By Chelsea Pyne

In 2014, the Tim Tebow Foundation watched Valentine’s Day Weekend transform from a simple commemoration of love, to a worldwide movement celebrating God’s love for people with special needs and the value of life. Through Night to Shine, the Tim Tebow Foundation financially sponsored 44 host churches in 26 states and 3 countries to create an unforgettable prom night experience for people with special needs, ages 16 and older.

The Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF) has announced its plans to continue the tradition, and on Friday, February 12th, TTF will host up to 100 churches worldwide. The foundation is committed to providing each host church up to $8,500, in addition to a detailed prom manual and prom kit full of special decorations and gifts for guests.

At the inaugural event, 15,000 volunteers and 7,000 honored guests came together on one night to create memories that will last a lifetime. Each prom included a red-carpet entrance complete with a friendly welcome from paparazzi, limousine rides, hair and makeup stations, shoe shining areas and, of course, a dance floor.  The honored guests received either a crown or tiara to serve as a reminder that they are all kings and queens.

“We want to show each and every guest that they are special and they are loved,” explains Tim Tebow. “This is a night to celebrate who they are as a child of God, and to remind them that in God’s eyes, we are all kings and queens.”

Attendee Janet Blank adds, “I wanted to thank you for organizing the Night to Shine Prom. My daughter Lizzie had been looking forward to it and had such a great time!  You made all the participants feel special.”

Night to Shine 2016 is expected to be even better than its predecessor. The vision of the Tim Tebow Foundation is to include more churches, resulting in more volunteers, and most importantly, more honored guests.

“We have always said that we wanted Night to Shine to be a night for the churches to shine, the volunteers to shine, and most importantly, for Christ to shine,” said Erik Dellenback, Executive Director of the Tim Tebow Foundation. “We cannot wait to see what God has in store for next year’s event.”

First Christian Church of Kernersville is one of the 100 host churches for this special event. If you would like to participate in our Night to Shine Prom, please go online to www.FCCMinistries.com, click the “Night to Shine Prom” tab and fill out the registration form. The night will be filled with dancing, karaoke, a red carpet greeting, hair and makeup station, shoe shining, pictures, prizes, and limo rides all resulting in a night of royal fun.

There are many places to serve in this event. From helping with check-in, welcomes, parking, activities, food service, medical, childcare, and more, a multitude of slots are open. Before registering, look at all the different volunteer descriptions and find one that best fits your personality.  

• Guest:  A person with special needs, age 16 or older, who is registered for the Prom.
• Chaperone: The parent/guardian/caregiver who brings the special needs guests to the Prom.
• Buddy:  FCC Minisitries volunteer who is paired with a special needs guest for the evening.  
• Volunteer: A worker on one the various teams associated with Prom activities.

Excitement is growing for this year’s event and many are still looking back over last year’s. Sean Hadas adds, “I just wanted to thank you and your staff for an amazing evening! My daughter Shelby had a blast and the attention made her feel like a Princess. We are so blessed to have a local church that cares so much for their community.”

We are looking forward to a wonderful night of fun, love, encouragement, and breaking down the dance floor in style! First Christian Church of Kernersville is located on 1130 North Main Street. It will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on February 12. Spots are limited so please register early, no later than February 1.