Prom with a purpose!
Night to Shine
Friday, February 13, 2026
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Friday, February 13, 2026 ~
Night to Shine is an unforgettable worldwide celebration event, centered on God's love, honoring and valuing people with special needs.
This event is hosted each year on the Friday before Valentine’s Day by churches across the globe, bringing congregations, communities, and families living with disability closer together in fellowship.
Our church has been a proud local host of Night to Shine for eight years.
Registration for honored guests and volunteers will open in October 2025.
Night to Shine 2025 Recap Video
Video by Joel Drzycimski
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Honored Guests
Who is invited to Night To Shine?
Anyone with special needs ages 14 and over. This event is 100% FREE of charge for our guests with special needs.Guests will be celebrated with a red carpet welcome, corsages and boutonnieres, games, dancing, dinner, and all around VIP treatment. Each guest receives a crown or tiara, not just because they are all kings and queens of the prom, but because that’s how God sees them every day!
Guest registration closes December 31, 2025!
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Volunteers
It takes an incredible amount of people to host Night to Shine and make our guests feel incredibly special. Thank you for taking time to show our honored guests just how much they are loved!
Please review the Volunteer Descriptions PDF and make your selection during registration. Background checks on volunteers 18 years of age and older are required, NO EXCEPTIONS.
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Vendors
Waivers and background checks are mandatory for any adults 18+ who will be interacting with Honored Guests during Night to Shine.
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Donations
Your financial gift will help us offer an incredible night to 175 Honored Guests with special needs. Please clearly mark your donation to “Night to Shine” - they can be left in our Offering Stations around the building or left at the front office.
Checks may be made to FaithLife with “Night to Shine” in the memo line.
Gift cards to Sam’s Club are also greatly appreciated - they help with the purchase of dinner food and supplies.
Volunteer at Night to Shine
Please note, we do have age limits for volunteer roles!
Age 10+: Cheering Section.
Any Cheering Section member between the ages of 10 - 15 MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian.Age 16+: Buddies - must be 16 years of age and up
Age 18+: All other volunteer roles
Volunteers make it happen! We have over 300 roles that need to be filled to help make it a smooth and fun night for our community guests.
Night to Shine 2026 is a chance for FaithLife and the Cedar Rapids community to shine, for volunteers to shine, our honored guests to shine, and most importantly, God’s love to shine!
BATHROOM ATTENDANT Help guests find the restroom, and offer assistance in the restroom if needed. If a guest requires assistance with more than getting in and out of a stall or hand washing, it is appropriate to contact their parent or caregiver for assistance.
BUDDY & GUEST MATCHING TEAM Help to match Buddies and Guests as guests arrive at Night to Shine. To serve in this role you need to be assertive and enthusiastic!
BUDDY TEAM Accompany and assist assigned guest throughout the evening, providing companionship and any assistance they may need during the event. Sit with their guest during dinner and engage with them in conversation. Volunteer buddies must be at least 16 yrs old.
CHEERING SECTION This team will line the red carpet and cheer guests on as they arrive for the dance. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent who is also signed up to volunteer in the cheering section.
CHEERING SECTION LEADER Coordinate the Cheering Section Team to line the red carpet and cheer on guests as they arrive. Must be age 18 or older.
COAT CHECK TEAM Greet guests, label & hang coats. Retrieve coats as guests leave.
FLOWER TEAM Assist florist with unloading and properly laying out corsages and boutonnieres. Help guests select and pin on their flowers.
GIFT TAKEAWAY TEAM Manage gifts and help each guest collect their favors to take home.
GUEST REGISTRATION TEAM Warmly greet guests and sign them in and answer any questions they may have.
KITCHEN PREP TEAM Will help prepare food (washing, slicing, etc) prior to the event.
KITCHEN TEAM Will handle food, beverages, desserts, clean up of kitchen, etc.
LIMO TEAM Assist guests as they enter and exit the limos, hold doors open for guests as they enter/exit the building to go for a limo ride.
PARENT ROOM Love on the parents/caretakers by serving food, spending time getting to know them and being available to pray with them.
PARKING TEAM Maintain a parking pattern and direct traffic. Maintain open fire and emergency lanes.
RED CARPET Assist guests as they make their way down the red carpet, manage flow of traffic and cheer them on to make them feel welcomed.
SENSORY ROOM Spend time with guests who may have become over-stimulated on the dance floor or in other areas of the prom. Interact with them by participating in sensory activities or simply providing them with some quiet time.
SET-UP TEAM Arrive at the designated time and execute event set-up. Help set up tables, chairs, hair and make up stations, shoe shining stations, check in tables, floral area, etc. Please note this team meets the evening before the event to set up.
SHOE SHINE TEAM Assist set-up team with the salon area. Welcome each guest to a seat for a shoe shine. Chat with them while you pamper them and make them feel special.
STATION MANAGERS Direct Guests and Buddies to the various stations (hair/makeup, floral and shoe shining, photo booth, meal and karaoke, etc.)
TEAR DOWN TEAM Take down decorations, tables, chairs, etc. and clean up the event space. May need to be able to lift heavy items.
VOLUNTEER CHECK-IN Greet all volunteers, give them their name badges and direct them to their designated area.
WELCOME TEAM Welcome guests as they arrive, and help them find their way to the main event space, activities and restrooms.
FAQs
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Friday, February 13, 2026, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
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Anyone with special needs ages 14 and over. This event is 100% FREE of charge for our guests with special needs.
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FaithLife Lutheran Church
8300 C Avenue in Marion
Guests will enter at the Faith Awning entrance. Volunteers will enter at the North entrance.
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Guests may be dropped off by a parent or caregiver. Each Parent or caregiver will use their judgment whether to stay with the guest, enjoy a night out, or visit our Parent area in the lower level where you can enjoy a relaxing evening. We strongly encourage chaperones to drop off their guest and allow us to assign a buddy/escort for the evening, unless you believe it's essential to accompany your guest into the prom. If you are planning on staying with your guest you will need to register as a volunteer buddy for the event.
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Guests will be assigned to their buddy to help them have the best prom experience ever!
Dinner is available, then guests can enjoy a limo ride then walk the red carpet being cheered on by paparazzi, be crowned king or queen of the prom, hair and makeup touch-ups, shoeshines, karaoke, games, karaoke, a quiet room for anyone needing a break and of course dancing! We will have security and medical personnel onsite throughout the event.
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As this is a Prom with a Purpose, we know many of our Honored Guests will dress in formal wear, which may include prom gowns for the ladies, and suits or tuxes for the men. However, there is no official dress code, as we want our guests to feel comfortable on their special night!
Volunteers are encouraged to dress nicely and wear comfortable shoes!
