MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) -The Carolina Country Music Festival begins Thursday on the oceanfront in Myrtle Beach. City leaders and event planners have been planning since last year’s inaugural event. The four day concert will bring thousands to town but it’ll also provide job opportunities for many people who desperately need it.
The city of Myrtle Beach partnered with New Directions and Street Reach Enterprise. New Directions has several shelters throughout town and they help homeless people get new opportunities.
Last year, several people involved in the New Directions program helped clean up trash all weekend for the big festival as a way to earn money. While that may sound less than ideal to many people, Kathy Jenkins, the executive director of New Directions, says it’s a great starting point.
“The opportunity to work, to feel better about themselves, to learn that tomorrow can be different and that this is all about change. What we do is about change. We change lives and every day that is what we aim to do, change lives,” expresses Jenkins.
The organization will also man a few parking lots close to the event. They’ll have parking around city hall and next to Myrtle’s Market. A parking pass for all four days from New Directions will be $60. Some other places are asking $50 for one day.
All of the money raised will go to benefit homeless in our area. Jenkins said they have a lot of people to focus on.
“We run a program to help people get back on their feet. We have New Directions for men with a capacity of 135. We have New Directions for women with a capacity of 25. We have New Directions for families with the capacity for 57. Right now we have 37 kids there, so it’s huge,” Jenkins explains.
If you’re interested in the New Directions parking pass, you can stop by their office on 8th Avenue North, or you can go to New Directions of Horry County Facebook page and purchase it from eventbrite.com.
Passes can be purchased at the lot if there are any spots left.
