POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — College of the Ozarks hosted the ninth Night to Shine event this evening, Friday, Feb. 7, in the Silver Dollar City Parlor at The Keeter Center. The College, along with churches around the world, partners with the Tim Tebow Foundation to make this event possible and celebrate God’s love for people with special needs.

The prom-like event welcomed more than 100 guests from Stone and Taney counties. More than 200 College of the Ozarks faculty, staff, and students volunteered—helping with hair and makeup, shining shoes, cheering for the guests as they entered on the red carpet, and serving as “buddies” or chaperones for the entire evening.

“One of our goals at the College is to exemplify the character of Christ by serving and loving others,” said Dr. Justin Carswell, vice president for Christian ministries and student development. “Night to Shine is an event that enables our students to embody the hands and feet of Christ for our honored guests. The best part of the night is seeing the faces of our guests light up as they meet their buddies and prepare for a night to remember.”

Night to Shine is a memorable experience for everyone participating.

“For many of our guests, this night was a first—a moment where they feel seen, cherished, and celebrated as the unique and beautiful individuals God created them to be,” said Lori Simmons, community service coordinator. “As we poured into their lives, we were also profoundly impacted. This event transformed the hearts of our students at College of the Ozarks and gave them the privilege of serving others and experiencing the deep joy of putting love into action.”

A Family’s Cherished Tradition: The Keeter Center’s Tom Majors

For Tom Majors, maintenance manager at The Keeter Center, Night to Shine is more than just another event to attend. It is a night that he and his family look forward to every year. His sons, Timothy and Andrew, attended Night to Shine as honored kings this evening. Timothy is 24 years old and has attended for the last four or five years. Andrew is 18 years old and attended for the second time this year.

Timothy attended school at Barnabas Prep, where he was invited to attend Night to Shine for the first time several years ago. After finishing school, Timothy began a job at Silver Dollar City. Once Andrew, Timothy’s younger brother, began attending, the event became a highlight for both brothers.

“It is something they look forward to,” Majors said. “Andrew has been letting us know ever since January how many weeks and days it is until the event. He is always waiting for the event to happen.”

Night to Shine means a lot to Majors and his wife. The event allows their sons with special needs to interact with college students who are similar in age, something that does not happen often for Andrew and Timothy.

“It means a lot to see my sons have fun and be accepted by people that are the same age as them,” Majors said. “The students are showing them love from the time they arrive on campus until the moment they leave. Our sons line up and are cheered for by college students, making the event so much fun for them.”

The Impact of the Kings and Queens

After the special guests were pampered with VIP treatment by C of O student volunteers in the Welcome Center, they had a luxurious  ride to The Keeter Center. Crowds of cheering students, faculty, and staff welcomed them as they walked on a red carpet to the dance floor.

Will De Oliveria, sophomore public relations major, got the privilege of serving as a buddy for the first time this year. Tonight gave Will an opportunity to serve others in a capacity that he will never forget.

“I never thought I would get the opportunity to do something as big as I did tonight—which is making someone else’s night,” Will said. “There is nothing else that I could have been doing right now that would have been better than being here.”

Colby Ketchum, senior human and molecular biology major, volunteered for the second year in a row, reuniting with his buddy, Sam Lesch, from last year. Colby and Sam, excited to see each other, began their night with a hug and cherished every moment of their night together.

“Walking my buddy, Sam, down the red carpet for the second time was a breathtaking experience,” Colby said. “Getting to be buddies again allows us to build our friendship and have fun making more memories together.”

A Worldwide Movement

Night to Shine launched in 2014 with 44 host churches in three countries and 15,000 volunteers honoring more than 7,000 kings and queens of the prom. In February 2024, 725 churches in all 50 states and in 56 countries around the world hosted Night to Shine. More than 150,000 people volunteered to celebrate over 80,000 honored kings and queens with special needs. The growing event was hosted at more than 800 churches across the U.S. and across more than 60 countries this year.

Participating agencies included the following:

•    Barnabas Prep
•    LinkAbility
•    New Hope Development/Cedar Creek Coffee
•    Young Life Capernaum
•    Hollister Special Education
 

The above press release is from College of the Ozarks.