First temporary jobs for PGA start

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - Some financial relief is coming to Benton Harbor in the form of jobs.

Friday some of the first temporary workers hired from Benton Harbor hit the streets in preparation for next weekend's Senior PGA Championship.

The newest jobs are detailing hundreds of luxury cars.

"Now I’m going to show you where I’m working,” said 18-year-old Parnell Powell. “This is my whole work area right here."

Powell is one of four Benton Harbor men chosen to detail Mercedes-Benz cars driven by players and VIP for the event.

Powell wasn’t just happy he got one of the 300 temporary jobs. This job is right up his alley. "I love cars,” he said. “This is perfect"

The new employees are cleaning more than 250 brand new Mercedes-Benz in Lake Michigan College’s parking lot Friday as they rolled off the trucks.

ABC 57 News first interviewed Powell the day of the temporary job fair. "Any position,” he said in April. “Anyway to make money."

Powell is going to ITT Tech in September fall and in Benton Harbor, he said, summer jobs are tough to come by. "Very hard to find summer work.” He said. “There are really no jobs here."

During the tournament Powell will work security for the lot and clean the vehicles again before they’re shipped off. He’ll be working full-time for about three weeks at $9/hour.

While the pay might not buy him one of the cars he’s cleaning, having some extra money so he can focus on school this fall might get him a step closer. "I would love to have a Mercedes,” he said. “Love to have a Mercedes.