The Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine event is back in person after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19. On February 10, the event will be taking place at various locations worldwide, including five in Mississippi.
Night to Shine is a complimentary event for people with special needs hosted by local churches around the world.
The event is open to anyone living with disabilities, ages 14 and older. Although each event is different, some activities included are a red carpet entrance, limousine rides, dancing, karaoke, gifts, a catered dinner, a Respite Room for parents and caregivers, a crowning ceremony where every honored guest will receive a crown or tiara.
Hillcrest Baptist Church Office Manager Michelle Armstrong has participated in Night to Shine numerous times. She said the event has generated excitement in both the special needs community as well as those who volunteer.
“It is just an amazing event. I had someone ask me recently, ‘Why do you do this? It’s a lot of work. Why do you do this?’ And I said, ‘If you could be at this event and see the very first person that comes in the door light up and just have a wonderful time, everyone would be jumping on board,'” Armstrong said on Good Things with Rebecca Turner. “I have a student here in my special needs ministry and that’s all he talks about 365 days of the year.”
Jim Phillips, the senior pastor at North Greenwood Baptist Church, is putting on Night to Shine for the very first time this year. He reached out to his community to see how many people would be interested in participating.
Though he anticipated to have roughly 75 guests for the launch, nearly 100 participants have signed up to be in attendance, and more than 200 have pledged to volunteer.
“As it stands right now with our event, we’re drawing from six counties. We were going to cut off our number at 75 with it being our first year, but we’re now at 97 for our guests,” Phillips said. “Over 240 people have come on board as volunteers.”
According to Phillips, other Mississippi churches have reached out to him and expressed interest in hosting Night to Shine in future years.
Mississippi locations for Night to Shine 2023 include:
- Hillcrest Baptist Church (New Albany)
- Grace Bible Church of Oxford (Oxford)
- North Greenwood Baptist Church (Greenwood)
- Temple Baptist Church (Hattiesburg)
- Woolmarket Baptist Church (Biloxi)
Watch the full interview with Armstrong and Phillips below.
