05 Feb More Than a Dance: Night to Shine Celebrates Belonging
In December, the McPherson County Community Foundation awarded a $2,000 grant to support the local Night to Shine event. The funding will help cover a portion of the meal costs, ensuring the evening is offered at no cost to guests.
Night to Shine is a national event organized through the Tim Tebow Foundation that celebrates individuals with disabilities. According to the foundation, approximately 16% of the world’s population lives with a disability, and in many cultures their needs and experiences often go unnoticed.
Hosted on the same day in hundreds of communities around the world, Night to Shine shifts that focus by creating a formal, joy-filled evening designed entirely around the guests.
McPherson County’s celebration, hosted through a partnership with Journey Mennonite Church, will take place Feb. 13 at the community building in McPherson. Now in its second year, the event is expected to welcome more than 115 guests.
“Night to Shine is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and serve others,” said Journey Mennonite pastor Carson Stutzman. “It creates space for us to love and honor individuals in our community who are often overlooked. Night to Shine not only blesses the honored guests for whom the event is designed, but it also blesses the volunteers by building meaningful friendships, deepening community, and reminding us of the joy found in serving together.”
Each guest will be paired with a volunteer buddy who will stay with them throughout the evening, from dinner to dancing. Additional volunteers will assist with serving food, taking photos and helping the event run smoothly.
One of the most anticipated moments of the night is the red-carpet entrance, designed to recreate the excitement of a prom or formal experience that many guests may have missed or felt excluded from.
“We make sure they all arrive on a party bus, and everyone gets the chance to walk the red carpet,” said Cindy Goldsmith, a Night to Shine volunteer.
The red-carpet entrance is the only portion of the event open to the public, giving community members an opportunity to line up as “paparazzi,” cheering and celebrating each guest as they arrive. Organizers say it is a powerful moment, one that slows the world down and places the spotlight on the individuals being honored.
True to the nights mission to be inclusive, every guest will end the night crowned a king or queen.
“They don’t often get the accolades that their peers or other groups do,” Goldsmith said, “This night gives them that opportunity.”
The impact of the event extends beyond a single evening. Following last year’s celebration, organizers shared that many guests asked when Night to Shine would happen again, a response that affirmed the importance of continuing the tradition.
While Night to Shine will continue to receive financial support from the Tim Tebow Foundation through next year, the event also relies on local partnerships, volunteers and donors. In 2025, an endowment was established at the McPherson County Community Foundation to help ensure Night to Shine remains a lasting part of the community.