A prom for people with special needs will soon be held again at an Ellijay church following a two-year hiatus.
Sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, Night to Shine Proms are normally held in hundreds of churches across the country and abroad each year. Gilmer County’s first Night to Shine was presented by Cartecay Baptist Church in 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“We did it online the past two years, which was an online prom with various shots of previous Nights to Shine, music videos and a special message from Tim and Demi-Leigh Tebow,” said Dr. Chad Hall, Cartecay Baptist pastor.
The celebratory event returns to the Cartecay Baptist Fellowship Hall Friday, Feb. 10, from 6-9 p.m. The church is located at 118 Riverwood Road.
“People I’ve talked to about it are so excited that we’re having it back in person here,” said Hall.
The event is free to attend and is open to anyone at least age 14 with disabilities or special needs. That includes teens and adults, Hall confirmed.
“You do not have to be from Gilmer County. The only restriction is that it’s for ages 14 and up. When we had it in person that first year, we had about 50 participants,” he added.
The purpose of Night to Shine is to provide a full prom experience for attendees who might not otherwise be able to enjoy one.
“They get the red carpet treatment including a limo ride, karaoke, a dance floor, a full sit-down meal, photos, hair and makeup stations, shoeshine stations, just the full experience,” said Hall.
“Each participant is partnered with a buddy, who stays with them the entire night and takes them around. If they want to do karaoke, they can go to the karaoke room. If they want to go ride in the limo, they can do that. We’ll have a limo there that takes them around the parking lot of the church,” he added.
Parents and caregivers are also welcome to attend the prom, where a special area will be set aside for them to also relax and have fun, noted Hall.
“We want the caretakers to come and enjoy a respite time. We have a nice sit-down meal planned for them in a separate part of the church,” he added.
The church is funding the event, while the Tebow Foundation, an outreach nonprofit started by the former NFL quarterback and Major League Baseball player, will provide logistical guidance and the Night to Shine name.
“They do have grants, but they like to give those to newer churches that are doing the prom, so we’ve chosen to be self-sustaining on our end of it. If there’s an organization that would like to make a donation, that would be great,” said Hall.
Cartecay Baptist is working with such groups as the Ellijay Lions Club, the Gilmer Christian Learning Center and other local churches to have a volunteer staff and enough buddies for the event. More volunteers and buddies, who must be at least 18, are welcome to join, and anyone wishing to be a Night to Shine buddy must first pass a background check, Hall noted.
“It’s not just a Cartecay Baptist thing. We are the host church, but it’s a community event. Other folks can volunteer, too,” he added. “The buddies come from all over, and they are anybody who has a heart for it.”
Advance prom registration should be done by the Friday before the event, although attendees do not have to register to attend. Walk-ups are welcome, Hall said, but advance registration will help the church better plan for food orders and other logistics. Registration can be done online at CartecayBaptist.com or by calling the church.
Cartecay Baptist also has a few prom dresses on hand that can be used by promgoers, Hall noted.
“They can contact the church office, and we can arrange for a time for them to come pick one out,” he said.
Anyone interested in attending or volunteering for the Night to Shine Prom may contact Cartecay Baptist Church at 706-635-1090 or chad@cartecaybaptist.com.