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A Special Celebration As 'A Night To Shine' Returns

    We all love happy endings and magical moments, right? A shining moment where you feel special, and that all eyes are on you in the best way. Those moments mostly appear in stories though, but there is a mission group that helps give special moments to people with special needs.
    Night to Shine is one of the various outreach missions directed by the Tim Tebow Foundation. On the Friday before Valentine's Day every year, individual churches from all around the globe will put on a prom-style evening dinner and dance event for people with special needs who are over 14 years old. The event is about Christian outreach to an under-ministered group. The evening is centered around showing God's love for all of his children, and making them feel special.
    The guests at these events will be able to get their hair done, have their makeup done or their shoes shined, get a corsage or a boutonnière, take a limo ride, sing karaoke, have fun with a photo booth, get a crown or tiara, have professional photos taken, have dinner and dance the night away. All guests will be given a gift bag to remember the night by.
    The Tim Tebow Foundation started Night to Shine in 2014 to celebrate its five-year anniversary. It was such a success that they made it a yearly event. The event has grown to massive numbers; in 2024 there were over 720 churches, and more than 150,000 volunteers helping host Night to Shine in every state in the US, and in 56 countries on every permanently inhabited continent.
    For a quite few years, LifePointe Church in Eustis has participated in Night to Shine.  Last year, they hosted an event with a 50’s sock hope them. This year’s theme is “Under the Sea.” They have made it one of their big yearly events, but this size of event doesn’t put itself on. It will require volunteer chaperones/buddies for all of the guests, waiters/waitresses, people to do hair and makeup, and much more. If you want to volunteer, or make a donation, you can go to LifePoint’s website to do so. Every dollar will help this a special night for special young adults. However, if you volunteer you will need to fill out a background check, so be sure to get on that right away. If you want to find a different place to serve on the Night to Shine, the Tim Tebow Foundation website has a map showing all of the host churches around the world. It’s the perfect tool for finding a church near you to help on this magical night.
    Everybody needs to feel special, and be told the word of God. Night to Shine is designed to do just that. It brings special people in for a special night, and gives them a good experience in the house of the lord. If you missed an opportunity to serve this year, fear not because it's on the same day every year! And just for the record, the Bible says "…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." So if you want to serve God by serving others, try "Night to Shine".