Emily Bullard, co-chair of Sampson’s A Night to Shine, holds hands with Emily Ball as Bullard chats with buddy Monica Eldridge and attendee Thomas Jarrett.
Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent
Night to Shine offers spirit of celebration, night of sheer joy
Chuck Thompson | Sampson Independent
It was a night of smiles as Clinton Mayor Lew Starling chats with his dear friend Barbara during dinner Friday night.
Zeonta Mimms and buddy for the night Heather Turlington ham it up for the cameras at the photo booth set up at Friday’s A Night to Shine event which featured dancing, limo rides, shoe shines, hair and makeup stations and armloads of love for all those in attendance.
Watch for our A Night to Shine Magazine Feb. 22
It was a night of glitter, gold and all that shines with hundreds of smiles lighting up the Sampson Agri-Exposition Center as the Night to Shine prom got under way Friday night.
Clinton’s second annual event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation and locally by First Methodist Church, is a prom focused on individuals with special needs ages 16 and older, and steeped in the Christian faith.
Dressed in the finest of shimmering gowns and bright bow-tied tuxedos, each guest hit the red carpet to hearty cheers and hugs as their names were called out one by one. While the spotlights were bright, they were no match for each individual’s smile as they moved into a room decorated in balloons and filled with activities, all in their honor.
There was a photo booth, make-up, hair and shoe shine stations, bracelet making and artists hard at work drawing the attendees in their finest attire. And, food, a buffet full of it, to feed all those in attendance when they could pull themselves away from the dance floor, where the music seemed to be the highlight of the night.
Emily Bullard and Leslie Seals, co-chairwomen of Night to Shine here, have been preparing for the event essentially since last year, collecting dresses, organizing volunteers and getting the Expo Center decorated. Friday night, all decked out in their finest, the pair were busy ensuring everyone was having the time of their lives. Both agreed it was shaping up to be another night to remember.
“This is our second year doing it here in Sampson County,” said Bullard. “It was a huge success last year, and even better this year,” she gushed standing outside the Agri-Expo Center as she greeted prom-goers and their buddies as they arrived to register. “So many people have been waiting all year for this.”
Second-year volunteer Tyler Baxter was helping with registration Friday night. Like everyone there, he couldn’t lose the smile. “This is a great opportunity to serve a wonderful group of people who deserve their time to shine.”
Volunteer Sara Hesketh added, “This is my first year volunteering, and this is wonderful to see so many people coming in smiling.”
Those smiles were ear to ear as attendees greeted and hugged one another, holding hands, taking selfies and squealing with delight as the doors opened and the night began.
Emily Ball, Thomas Jarrett and Chauncey Strickland couldn’t wait to enjoy the night — the event they had waited on for a year was finally here.
Christian Hatley Perez and Anna Robinson patiently stood still as parents and buddies took their photos on the lawn in front of the Expo Center.
For Aaron Bullard, a second-year buddy and husband of chair Emily Bullard, this is their lane of love and expertise.
“This is so great,” he attested. “We both, in our professions, work with individuals with special needs, and we just really enjoy what we do and look forward to have them come out again this year and have a lot of fun.”
Inside the lobby, Randice Hudson, Heather Pope and Paige Jolly of Glam Studios manned the make-up station for anyone wanting their look touched up or completed.
“When we were asked to do the makeup this year, we we’re absolutely thrilled,” said Jolly, an esthetician. “We were really honored, and we hope we get asked to do this again next year.”
Sampson County Commissioners’ Chairman Allen McLamb, and wife Kimberly, were in attendance, showing their support for the event. The pair were enthralled by what was going on inside the Expo Center.
“This is really great what they do here,” asserted McLamb. “This is community coming together and it shows our love for the people of Sampson County in so many ways. This is a blessing.”
Clinton Mayor Lew Starling was there as a buddy, and he said he was humbled to be a part of something so special.
“This is the finest of the finest,” the mayor attested. “This is what makes Clinton special — it’s not about the buildings, the location, or anything else — it’s about the people in this room. You don’t have to go but one inch to see how amazing this is.
“This is a great, great testament to our city, to our county, to our neighboring cities, and I am so thankful to be here with my dear friends, my cousin is here and my dear friend Barbara,” he added.
While food, fun and dancing happened inside, out back were a fleet of limo party busses for attendees and their buddies to take a 15-minute tour around the city, listening to music and visiting with each other during yet another unforgettable experience from the evening.
Steve Anderson, limo driver and a buddy last year, was enjoying every minute of the evening, watching all those who were enjoying the limo tour and listening to the laughter.
”Last year was such a great experience, and this year I’m on limo duty. It’s really neat getting to be a part of this event again.”