By: Timothy Kays
Royalty.
You see them on the television, decked out in their formal wear. Sometimes, on the most special of occasions, that formal wear will include a dazzling diadem, indicating to the world that this isn’t just ‘somebody’…this is royalty.
It seems that royalty is always so distant. It has been that way since we did away with the standard of royal rule in 1776. Royalty is now only found in foreign countries and other continents. Rarely does royalty appear around here anymore, but there are exceptions. One of those exceptions will take place in Defiance on the evening of February 9, when royalty will take over the Family Christian Center in what will truly be a ‘Night to Shine’.
The Family Christian Center and Kaitlyn’s Cottage are proud to be official hosts of the 2018 Night to Shine event, a very special mission project sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF). Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older. Considering the schedule for the evening, the descriptor of ‘unforgettable’ might well be a gigantic understatement.
A worldwide movement held simultaneously on one night around the world, this celebration of the value of each life of every guest has grown to immense proportions. The 2017 Night to Shine event saw 375 churches, representing 28 denominations and 150,000 volunteers in 50 states and 11 countries, come together on one night to honor 75,000 honored guests in what has become not just a nationwide event, but a worldwide movement, celebrating people with special needs.
It is estimated that there will be nearly 500 Night to Shine events held across the world on February 9, 2018. Locally, Audrey Benner of Stryker will be among those receiving the full-on royal treatment at the Family Christian Center. The standards set by the TTF for the event are, putting it mildly, top shelf all the way.
According to the TTF, every guest of Night to Shine enters the complimentary event on a red carpet, complete with a warm welcome from a friendly crowd and paparazzi…obviously. Think about it. Where can you have royalty without paparazzi? They are synonymous with each other.
Once inside, guests receive the royal treatment, including hair and makeup stations, a photo booth and backdrop photos, shoe shining areas, limousine rides, corsages and boutonnieres, a catered dinner, karaoke, prom favors for each honored guest and, of course, a dance floor…all leading up to the moment when each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom.
While the event is obviously designed to be an evening of fun for everyone attending, there is a deeper and more significant meaning, which brings forward the mission purpose. “Night to Shine” is more than the limo rides, the red carpets, the fancy dresses, and the shiny shoes.
It’s special because our guests realize, some for the first time, that they’re worth it,” said Founder and Chairman of the TTF, Tim Tebow. “They are told they’re special and that they’re loved, and at the end of the night, when each and every one of them is crowned king or queen of the prom, they go home knowing that God loves them and has a special, unique, and purposeful plan for their life.”
Audrey Benner is ready to roll. Her formal gown, funded by the TTF, has been selected and fitted. “(I’m going to) dance with my friends,” she said with a beaming smile of anticipation. She is looking forward to riding in style in a limousine and the catered formal dinner, but she has hinted that she would be happy with pizza and Mountain Dew. Audrey hopes that her Night to Shine date can be Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl on ‘The Walking Dead’, but she knows that will be, at best, a long shot. She is thrilled to know that even if he cannot make the event, she will be receiving an autographed photo of her beloved ‘Daryl’.
The Night to Shine might be directed toward those with ‘special needs’, but there is nobody walking the face of the earth today that doesn’t have a special need, that of God’s love, generously distributed by those who would serve. Mother Teresa used the parable of the sheep and goats of Matthew 25 as foundational scripture for her missionary work, and the Tim Tebow Foundation is applying it in equal measure through the Night to Shine event.
In targeting those with special needs, the TTF has targeted a woefully overlooked, and even in some cases ignored section of society. To bring them forward, to honor them and shower them with love, respect and recognition, fulfills the purpose of the mission. The end result is twofold. The first can be found in Matthew 25:40, where Christ says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.” What of the second?
Just look at the smile on the face of Audrey Benner. You’ll find the answer in the sparkle of her eyes. You can hear it in her voice when she tells you about her role in the evening, saying with a lilt, “I’m a queen!” Mission accomplished.
Tim can be reached at tim@thevillagereporter.com