{"id":84805,"date":"2025-02-10T09:15:10","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T15:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=84805"},"modified":"2025-02-10T09:27:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T15:27:43","slug":"night-to-shine-brings-fun-and-representation-to-those-with-special-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=84805","title":{"rendered":"Night to Shine brings fun and representation to those with special needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By RORY MOORE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebration Community Church hosted Night to Shine on Friday. The annual event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, celebrates a prom night experience for individuals with special needs due to intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and featured dancing, games, a red carpet, karaoke, and get-togethers for friends and families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the people who walked on stage, Night to Shine allowed them to present themselves as more than their conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[I revealed] the best of my ability,\u201d participant James Hemphill said. \u201cI play Basketball for my Special Olympics team. That\u2019s my ability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each person with special needs who walked on stage was introduced with hobbies they enjoy and strengths that define them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a night for them to feel like they matter and have value,\u201d event volunteer Jessica Johnson said. \u201cIt\u2019s a time to celebrate them, and it\u2019s such a wonderful event for not just people to participate but volunteers as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson volunteered to assist Logan Reitz at the prom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven though I met him 15 minutes before, I felt so proud and honored to be his buddy,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s beneficial for us as the volunteers because we get to be vulnerable, let our guards down, and get to interact with some individuals we don\u2019t typically get to interact with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The night concluded with every guest being crowned king and queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis night has been very special,\u201d event participant Jennifer Smith said. \u201cEverybody got together and had fun. It made them smile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n