Night to Shine in need of more volunteer 'Buddies' for this year's prom event

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·3 min read

The annual Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of volunteer "Buddies" for its upcoming prom night event, to be held Friday, Feb. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room.

Night to Shine of Amarillo, as a part of the Tim Tebow Foundation, organizes formal clothing, hairstyles / cuts, and makeup complete with a prom event including a three-course meal for 800 local individuals ages 14 and up with mental and physical disabilities.

During Night to Shine, each individual receives a warm welcome from a friendly crowd and "paparazzi" as guests walk down the red carpet. Once inside the venue, guests receive the royal treatment, including limousine rides, professional photography, hair and makeup stations, shoe shines, a catered dinner, karaoke room, a Respite Room for parents and caretakers, and a dance floor, all leading up to the moment when each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom.

Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.

"Night to Shine is hosted in hundreds of locations around the world. It is a night to celebrate people with special needs, show them the love of their savior, and give them a night to remember," Hannah Crites, co-chair of the local Night to Shine, said.

This year's event is expected to include 500 guests, 800 volunteers and approximately 600 parents / caretakers.

This year's Night to Shine will be the 6th annual event. Larissa Montiel, co-chair for Night to Shine, said that although they have almost everything prepared and arranged for the event, the organization is still in need of approximately 100 volunteers to participate as a "Buddy" for the Amarillo celebration.

"Every guest is paired with a Buddy that spends the entire evening with them, making sure that they are never left out of any of the action and that they get to participate in all of the prom activities," Montiel said.

"We still need buddies for Night to Shine. We are expecting 500 guests with special needs, which means we currently have around 400 buddies and still need about 100 more," Crites added.

Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.

Individuals must be 16 or older to serve as a buddy, and volunteers with experience in assisting individuals with special needs are preferred. A volunteer's level of experience is matched with a buddy's level of need. The deadline for volunteers to apply to be a buddy is Tuesday, Feb. 6. Volunteers approved are asked to arrive at 5 p.m., prior to guests' arrival.

"Most of our buddies have the time of their life at this event, too. They love it. They get to have fun and participate and spend one-on-one time with one of our guests, and they just get to help show our guests how special they are," Crites said.

To learn more about how to become a volunteer or to register as a buddy, individuals are asked to visit the ogranization's website at https://www.nighttoshineamarillo.com/volunteer-information .

For more information about Night to Shine or to stay up to date, visit them online at https://www.nighttoshineamarillo.com/ or follow them on Facebook.

Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.
Night to Shine Amarillo is in need of more volunteer "Buddies" for this year's prom event, to be held Feb. 9 in the Amarillo Civic Center Heritage Room. Buddy applications are being accepted now until Feb. 6.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: More volunteer 'Buddies' needed for 6th annual Night to Shine prom