Prom season kicked off early in DeLand this year. Leading up to the big night, dresses were fluffed and makeup applied, suits dusted off and shoes shined. Then on the evening of February 9, 170 teenagers and adults with special needs gathered for Night to Shine, the annual Prom sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. This year, Stetson Baptist Church had the privilege of hosting the event for the first time.
Along with 400 volunteers from the community, the VIPs (Prom guests) were given the red carpet treatment complete with cheering paparazzi, corsages and boutonnieres, dinner, dancing, limo rides and topped off with each guest being crowned the king or queen of the night. This night was a gift from the Stetson Baptist Church and local businesses to VIPs and their families. Not one penny was collected. Everything was donated from the community, including amazing photography services from talented photographers including Ann Axon Photography, Sara Kearney Photography and Kara Monk.
Weeks before the event, VIPs were invited to a boutique to choose attire free of charge. The nonprofit group Love Like Lyndsey Loved gathered over 500 dresses and suits so that VIPs had plenty of choices in clothing, accessories and shoes to make their Night to Shine event special. Swann Real Estate’s own Mindy Nadeau serves with the women of Love Like Lyndsey Loved and said of the boutique weekend, “Words cannot describe the incredible weekend we had … to make so many people happy and see tears of joy and tons of smiling faces is ALL worth the hard work we put into the event”.
“Words cannot describe the incredible weekend we had … to make so many people happy and see tears of joy and tons of smiling faces is ALL worth the hard work we put into the event”.
Every need a VIP and his or her caretaker or parent may have during Night to Shine was covered. There was a sensory room for guests who needed a break from the noise and lights, medical staff on site, bathroom attendants, gluten and allergy free foods, a respite room with chair messages for caretakers, a makeup and hair station for touch-ups and shoe shine station to get any scuffs polished away.
Volunteers and VIPs danced the night away and left feeling tired but excited for the memories made, friends gained and the anticipation of the next Night to Shine in 2019.
For updates on Night to Shine DeLand, please visit www.nighttoshinedeland.org or the Night to Shine DeLand Facebook community.