On a Saturday night last month, they got ready like anyone else would for their prom. Tuxedos were buttoned, hair was styled, nails were painted. For some in attendance, it wasn’t their first prom – but it was just as special.
St James United Methodist Church hosted its seventh annual “Red Carpet Affair” under balloons, lights and the sounds of laughter. Nearly 280 special needs adults, ranging from age 16 to 52, attended the Red Carpet Affair with their caregivers for a night of fun, food and dancing. For some, it was also a night of hope.
“Many of us graduate high school and move on to new social structures,” said Carlene Barbeau, who started volunteering with the Red Carpet Affair in 2012 because of the joy it gave her brother Matt. “But, in the special needs community, graduating high school often leads to a lack of a social world.”
Carlene says St. James hosts the Red Carpet Affair to remind our friends that they are special, beautiful in their own unique ways, and can still have a whole lot of fun in life. “Plus, the volunteers have a blast, too,” she says.
Since January, a team of ten volunteers met multiple times to make the plans to make the Red Carpet Affair a night to remember. Their goal: to make their special needs friends feel like the celebrities they know them to be.
That evening, a “Diva Room” gave women a place to have their hair styled by professional stylists, and makeup done by makeup artists. They were offered shrimp and chocolate-covered strawberries while they were given a manicure. The church’s sanctuary was transformed with light walls, balloon sculptures and floral arrangements. Live Fusion Entertainment blasted some of the most popular songs on the radio and lights spun and flashed.
As the guests arrived, they were greeted by cheers as each walked into the event on the red carpet. Two professional photographers captured smiles in portraits the guests took home as souvenirs of their evening. But, that was all only part of the magic.
Liz McCafferty, director of communications at St. James, says, “The true beauty of the night was in the spirit of community.”
She explains that a community of 120 volunteers, ages 12 to 91, gathered together to cut carrots, dance, hug and create a community for those who are sometimes forgotten. “That community is rooted in love,” Liz says. “Love for our differences and love that we all enjoy a great conga line. And a great conga line it was!”
If you would like to be part of next year’s Red Carpet Affair, or are interested in events tailored for those with special needs, please contact Sally DePalma at specialconnections@stjamestampa.org.
—Submitted to the Neighborhood News by St. James UMC
No comment yet, add your voice below!