As the Black Eyed Peas sing… “I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's
gonna be a good night. That tonight's
gonna be a good, good night.”
Friday, the 9th, is the night that 540 churches, around the world,
will be hosting Prom Night for people with special needs, ages 14 and up.
Why am I telling you this?
·
One reason is that our church is one of the host
sites and Jim and I have volunteered to help with the event
·
Another is that I have worked with special needs
youth for over 14 years
·
And, we have a grandson who is non-verbal,
autistic
This group of people are very near and dear to my heart.
This event is run by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Regardless of how you feel about the man, his
heart is in the right place.
Occasionally, you may read about a “differently-abled”
teen having a date to their high school prom, or even being crowned prom King
or Queen. Yes, that happens, and it’s
terrific that it does.
More times than not, though, this group is left out of
fancy social events. Often, the needs of
the individual make it difficult to attend such an event. Sometimes, it’s social awkwardness, or
sensory issues. It could be dietary, or
medical issues. It could even be the financial burden, of proper clothing. Sometimes, it’s just easier to stay home.
This FREE event is offered mostly through donations of
products and services, and run by volunteers. If this is a group of people that
you have avoided because you are afraid or because you don’t know how to react,
this is a fantastic opportunity to get to know them. Individuals with special
needs are people, just like us. They
have likes and desires, just like the rest of us, and enjoy getting out to have
some fun. I’ve seen some pretty great
dance moves, too!
It’s too late to volunteer for this year, since the event
is tonight, but go to the Night toShine website and check out all the information about the event and how you
can get involved next February!
