Monica Pryts: FAMILY MATTERS: It's time to shine
Jan. 17—GREENVILLE — Aunt Celeste has been patiently waiting for the prom portion of Night to Shine to return, and she's officially ready to hit the dance floor.
She said "yes" to the dress last Wednesday night at the Good Shepherd Center in Greenville, which graciously provided space for prom guests to try on dresses and suits that had been donated for the big night.
Night to Shine — founded by the Tim Tebow Foundation — is for individuals with special needs, and it will be held all over the world on Feb. 10, with the local event being organized by Bethel Life Worship Center.
The church has been hosting the prom since 2016. In 2021 and 2022, Bethel Life held drive-through celebrations for the guests in an effort to maintain social distancing.
The parade of sorts was a lot of fun and a great way to remind the guests that they are loved and appreciated — that is Denise Bell's main goal.
Denise and her husband, Pastor Kent Bell, lead the church, and she is the head organizer for Night to Shine.
She was right in the middle of it all Wednesday night, helping guests look through suit jackets and colorful dresses.
My aunt, Celeste Piciacchio, tried on a few outfits with help from my mother Janet, choosing a glittery cream-colored blouse.
We decided to take one more look at the selection to make sure we didn't overlook anything while my son Gavin and father Bill roamed around the thrift store.
I donated about a half dozen dresses myself, though I had trouble parting with a snazzy red and black Calvin Klein dress, but I will never be a size 4 again. Ha!
It was back to the fitting room with two more dresses — a royal blue one with enough sequins to rival a disco ball, and a maroon one with lots of beading that caught the light just right.
While we loved the blue dress, it wasn't the right fit for Aunt Celeste. The maroon dress was a perfect fit, and I can't help but wonder where the previous owner wore it.
Aunt Celeste beamed as she stepped out of the dressing room to show off the dress, already thinking ahead to the full red carpet treatment that includes hair, nails and makeup.
Denise wrapped her in a big hug as others gathered around to "ooh" and "aah," reminding me that Aunt Celeste has a whole other family thanks to people like Denise.
I first met the Bell family, including their son Jason, who has Angelman syndrome, over 10 years ago.
I had written about the Loving HANDS respite program that Bethel Life offers for families who care for individuals with special needs.
And there's a chance to see for yourself just how wonderful the Bethel Life family is.
Volunteers are still needed to help at the prom and to accompany guests — each guest must have a buddy.
Everyone is welcome to line the red carpet at Greenville High School to cheer for the guests as they head into the dance, where they will be treated like kings and queens.
It is a truly special evening that our community is blessed to have, and I can't wait to see all of the smiling faces!
For more information about Night to Shine hosted by Bethel Life Worship Center, visit blwc.org/nts
MONICA PRYTS is a staff writer for Allied News in Grove City and The Herald in Sharon. She has been with the newspaper since 2004. She lives in Sharpsville with her husband, Stephen, and their son, Gavin. She can be reached at mpryts@alliednews.com
