Day Labor Program Provides Many Benefits

The Fort Peck Tribes’ day labor program is making strides to make the area cleaner as well as improving the life of many of the program’s participants.

Perry Lilley, west end coordinator for the program, said the workers are becoming more goal oriented.

“We want to get people started in a day-to-day, week-to-week, monthto- month basis to get a steady job,” Lilley said.

Since April, seven individuals have left the program in order to start fulltime jobs in the area.

“We do quite a bit for everybody and anybody,” Lilley said.

The workers get paid $10 an hour and work 6-7 hours a day. On the western end of the reservation, there are three crews with 23 workers total.

The crews are in Frazer on Monday, Wolf Point on Tuesday and Thursday, Oswego on Wednesday and various locations on Friday. The crews will work until November.

During Sunday, Lilley drives around to find areas that could use some cleaning up by the crews. The free service is available for both tribal and non-tribal members.

“We don’t discriminate. Trash is trash,” Lilley said.

The workers perform services such as picking trash and hauling washers and dryers. Lilley says this is the second year of the program.

If you have a project for them to do, call TERO at 406-768-2300.

Lilley also teaches the individuals how to fill out job applications for fulltime jobs and encourages some to obtain their GED. He urges them to establish banking accounts. The individuals aren’t permitted to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

He wants the participants to gain self confi dence. Some of them lack experience and are poor with communication skills.

“We have to teach them to crawl before they can stand,” Lilley said. “They are making good steps.”