Editor’s Note: On Friday, February 7, five BRN churches (in each of our regions) hosted Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older. Each of the stories from Calvary Church in Boalsburg, Pa.; Catalyst Church Altoona; Riverbend Community Church in Allentown, Pa.; Ridgeline Community Church in Telford, Pa., and The Church of The Good Shepherd- Cherry Hill, N.J., are featured in a series of articles.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Each year, the Tim Tebow Foundation partners with local churches to throw a prom night for people with special needs ages fourteen and older. Now in its sixth year, over 700 hundred churches across the country hosted Night to Shine on February 7 impacting 115,000 individuals with special needs. One of those hosting churches was Riverbend Community Church in Lehigh Valley.

Riverbend has been hosting a Night to Shine for the last four years, and they have learned a lot from the first year when they tried to create a meaningful event for 200 people with a small team of five. Monica Tamontina and her husband Mark took some time to share with me about their church’s involvement with Night to Shine.

For the past three years, Monica, a retired special needs teacher from the local high school and a long time member of Riverbend, has been the guiding force making sure over 500 special guests and volunteers come together to create an unforgettable night. She is quick to point out that it is much bigger than just her though and humbly rattles off a long list of names that she says are just as important to making the event happen as she is.

Riverbend hosts the event at The Palace Center, an event location Monica knows well from her time at the high school. Local schools host their proms there, but Night to Shine is a different kind of prom.

“Everyone leaves loved and encouraged. Everyone gets crowned king and queen,” Monica explained, emotion rising in her voice. It does not take talking to Monica very long before you can tell that Night to Shine is very important to her, and not just because she taught special education. Her own grandson has special needs.

One of her favorite Night to Shine stories is when a Down syndrome cheer squad from Lehigh University was invited to the Night to Shine prom, and the cheerleaders’ parents watched their daughters with tears in their eyes.

“No one has ever done something for our daughter like this, “ one parent shared with her. Those personal motivations, memories and moving words keep her going when the event planning seems overwhelming.

As amazing as Night to Shine is, everyone agrees it takes a village to successfully pull one off. A village and lots and lots of money. Each year, the Tim Tebow Foundation provides less funding, with the hope that as the event grows local community partners will gather with the church to help keep the event going.

“As the Tim Tebow Foundation gives less each year, the community keeps giving more,” Monica explained.

Planning for the event starts in August and teams continue to meet all the way up until February when the event opens. All told, Monica oversaw 27 different teams to make Night to Shine happen this year. Food and decorations, limo rides in both pink and black varieties, shoeshines led by her husband Mark, photo booths, dancing and red carpets all have to be secured and positioned in the venue. Each special guest has a buddy to stay with them throughout the evening, resulting in the need to recruit hundreds of volunteers with background clearances months ahead of time.

Many times, the event is booked up within days of opening registration, revealing a deep need for more churches to get involved. It may seem like an insurmountable event to put on for a small or even medium sized church, but Monica says it is possible.

She suggests asking a church that has hosted a Night to Shine before to help, because they have lots of practical knowledge and tips. Each year, she shared that they are learning from their successes and victories and getting better at throwing a party for their family, friends and neighbors with special needs.

Monica also praised the involvement from the Tim Tebow Foundation and the great training manual they provide to every hosting church. She explained the foundation has thought of everything and walks you through every possible question and scenario.

As I arrived at the Palace Center for Night to Shine, it was still hours before the event opened to the public. The building already had a red carpet rolled out and the tables and dance floor were decorated with thousands of balloons. Volunteers worked to assemble hundreds of crowns and tiaras for the guests, and gift bags for each of the attendees.

There was an energy in the room, even before guests begin arriving.

“It’s emotional,” Monica shared. “Every year it is emotional, but especially for someone to experience for the first time.” Her son attended the event last year for the first time, and he was so moved, he’s hosting a Night to Shine at his own church this year. That was a common theme as I talked to people: Once you experience Night to Shine you want to be a part of it. You want to multiply it.

While the manpower and resources needed may seem insurmountable, there is no denying the way the event makes people feel: both special guests and volunteers are overcome with joy. When churches invest in events like this, the community takes notice. These are the events that will change our community’s view of church, and make us known for our love!