“A Night to Shine,” a prom for special-needs young people scheduled for Feb. 10, still needs financial donations, the Rev. Dr. Jim Phillips says.
North Greenwood Baptist Church is hosting the gathering for those 14 and older from 6-9 p.m. Funding is provided in part by the Tim Tebow Foundation, named for the Heisman Trophy-winning former NFL player.
So far, 97 guests are committed for the evening — 27 over the original cap the church set. The budget for the event was originally set at $10,000, but Phillips said the church is now looking at around $15,000 in expenditures
On the brighter side, he said the church has an unexpected number of volunteers; 240 have signed up so far.
The church has held training sessions for volunteers the past two Sundays and will host an additional make-up training session this Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Recreational Outreach Center (ROC).
Likewise, the dress and formal wear shop the church has been hosting has received significant donations. “We have a group come in every day,” Phillips said.
The church has been planning the event for months, and the plans are finally coming together. Now everyone is praying for decent weather.
At a meeting Wednesday, the Night to Shine team discussed issues such as who would be responsible for ensuring tiaras and crowns were placed in guests’ goodie bags. The tiaras and crowns are among the many special touches the church has planned to make the night memorable for guests.
Limousine and trolley services will dispatch guests to a red-carpet entrance into the ROC, where they will be offered makeup freshenings or shoe shines. Corsages and boutonnieres will be handed out, and guests will also have the opportunity to have their prom portraits made.
Greenwood City Councilman Johnny Jennings will serve as a DJ throughout the night. Respite and first aid rooms will be available for guests who need them.
A banquet will be held concurrently in the fellowship hall to give caregivers time to feast and fellowship with each other.
Scholarships ranging from $50 to $2,000 are available for anyone who wishes to sponsor the event.
North Greenwood Baptist originally planned to host “A Night to Shine” in 2020 but retracted its request to the Tim Tebow Foundation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The church tried again in 2021 but, also because of the pandemic, chose to push the prom back until it could be fully in-person.
- Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@gwcommonwealth.com.
