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Decatur brightens lives with Night To Shine event

Feb 11, 2023 | 8:01 AM

February 11, 2022- After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Night To Shine prom event made its return to the Decatur community.

“I loved seeing familiar faces as well as new faces, and just seeing the community of volunteers that are back again,” Brian Talty, lead pastor at First Christian Church said. “With some of the guests from a few years ago, reuniting, is pretty special to have that long term memory to carry across.”

Members of the Decatur community gathered at GT Church for the Tim Tebow Foundation sponsored event.

The Tim Tebow Foundation was created in 2010, with a mission of bringing faith, hope, and love to those needing positivity in their darkest moments.

Night To Shine is an event hosted by local churches across the United States, and worldwide that provides a prom night experience to people, ages 14 and older, who have special needs.

“I don’t think there is anything like the local church when the local church does what the local church is supposed to be doing,” Talty said. “When you take that and get the opportunity to combine a couple of chuches working together, recognizing we all pitch for the same coach to be able to do good in our community like this, that’s a beautiful thing.”

The Decatur prom experience was hosted by Macon Resources, GT Church, and First Christian Church. Several organizations, and community leaders assisted in making this event possible.

“It’s been a great three community groups getting together to put this together,” Amy Bliefnick, President and CEO of Macon Resources said. “It’s really nice because we all have our own strengths and own communities. But to bring them together for a purpose like this has been so beneficial for not only people in the community with developmental disabilities but for all of the volunteers, too.”

Each of the sponsored guests were paired with a volunteer, who spent the evening with them. Whether it was walking the red carpet in their formal attire, hitting the dance floor, or enjoying a catered dinner, the volunteers never left their side.

Olivia Lett, head coach of the Millikin Women’s basketball team, has participated in this event for the past few years thanks to one of her former players, Jordan Hildebrand, getting her involved with Macon Resources. In fact, Lett currently serves on the MRI board.

“Our team really enjoys going out to MRI,” Lett said. “The impact that they have gotten in the community. How joyful everybody is, it just fills your soul every time you go out there. You can’t be in a bad mood. So we go volunteer there twice a year, and you get so much more back than what you are giving. That’s what’s nice about it. That’s what the entire organization is about.”

While the event is for the special guests, Lett admits that it is also a special night for the volunteers.

“This night is one night that you can help make it extra special for someone else,” Lett said. “Last time, I was with someone that was nonverbal. Going into it I wanted to be with someone who wanted to dance and be more active. I just realized I was with the right person that night. At the end of the night we get to put the crown on them and see their face light up, it just makes all of it so worth it. All of a sudden you start getting something back, and you forget that this whole thing was really about them, because how amazing it makes you feel.”

The night concluded with a crowning ceremony and the crowd singing Don’t Stop Believin by Journey.

“We have this belief that every person is created in the image of God,” Talty said. “The opportunity to have our special guests treated with honor, they are all called kings and queens, and they are all crowned at the end of the night. Just to let them know how much God loves them.”

Friday’s event saw 350 honored guests in attendance, and 450 volunteers from  Decatur, Taylorville, Pana, and surrounding communities.

“It’s not only honored guests who were beaming with joy,” Bliefnick said. “It was all the volunteers  who got to take part in this beautiful event, and to see such joy. You know sometimes the world isn’t always about joy, so when you can find an event like this that just does nothing but bring smiles to peoples’ faces, you want to be a part of it and you want to have that kind of satisfaction and fun. I have also met with a lot of volunteers who were here tonight for the first time who said it has been so meaningful for them, and such a great experience.”

Bliefnick wants the community to understand the abilities of those Macon Resources serves, and believes an event like Night To Shine can allow people to reach that understanding.

“Instead of focusing on the disabilities, an event like tonight allows people in the community to learn the abilities of those we serve, and to get them to see them in a whole different perspective,” Bliefnick said.

Photo Courtesy of The Community Foundation of Macon County.