Texarkana is gearing up for its second annual Night to Shine sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The event takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Texarkana, Ark. Convention Center.
Night to Shine is a prom for special needs teenagers and adults 14 and older.
"Last year we had approximately 1,200 people attend and 500 to 600 of them were special needs adults. The rest were chaperones and volunteers," said Sam Clem, executive director of Runnin' WJ Ranch, one of many organizations that work together to make the event happen.
"We will have people coming from Magnolia, Mt. Pleasant, Hope, Ashdown and everywhere in between for this night of celebration," he said.
Night to Shine is a special event for the people who attend, most of whom didn't get an opportunity to go to a prom in high school.
"The kids get self-esteem from it," Clem said. "They never were able to go to their own school prom and they're all in tuxedos and formal dresses and they're just having a blast."
It takes a lot of help from the community to make the night a success. Volunteers are needed to help with decorating, serving food, security, as dance partners and for a medical team. Check the Night to Shine Texarkana Facebook page for a volunteer form. All volunteers will undergo a background.
Items for goody bags.
"We need anything to go in a goody bag for the adults to take home with. It could be pencils, koozies, caps, any type of promotional stuff and we'll probably be making 500 bags," Clem said.
Night to Shine was hosted by 537 churches nationwide and in 16 countries in 2018. Cross Pointe Baptist Church and Highland Park Baptist Church partnered to bring Night to Shine to Texarkana.
For more information contact Sam or Brittany at 903-838-3223 or email [email protected].