LAKELAND – Prom night is Feb. 9 for 200 special needs individuals in Polk County, and they could use a little help to make sure the party goes off without a hitch.
Volunteers are needed in a variety of capacities for this year’s Night to Shine event at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland. Opportunities await both in advance of the event and the day of.
Each of the 200 guests must be matched with “buddies,” basically chaperones to help ensure everyone has a good time, said Alyss Ruster, coordinator of First Presbyterian’s special needs ministry.
“It’s a life-changing experience, not just for the guests but volunteers as well,” she said.
Night to Shine is an annual event of the Tim Tebow Foundation, which provides seed money to churches that host a prom-like experience for the physically and developmentally disabled. Eventually host churches raise their own funds.
Launched in 2015, the inaugural Night to Shine event was hosted by 44 churches. This year, more than 500 churches in 16 countries have signed on.
Each event is built around a typical high school prom, complete with limousine rides, glamour makeovers from hair and cosmetic specialists and lots more. Guests of honor also receive custom-fitted clothing to make the night special, Ruster said.
“It builds their confidence; and from a parent’s perspective, it’s seeing their children in a whole different light. It’s really special.”
Volunteer “buddies” must be at least 14 years of age and be prepared to assist guests take full advantage of the party, which includes dance, or pushing wheelchairs out on the dance floor.
A series of training events will be held in advance of the prom to help chaperones and other volunteers learn how to accommodate people with special needs.
Tebow, the founder of Night to Shine and an outfielder in the New York Mets' minor league organization, “wants to change the perception within communities of how people interact with people with developmental disabilities,” said Joyce Barclay, who chairs the Lakeland Night to Shine event. “This is a worldwide kind of movement and the number of churches involved has grown so much.”
Volunteers also are needed to help with parking, serving and other tasks. Organizers also hope to recruit business owners willing to contribute in-kind gifts and services.
The guest roster for this year’s Night to Shine in Lakeland has reached its limit, and some had to be turned away, Ruster said. But it still takes hundreds of volunteers to pull it off.
For volunteer and other information, visit www.fpclakeland.org, or call 863-686-7187. There, you can register as a buddy or special volunteer. A $10 fee is requested to help offset costs.
In addition to First Presbyterian, other sponsoring churches include North Lakeland Presbyterian Church, Chapel in the Grove and Lake Gibson Church of the Nazarene.
Eric Pera can be reached at eric.pera@theledger.com or 863-802-7528.