skills” for both employers and employees. The two instructors for this class were recently certified with funds provided by the Horizons Project. “Soft Skills” covers things like how to build a resume’, how to interview, how to dress for success as well as workplace ethics like being on time and calling in if illness or emergencies occur. We hope to offer these classes in the evenings at Anaconda High School beginning in January, 2009.

The Foundation received approval as a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization this fall and the Board of Directors has been moving forward with development of the necessary materials to provide for both soliciting and receiving donations to the Foundation as well as the materials necessary for solicitation for grant applicants and for awarding grants from the Foundation. Several donations were also presented to the Foundation this fall allowing the Board of Directors to offer nearly $30,000 in mini-grants to the community. The solicitation for these grants is expected in early January, 2009.