Serving the Loup Valley for 137 Years
Bethel Baptist Church Hosting Virtual Night to Shine Prom Experience
Bethel Baptist Church in Ord recently announced that they will serve as a host of Night to Shine 2021, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, celebrating people with special needs will be held by host churches around the world simultaneously on Fri., Feb. 12, 2021 through a unique online event. In a time when so many people have been left feeling alone or alienated, it is important for Bethel Baptist Church to stand with the Tim Tebow Foundation in this way to honor our local community of people with special needs, ensuring they know they are valued and they are loved.
Due to the global circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the safety of every honored guest with special needs as a top priority, Night to Shine 2021 will be an unforgettable virtual experience. This unique virtual event will be complete with all of the treasured prom elements, as every guest will get to enjoy music, dancing, prom favors, messages from special guests…all leading up to the moment when each guest is crowned king or queen of the prom.
“The reason Night to Shine is so special to me is because all the boys…all of the girls… that the rest of the world has forgotten, that so many times we haven’t clapped for, we haven’t cheered for, we haven’t loved…this is the night where we get to bring them together and say, ‘you matter, we love you and we are throwing this awesome party because that’s how special you are.’ This is why we knew we couldn’t cancel Night to Shine 2021. Our heart is always to love and encourage and it’s never to put anyone at risk and that is why we are confident in our decision to celebrate Night to Shine 2021 as a fully virtual experience,” said Tim Tebow, founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation.
As sponsor of Night to Shine, the Tim Tebow Foundation will provide each host church with infrastructure and support necessary to execute the virtual event with excellence, including the official 2021 Night to Shine Virtual Guidebook, personalized guidance and support from a Tim Tebow Foundation staff member and access to the Night to Shine Virtual Experience. In addition to supporting the special event, the foundation also offers ongoing special needs ministry resources through Shine On to assist churches in beginning or enhancing special needs ministry at their church, providing more opportunities for the honored guests to be loved, served and celebrated year-round. The foundation has budgeted nearly $2.75 million annually in financial support to hundreds of churches needing assistance in hosting the event across the United States and internationally.
Heading into its seventh year, Night to Shine continues to experience incredible growth. The event launched in 2015 with 44 host churches and 15,000 volunteers honoring more than 7,000 kings and queens of the prom. This past February, 721 host churches and 215,000 volunteers came together to celebrate 110,000 honored guests with special needs. In 2021, the Tim Tebow Foundation looks forward to growing the ministry of Night to Shine around the globe and serving even more people with special needs through this exclusive virtual experience in February.
In addition to participating in the Virtual Night to Shine experience, Bethel Baptist will also host a “Shine Thru” on Feb. 12, 2021 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Guests will be invited to a parade style event, including to go food, goodie bags, music and the final stop, receiving their crown. Bethel Baptist is asking for volunteers to line the streets surrounding the church during the event to cheer on the guests as they “drive thru.”
For additional information on the Night to Shine hosted by Bethel Baptist Church in Ord, including how you can participate or refer a guest, contact Katie Walmsley (402-640-6753), Shannon Dabney (308-730-9233) or email bethelnighttoshine@gmail.com.
For more information on the worldwide movement of Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, visit: www.timtebowfoundation.org.
Carlson Loses Big with TOPS® Weight Loss Organization, Earns Trip To Niagra Falls
TOPS® Club, Inc., (Take Off Pounds SensiblySM) the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, has begun unveiling its top “royalty” from 2019 for 2020. TOPS® royalty are men and women who, at the end of the year, have officially recorded the largest weight loss from their starting weight, regardless of the time taken to reach their goal. Betty Carlson of North Loup, who lost 61 pounds, is the Nebraska Queen.
TOPS® offers an individual approach to weight loss and overall wellness. Consistent group support, health education and recognition are all key components to successful weight management. “With the support of TOPS®, this year’s royalty, and countless others before them, have shown that personal transformation is possible through small, sustainable lifestyle changes,” said TOPS® President Rick Danforth. “As someone who has maintained a 100-pound weight loss for 15 years, I know firsthand the dedication these folks have shown.”
Danforth has invited Carlson to participate in the TOPS® International Recognition Days conference, rescheduled for July 2021 in Niagara Falls, NY. “Commemorating her life-changing achievement is an essential component of TOPS® winning formula,” Danforth noted.
Pick up this week’s Quiz for the complete story.
