VALDOSTA – First Baptist Church of Valdosta is preparing to host its sixth annual Night to Shine event empowering the disabled community next month.

Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, is a prom for people with disabilities 14 and up to be celebrated and honored in an unforgettable experience, according to the website. This year’s event will be held at Rainwater Conference Center on Friday, Feb. 9, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“The whole idea is for people with special needs to have an opportunity to have a prom experience that just focuses on them. The biggest idea is that every person is a king or a queen,” Justin Deveraux, the minister to children and family, said in an interview Wednesday.

First Baptist Church of Valdosta began hosting the event in Lowndes County in 2017, missing 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each guest is announced as they walk across the red carpet into the prom and is crowned as a king or a queen. The night includes limousine or carriage rides, a catered dinner and dancing.

Deveraux said every year the number of attendees and volunteers grows.

In 2023, the local Night to Shine event brought in about 250 guests with 250 buddies, who acted as a helper for their selected guests throughout the night. More than 100 additional volunteers assisted with other needs such as providing hair and makeup stations, limousine rides, corsages and boutonnieres.

“Just to feel the love inside the room is unbelievable,” he said. “It’s so much bigger than First Baptist Church. Honestly it’s something only God can do and that’s one of the cool parts about it.”

Moving to the Rainwater Conference Center allows the organizers to host more guests. About 100 guests were registered as of Wednesday. The deadline to register for the event without a wait time at the door the night of the event is February 5.

Olivia Fletcher, a First Baptist Church member and Night to Shine committee member, has been active with volunteering and planning since its first hosting. She is a special education teacher at Lowndes High School and shared insights on how a Night to Shine event not only impacts the students but also their parents.

“It is an unbelievable experience to watch our guests have the time of their life and really be dotted on and treated like everybody else,” Fletcher said.

She said a Respite room will also be provided for parents and caregivers. They can view the dance watching in a separate room.

This year’s event costs about $55,000 to $60,000 to host. First Baptist Church is still accepting sponsors to help fund the night. Interested donors should contact Carly Thomas at dds4children@gmail.com or call 229-630-5600.

For more information on how to register as a guest, buddy or volunteer, please visit https://fbcvaldosta.org/night-to-shine/.