Couple hosts Joy Prom for special-needs community

LAMAR, Mo. -- Arriving at Joy Prom, everyone seems a little stunned.

It's a lot to take in at first, with the sparkling lights, the red carpet and the applause greeting guests as they enter the gym.

But their shyness melts as they find their friends on the dance floor and join in the festivities. Everyone is welcome at this prom for the special-needs community.

Joy Prom, which took place earlier this month at the Barton County Strength Center, was the idea of Jeremy and Ashley Augusta.

The couple co-owns the gym in Lamar and decided to put on a prom for those with physical or developmental "different-abilities." The Augustas wanted a full-scale prom event, and they credit volunteers for providing the prom atmosphere of food, drinks and music.

Watching the red carpet arrivals from the back of the gym, Jeremy Augusta looked at his watch with a grin.

"It's five minutes until the start of the dance, and already we have more here than we did last year," he said.

This was the second year for the Joy Prom, and it has grown.

"Last year, we had 14 sign up to attend," Augusta said. "This year, we had 54 sign up. I was in bed last night, and four more signed up online."

Pictures from the first Joy Prom were shared on social media, and the event went viral. Augusta contacted everyone he could think of who worked with people with special-needs to participate in the prom. Responses for this year's prom came from Carthage, Pittsburg and Galena, Kansas, and other communities.

"Everyone loved the first one," Augusta said. "The response has been a bit overwhelming; it's crazy. We definitely plan on making this an annual event. This is what God has called us to do, to share his love. "

The Joy Prom has all the hallmarks of a traditional high-school prom. There are corsages from a local florist, a DJ and finger foods. Guys sometimes huddle shyly in groups along the walls.

As the night wears on, ladies kick off their shoes and wear their dates' jackets to stay warm.

Other things set the prom apart. A face painter provides color, as tigers and butterflies show up on dancers' faces throughout the night. People of all ages crowd the dance floor, from closely dancing older couples to children racing around holding glow sticks.

And everyone is welcome to dance, no matter if they are in a wheelchair or walker or just wanting to do the Worm.

Abi Clayton, 14, was attending the Joy Prom for the second year in a row. Dressed in a dark blue ruffled dress with hair done up in curls, she barely paused, dancing the entire night.

"I'm having so much fun," Clayton said. "I love having all my friends here. This is what a prom should be like."

Sandra Evans brought daughter JoLena Webber, 12, from Galena to attend the prom with her Miracle League teammates.

"She's definitely excited about the event and getting to dress up and dance," Evans said. "I love this atmosphere; it makes us all feel special."

As The Proclaimers "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" started to play near the end of the Joy Prom, a train started to form on the dance floor. It gained momentum as volunteers and caregivers joined in, hands on hips of other dancers. The distinctive beat of the song played on as the train snaked around the gym, welcoming all, excluding no one.