A truly special night is coming up next weekend — and we don’t mean Valentine’s Day. The night before the day that’s purported to be a time to shower your love with flowers, candy and a nice dinner, our local individuals with special needs will be celebrated, honored, and, by all accounts, have the time of their lives.
For the third straight year, Sampson County’s Night to Shine event will allow teens and adults with special needs to dress up in glamorous evening gowns and dashing tuxedos, dance the night away and, at the end of the night, earn unique crowns honoring them and their special evening . Not one person feel will be left out because of a disability or condition; they will all be treated like the queens and kings they are.
Night to Shine was started 10 years ago by the Tim Tebow Foundation and, according to the website, is “an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older.”
The event is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13, from 6-9 p.m. at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center.
First Methodist Church in Clinton serves as the host of the event, with the spacious Prestage Hall as the venue. Co-chairs Emily Bullard and Leslie Seals have taken on the task of organizing the Night to Shine for the past three years, and we are so grateful for their hard work in putting this incredible event together, and keeping it going on an annual basis. We are also thankful for the plethora of outreached hands there to help the two ladies ensure that this event is as special as it can be year after year.
A Night to Shine is a magical evening that’s always full of joy and laughter — and maybe a few tears, but as Gandalf said in “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” not all tears are in evil.
Each “honored guest,”as they’re aptly called, will take a walk down the red carpet, being photographed like a celebrity arriving to a movie premiere. Every honored guest will also have a “buddy,” a volunteer who will be by their side for the night, assisting them with hair and makeup, or whatever their needs might be.
While those with special needs are the stars of the show, A Night to Shine is also a cause for celebration for anyone living within this community. It shows that individuals who might have been kept in the shadows most of their lives deserve a chance to shine. It shows that we see them, and honor them, just for being who they are.
If the sight of the joyous young people, all dressed to the nines and having fun, doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, you might want to check your pulse. We couldn’t be prouder of this event, and what it has come to mean to our special needs community — and to us, as human beings with open hearts.
It’s something we ,at The Sampson Independent, look forward to all year long — a positive, feel-good moment for special people amongst a world of crime, fatal accidents, ag spills and more unpleasantness. While those things might make headlines and get people talking, it’s a nice reprieve to be able to just cut loose and enjoy a good time, all for the benefit of young people with special needs.
To the honored guests … we see you, we salute you and earnestly hope that you truly feel like a star on your Night to Shine.