A shining night to remember

*Editor’s Note: The story was left out of Wednesday’s publication, 2/13/19. We apologize for the mistake.*

Southside Baptist of Warner Robins hosted the Night to Shine prom event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation on Friday night offering a memorable evening to teens and adults with special needs.

Happy Hour Service Center in Warner Robins, Georgia is a service center for the developmentally disabled to call home and its Associate Director of Operations, Mike Brashear, spearheaded the Night to Shine community event. In addition to several seemly contributions from corporate partners, Happy Hour had 15 local businesses and services that were enthusiastic in their support of the event.

The inspiration for the event was a year in the making according to Brashear, and they are looking forward to making Night to Shine an annual event for Houston County.

“Last year (2018), we sent 42 of the individuals who live with us down to Dublin to participate in the Tim Tebow Night to Shine prom. They were so excited that we approached our Board of Directors about hosting an event locally. Brother Jerry Walls is a member of our Board and immediately suggested our partnering with Southside. Thus an annual event has now become our goal.”

Happy Hour’s enthusiasm stretched beyond the event itself as Brashear indicated that the center also collects clothing and other attire for attendees of the prom.

“We at Happy Hour have started collecting formal attire for our and other individuals to wear to the Prom. We have approximately 100 dresses and suits donated this year and we will continue to collect throughout the years.”

Night to Shine began with a red carpet introduction and procession of the attendees of the event and the smiles and laughter from all were contagious as the evening got underway. There was much joy to be spread around as the event ensured that each attendee was made to feel beautiful, special, and welcomed. Southside truly did their part in partnering with sponsors and Happy Hour to put on this event.

“Our church had been interested in doing this for a while, but it was helpful to have a partner to assist us in making it possible,” said Southside Pastor Jerry Walls.

As the evening progressed, individuals enjoyed having their pictures taken with Disney characters, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Princess Anna, and Rapunzel who made an appearance and contributed to the general magic of the evening.

Attendees and their partners were then invited into the Southside auditorium for hours of dancing, laughter, and conversation. In the midst of the evening, Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell Maxwell was invited to the stage and delivered a timeless rendition of “Georgia on My Mind,” and put her heart and soul into her moving performance.

Mike Brashear’s excitement was evident as he and others decided directly after the event on Friday that, “next year will be better and bigger.”

Volunteers from both Southside and the community partnered together to ensure that each person had someone with which to share their memorable evening and make their joy possible.

“It was much bigger than a Church event,” said Brashear. “This was a community event, HCBE Spec Ed teachers, Macon Bibb Teachers, and students participating, as well as all the other agencies in middle Georgia that support Special Needs Individuals.”

Brashear was humbled by his experience with this event and he and others look forward to participating in what the community hopes are many more Night to Shine proms in the county’s future.

The evening truly had a spellbinding and blessed effect on all who entered through the doors that night, including Brashear himself.

“I thank God that He used me to facilitate and participate.”