Horry Georgetown Technical College and Coastal Carolina University team up for the second ‘Light Up the Night 5K’

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry Georgetown Technical College and Coastal Carolina University have teamed up for the second ‘Light Up the Night 5K’ that sheds light on domestic violence.

The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Coastal Carolina University with the proceeds going to the Coastal Carolina University and Horry Georgetown Technical College victim assistance fund that helps student survivors of violence.

News13 spoke to an event organizer and student who shared what this event means to them.

Fifty people in South Carolina lost their lives in 2021 as a result of domestic violence, according to Beverly Wilhelm, a victim services coordinator at Coastal Carolina University.

Wilhelm also said October is interpersonal violence awareness month and that Coastal Carolina University and Horry Georgetown Technical College provide support and resources to their students experiencing relationship violence.

“Any student that is walking through trauma related to domestic violence, interpersonal violence, stalking, harassment, all forms of violence are welcome to seek services through our dean of students office. Through counseling services, through our confidential advocate or myself at the police department if they’re ready to pursue an investigation of some sort or report it to police,” Wilhelm said.

The race course will include both campuses, starting on University Boulevard by the traffic signal on Chanticleer Drive and traveling toward HGTC where the runners will complete a loop around the campus before looping around the CCU campus.

The finish line will be at the 25-yard line on the teal turf field. Event organizers said they are expecting more than 400 people and more than 30 volunteers. A class at CCU was also involved in the event planning process.

Caleb Love a senior in the recreation and sports management program, said students put a lot of planning into the event.

“We do have a team of 36 people that are working on putting on the event, and we went to all the sponsors individually,” Love said. “We also made sure the volunteers were correct, they did a lot of things with marketing.”

Online registration is closed at this time, but event organizers are encouraging the community to come out and support the cause.

Event organizers said all registered participants will receive a swag bag and an exclusive race t-shirt.