Volunteers from a number of organizations teamed up to call area businesses to identify over 140 summer job opportunities for Fall River youth on May 9, 2007. The second Fall River Job-a-thon was held at Fall River Ford and aimed at identifying as many summer jobs as possible during the four-hour marathon. The idea for the Job-a-thon originated with the B.M.C. Durfee High School Peaceful Coalition, who argued that the best way to reduce gang violence in Fall River is to offer jobs to local youth. Mayor Edward M. Lambert, Jr. agreed to meet their challenge by organizing an effort that identified jobs for local youth. Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey organized local government leaders to work with the Fall River Career Center to call local businesses to solicit employment opportunities for youth. The entire event was broadcast by WSAR radio. Click here for photos of last year's event. For more information, contact the Bristol WIB at 508-675-1165.
 

(Top row, left) Aimee Bronhard, a Fall River School Committee member, is interviewed by O Jornal editor Ric Oliveira. (Top row, center) Mary Walek, Associate Planner for the Bristol Workforce Investment Board (WIB), shows Tina Shorette the protocol for making telephone calls to prospective employers. (Top row, right) While YouthBuild staffer Ray Gove makes calls, WIB counselor Nicholas Blair talks with Harold Denfeld of YouthBuild. (Middle row, left) Durfee students Samantha Showers, Malinda Nevels and Donnie Oliver drop by the Job-a-Thon to see if they can put in an application for work. (Middle row, center) Durfee guidance counselor Glenn Lopes shows Fall River Youth Outreach workers Mark Travis his call list. (Middle row, right) Fall River Youth Outreach worker Kelvin Oritz reports his successful job finds while Fall River Career Center staffer Barbara Cleinman and Beth Viveiros listen. (Bottom row, left) CD-Recreation Program Director Jamison Souza is given a call list by WIB Director Pat Auerbach. (Bottom row, center) Mary Walek, Tina Shorette and Durfee business teacher Tara Gonsalves listen as Durfee counselor Tom Khoury goes over his list. (Bottom row, right) Kerry LaCharity tries some of the ties donated for students to wear during their job interviews on Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey as Jamison Souza holds back a laugh.