Night to Shine virtual prom celebrates people with special needs

Meadows Christian Fellowship announced that they will serve as a host of Night to Shine 2021, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation.

The parade and prom night experience, which is centered on celebrating people with special needs, will be held by host churches around the world simultaneously at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12.

In a time when so many people have been left feeling alone or alienated, it is important for Meadows to stand with the Tim Tebow Foundation in this way to honor its local community of people with special needs, ensuring they know they are valued and they loved.

Due to the global circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, Night to Shine 2021 has added an outdoor "Shine Thru" parade to its prom experience. The "Shine Thru " parade will begin at 4 p.m. at Meadows Christian Fellowship, 2401 Kirchoff Road, in Rolling Meadows. Cars and vans carrying the honored guests will drive through the parking lot, where volunteers will decorate their personal vehicles with lights, flags, banners, signs and streamers.

Meadows Christian Fellowship has also enlisted organizations like the Rolling Meadows Police and Fire departments, student organizations from Rolling Meadows High School and the Crystal Lake Strikers Drum Core to help cheer on its special guests.

This unique event will conclude when the special guests return to their homes and enjoy a virtual prom, which includes music, dancing, prom favors and messages from special guests, all leading up to the moment when each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom.

"The reason Night to Shine is so special to me is because all the boys ... all of the girls ... that the rest of the world has forgotten, that so many times we haven't clapped for, we haven't cheered for, we haven't loved ... this is the night where we get to bring them together and say, 'you matter, we love you and we are throwing this awesome party because that's how special you are,'" said Tim Tebow, founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation.

"This is why we knew we couldn't cancel Night to Shine 2021. Our heart is always to love and encourage, and it's never to put anyone at risk, and that is why we are confident in our decision to celebrate Night to Shine 2021."

Heading into its seventh year, Night to Shine continues to experience incredible growth. The event launched in 2015 with 44 host churches and 15,000 volunteers honoring more than 7,000 kings and queens of the prom.

In February 2020, 721 host churches and 215,000 volunteers came together to celebrate 110,000 honored guests with special needs. In 2021, the Tim Tebow Foundation looks forward to growing the ministry of Night to Shine around the globe and serving even more people with special needs through this exclusive virtual experience.

For additional information on the Night to Shine, including how you can register to participate, visit www.meadowsfamily.org/night-to-shine-2021.

For information on the worldwide movement of Night to Shine sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, visit www.timtebowfoundation.org.