St. Paul to host Night to Shine for second year

Night to Shine is a prom night experience for area residents with cognitive or physical special needs.

St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson hosted its first Night to Shine prom last year and is planning another for Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Guests are invited to enjoy the night's music, dancing, catered meals and even limo rides. A volunteer "buddy" accompanies each guest as they dance the night away, and caregivers are encouraged to share a meal together in the church's Fellowship Hall.

This free event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, is open to all individuals with special needs who are 14 years of age or older. Event organizer Jordan Meyer said some 50 guests and 100 volunteers had registered as of Friday, but she expects the event to hit full capacity of 150 guests as the date grows closer.

This year, she said they are planning to add more volunteers around the red carpet area, as well as a balloon drop at the end of the night after guests are crowned king and queen. She said this year's focus is "adding those more special details" to the prom event.

Meyer attended college at Maryville University in St. Louis, where she volunteered at Night to Shine events. She said she witnessed the impact of the prom events on the guests and wanted to expand Night to Shine to the Southeast Missouri area, as well. When she returned to her Jackson home following graduation, she approached pastor Eric Longman at St. Paul Lutheran Church about registering the church to host a Night to Shine. She worked closely with Longman to make the church's first Night to Shine "such a success," Meyer said.

As Longman followed a calling to a different church earlier this year, Meyer said planning the Night to Shine event this year has been a bit different. However, Meyer said associate pastor Joshua Schmidt stepped up and has since been helpful in creating committees and helping Night to Shine be even more successful than last year. Meyer said faith is an important part of making the event run so smoothly.

"God's at the center of Night to Shine, and he's there all along the way," Meyer said.

Claire Hadler of Cape Girardeau volunteered as a buddy for a man with special needs at last year's event. She described Night to Shine as a special experience not only for guests, but everyone else involved as well.

"I was so honored to be his buddy for the night. I felt like royalty, and it wasn't even meant for me. I can't imagine how they felt," Hadler said. She said she believes events like these are what she says God calls people to do.

"I think God wants us to show love and make others feel loved," she said. Hadler will also be volunteering at the upcoming Night to Shine in February.

Night to Shine is held at locations across the world and is currently in its sixth year. Last year, some 100,000 individuals with special needs attended Night to Shine at 655 churches. As of Friday, 671 churches had registered to host a 2020 Night to Shine event, according to the Tim Tebow Foundation's website.

St. Paul Lutheran Church and School is located at 223 W. Adams St. in Jackson. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m. at the Feb. 7 event held on St. Paul Lutheran School's upper level. Those interested in volunteering or attending the 2020 Night to Shine event may visit stpauljackson.com/night-to-shine for more information.