Valentine’s event celebrates individuality

Glitz and glam will take over Vermillion High School Friday night as the community prepares to host a unique prom experience for those who aren’t usually used to being in the spotlight.

“Night to Shine,” is an event that is “committed to celebrating people with special needs,” and is sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, according to the Night to Shine website. Night to Shine events will be organized by churches in more than 48 states and eight countries, including Vermillion.

This is the first time the event will be held in Vermillion, and guests will get to take in the full prom experience – a dinner, dance, limousine rides sponsered by the limousine services chandler from Arizona Sedan and Limousine, hair and makeup, shoeshines, crowns, corsages and boutonnieres and a mock “paparazzi” taking pictures as they walk down a red carpet.

Any person with special needs over the age of 16 can attend.

Vermillion event coordinators Jessica McKenzie and Ellen Margheim said they found out about the opportunity from their pastor at Grace Baptist Church in December. He asked if he should apply for the congregation, and though they said yes, they didn’t expect to be selected.

“(We were thinking) they’re going to look at the map and the population and take one look and say, ‘No thanks we’ll go to Chicago,’” McKenzie said. “But they didn’t. They accepted us and decided to have it here. And we’re so excited that they did because we do have a really large population (of people with special needs) with SESDAC built in, so that makes our town really unique for the size.”

McKenzie said the goal of Night to Shine is to “shine a spotlight” on a population that normally doesn’t get as much attention.

“We’re supporting a population that isn’t historically given a lot of light,” she said. “And this is an event where we all know we get to shine that spotlight on them and say, ‘Look how awesome and special you are,’ and really celebrate them for all of their unique and beautiful qualities.”

Each guest is assigned a “buddy” to make sure he or she is comfortable and participating throughout the evening.

Coordinators are sure to never identify buddies as dates, McKenzie said.

Friday’s event will bring in about 80 guests, along with 125 to 150 volunteers – many of whom are USD students.

First-year Amy Davis is one of them. Davis said she volunteered a lot in her church community throughout high school and has tried to do as much as she can since coming to USD.

“I just thought it was awesome how it’s a prom night for people with special needs and it’s across the nation,” she said. “It gives people with special needs an event that they might not normally be able to participate in. I just think it’s an awesome event.”

The Tim Tebow Foundation requires each volunteer to go through mandatory training and a background check in order to attend.

Davis was assigned to the event’s buddy team during her 30-minute training session.

“It’s going to be an amazing experience and we’ve already been told that some of the people are just so excited that they cannot wait for this night,” she said.

Law enforcement officers and EMTs will also be donating their time for the event, McKenzie said.

Another requirement of the Tim Tebow Foundation is that the guests’ parents and caregivers be provided a respite room. Vermillion’s respite room will be at Grace Baptist Church, while the actual prom event will be held in the Vermillion High School, right across the street.

“We will have an evening for the parents and caregivers — a break and a time of just kind of relaxing with other people who understand the challenges that they might face in a day,” Margheim said.

Part of the event’s goal is to shift the mainstream view on Valentine’s Day, and make it more about a time to show love to people that really need it, McKenzie said.

“Their goal is to change Valentine’s Day from a day that celebrates love to celebrating love for people with special needs and the value of their lives,” she said.

The Tim Tebow Foundation gives each Night to Shine church up to $8,500 – plus materials. Margheim said they haven’t had to do any additional fundraising for the event.

They’ve also received several discounts from businesses throughout the community and surrounding area. In fact, nearly every purchase made for the event was given “astounding” price breaks, Margheim said.

Though they can’t guarantee it, McKenzie and Margheim said they hope this is the start of an annual event.

“There’s just something so compelling about it,” McKenzie said.