Rusk County is a rural county about an hour north of Eau Claire. And plenty of people there are looking for work. In fact, new numbers show Rusk County has the highest unemployment rate in the state, at 12.2%.

There are a lot of sad stories in Rusk County, from people not being able to feed their families, to both spouses losing their jobs at once. But despite that, everyone we spoke with also continues to have hope for a better future.

When Sheli Sheffield got laid off from Weather Shield back in January, she got that feeling in the pit of her stomach. She says, “When you get laid off, you feel very, I don’t' even know how to describe it -- it's a feeling I wouldn't wish on anybody.”

For Joyce Evans, Rockwell Automation had been home for nine years, before the economy forced them to lay her off. She says, “The day you get laid off you feel like your whole world is colliding, and you are scared, and then you have to get out there looking, looking for help.”

Sheffield and Evans met recently while going back to school at WITC. Sheffield is studying medical administration, Evans went back to get more knowledge in technology. Evans says, “I'm not old enough to retire, and I’d like to hang in there for a few more years, as long as my health is good, I plan on working.”

And both say they were encouraged by the staff at Wisconsin’s Job Center in Ladysmith. Evans remembers, “It's difficult, but I came in here to see Melanie and Jean and they've helped me jump a lot of hurdles.”

Jean Stapleton has been at the Ladysmith office for 14 years and she says this recession is the worst she's ever seen, “Everyone's looking for work and there just aren't a lot of opportunities here in Rusk County at the moment.”

She says the lack of opportunities are a direct result of a lack of variety in the job market. Most jobs in the county are related to the home building industry, and with the housing market in a steep decline, people living in Rusk County are feeling the pinch.

Evans says, “I just hope for life to get a little bit easier than what it is right now.” And Ladysmith Mayor Dan Gudis hopes for the same. He says, “It's just one of those things, that we don’t' know for sure, but were, you can't be anything but optimistic -- you have to be.”

Jean Stapleton from the Job Center wanted to remind everyone that help is available for the unemployed, and that people want to help.

Mayor Dan Gudis says the city and county are actively trying to recruit companies to re-locate in Rusk County, and there is some hope. He says he's been talking to one company that could potentially hire 100 employees, but nothing is set in stone.

The Job Center is also hosting an informational session next week in Ladysmith for unemployed workers in Rusk County. It’s called the Rapid Response Information Session, and it’s being held on March 12 at the Rusk County Community Library. There will be two sessions available one at 9 a.m. and another at 1 p.m. For more information contact the Job Center in Ladysmith at 715.532.2700.