Days before last year’s Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic, race director Howard Corcoran had himself a bit of a problem.

With just four days remaining until race day, Corcoran had approximately 25 of the hundreds of race packets needed for the runners and walkers competing in the various events during race weekend.

So Corcoran took a suggestion from Ogden Newspapers advertising director Lori Figurski to get in touch with Sherrie Briggs, director of operations at the W.A.T.C.H. center in Wheeling.

‘‘We had done the Wild Things’ notebooks for Lori and Mark (Ridgely) before and she told Howard to get in contact with us,’’ Briggs said. ‘‘It was four days before the races and he barely had any packets done.

‘‘With 40-some people working on it, we were able to work straight through and get it done.’’

That being said, it came as no surprise that the W.A.T.C.H. center was contracted again this year to take care of the race packets.

But this time, the workers have a bit more time to get the job done, not that they need it.

‘‘We basically collate the materials they give us and assemble the packets to be ready for the runners,’’ executive director of operations Sherri VanTassel explained. ‘‘The packets contain brochures with area attractions, coupons and each runner or walker’s race number.’’

The W.A.T.C.H center, in cooperation with Russel Nesbitt, provides a vocational opportunity for individuals with disability throughout the area.

They have been contracted to do work for various companies, including Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel, the House of the Carpenter, Oglebay and Jebbia’s Market among others.

And each time, the companies have provided glowing revues of their work, resulting in renewed contracts.

VanTassel explained that the W.A.T.C.H. center receives a special contract through the West Virginia Department of Labor where the clients at the center are paid compensatory wages.

So if a particular client is capable of performing at 50-percent the rate of the average worker, that is the payscale he/she receives.

‘‘The nice thing,’’ VanTassel said. ‘‘Is that each individual has the capacity to raise their earnings by basically raising their productivity.’’

‘‘It is a very good program because it’s so wonderful to see them so motivated to work.

‘‘Here we have a workforce that really wants to do a good job.’’

And that is exactly what they do ... a good job.

Some of the clients have gone on to more mainstream employment at places like Jebbia’s Market, as well as the Federal Building in Wheeling.

The individuals range in varying ages and abilities and VanTassel said there are a number of ways clients are referred to her.

‘‘They can be referred by the school system as they are aging out of the public school system or perhaps by the division of vocational rehab, which helps individuals with disabilities find productive work,’’ VanTassel said.

And the with type of productive, quality work the W.A.T.C.H. center has done for the distance race, you can bet that its workers will be helping out the packets for years to come.