SOUDERTON >> Throughout the world, more than 540 churches in 16 countries, including ones in each of this country’s 50 states, were hosts to the Feb. 9 Night to Shine events sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation.

“Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older,” according to Night to Shine information.

A total of about 90,000 people with special needs and 175,000 volunteers were taking part in the activities, the information said.

This was the third year that Ridgeline Community Church, which meets at and holds its Night to Shine at the Indian Valley Boys & Girls Club, was one of the Night to Shine host churches, Sue Hatch, who was hosting the VIP area, said.

“I think it’s gotten a little bigger each year. They add more and more activities,” Hatch said.

More than 500 people were expected at the Souderton event, Hatch and Ridgeline Pastor Gibson Largent said.

“A hundred and thirty are our special guests, people with special needs, and another 250 are volunteers,” Largent said.

The rest were caregivers for the special needs persons or vendors taking part in the night’s activities, he said.

With a building capacity of 550, the Souderton Night to Shine had to curtail registration after it reached 540, he said.

“This is our highest year ever,” Largent said.

The first year that Ridgeline was a host church, about 350 to 400 people took part, he said. Last year, there were about 450, he said.

Because of the flu or other reasons, some of the registered persons were not expected to be able to make it, so actual attendance this year was expected to be about 525, he said.

As he talked near the entrance early in this year’s event, cheering erupted in the background welcoming arriving guests.

The average age of the people coming to the Night to Shine is over 40, Largent said.

“For some of them, this is their first prom they’ve ever attended,” he said.

Available activities included caricatures, a photo booth, balloon animals, karaoke, limousine rides and dance lessons, he said.

There was also a quiet room, he said.

“The quiet room has a therapy dog and some sensory-friendly items if anybody gets overwhelmed or over-stimulated,” he said.

The highlight of the evening is when the special guests are crowned kings and queens of the prom by Tebow, Largent said.

Tebow appears by video, he said. All of the special guests receive a crown or tiara, he said.

“That’s when things get really exciting,” Largent said.

Julie Largent, Gibson’s wife, who was one of the volunteers for a meal for the caretakers, said there were about 60 parents or other direct caregivers at the Night to Shine.

There were other Night to Shine events in the area, including in Quakertown and King of Prussia, she said.

That means no one had to be turned away when the Souderton location reached capacity, she said.

“We’re able to send our overflow to other places,” she said, “which is nice.”

Each of the prom guests has a volunteer buddy for the night, she said.

Other volunteers included ones serving food, running games, parking, providing security and doing hair, makeup and nails for female attendees and haircuts and shining shoes for male attendees, she said.

In addition to that, massage therapists donated their time for massages to caregivers, she said.

All of the prom attendees and the caregivers received goodie bags to take along home, she said.

“So many people step up and are willing to give to this cause. It’s never hard to find people that are willing to come and serve,” Julie Largent said, “and I would say that this is the most grateful group of people that I’ve ever worked with.”