Broadcaster Press 9 February 23, 2016 www.broadcasteronline.com Vermillion Shines Bright BY SARAH WETZEL For the Plain Talk Cameras flashed and fans cheered as fancydressed individuals paraded down a red carpet last Friday night. No, it wasn’t Hollywood, but for those attending the ‘Night to Shine’ event in Vermillion, it was even better. The event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow foundation, was a special prom night for adults and teenagers with disabilities. “It was incredible,” said event organizer Jessica McKenzie. “It was so fast but I think the joy that was so apparent in everyone’s faces is something that will stick with me forever. I saw so many guests crying out of happiness and I saw the parents being emotional when they were picking up their kids and still dancing. It was life-changing.” The night began as caregivers said goodbye and retreated across the street to Grace Baptist Church where they were treated to dinner and a movie. Each participant was paired with a buddy for the evening, experiencing a dinner, photo opportunities, pampering, karaoke, a red-carpet walk and a dance. The 150 volunteers all underwent background checks and training to be prepared for their duties in making the night safe and enjoyable for everyone. “That’s all done by Tim Tebow,” McKenzie said. “He wants it to be very secure. Some of these parents, it’s their first time really leaving their child for an event like this. You could see the hesitancy in some of their faces. They wanted to stay and see things and make sure everything was ok and so we have to keep security pretty tight to make sure they’re reassured and just to ensure our guests’ safety. We had an EMT; we had police force presence and people who were just watching for safety in general.” The night was a rousing success especially considering this was the first year it was held in Vermillion and the organizers only had six weeks to pull it together. “When we first conceptualized this we thought maybe we would get 25 guests and about as many volunteers, maybe 50 if we were lucky,” McKenzie said. “It was like it exploded overnight. We had nothing then all of a sudden it went crazy. We got so many volunteers that we had to shut down registration to a point where we had people continue to sign up to be on the waitlist because they wanted to be a part of this so badly. We had about 150 people who actually participated tonight as volunteers and around an extra 100 people helped in some way, not at the event but in creating it. Seeing that kind of response from a town as small as Vermillion is pretty incredible. We didn’t expect to have something so big.” Vermillion’s ‘Night to Shine’ event was actually one of hundreds of its kind held on the same night nationwide. “They provide all of the funding and a real thick manual of everything to do to make this night a success,” McKenzie said. Many companies and organizations in the community also contributed to making the night a success. “Something I would love to have people know is how many groups ended up backing us with this,” McKenzie said. “So many vendors gave us price breaks or just did things for free. The Spa at Wynie Mae’s shut down their whole salon for hours today and gave every single one of our ladies hair and makeup before the prom. They gave them the full experience and made them feel super special. Central Catering from Hawarden, IA gave us a tremendous price break on catering. Doug’s Sweet Treats gave us a discount on cake pops. HyVee gave us discounts on corsages and boutonnieres; it just goes on and on. We couldn’t believe how many companies and vendors got behind the cause at the last minute.” The event itself was planned rather lastminute according to McKenzie. “Pastor Steve Ford from Grace Baptist Church got an email from the Southern Baptist Convention saying hey this is going on if any of you want to be a part of this you can apply at this website,” she said. “He thought there’s no way. They’re going to look at Vermillion on the map, look at our population and be like, yeah right. But they didn’t. They accepted us right away.” While most churches begin planning in July, McKenzie and her team had from January. “I’m going to go to sleep for a good amount of time tonight,” she said. “I’ve been staying up till 4 a.m. every night working on it because there was so much to get done in that final push. I’m excited to know that all of it was worth it. I had a great partner in Ellen Margheim. She was my cocoordinator and all the volunteers just jumped in. It was pretty amazing. I’m going to be glowing for a while.” Tim Tebow himself made a video appearance at the event as each participant was crowned. “It is my honor right now to name every single one of you the queen and king of the prom,” he said. “More importantly than that, that’s how God looks at you every single day of your life. That’s how important you are. That’s how special you are.” Caregiver, Charidy Davis, knows this first hand. Davis’ daughter Chaylene who has William’s Syndrome attended the event as a participant. “I think it’s a great thing that they did for the kids and all the special needs people, I really do,” Davis said. “I think they needed this. I think that the little extras help bring their self-esteem up. Chaylene has enjoyed this experience completely. She got to go shopping for a dress. I don’t usually let her wear short ones but she’s wearing a short one tonight. She enjoyed going to get her hair done. She enjoyed getting her makeup done. She’s not a makeup kind of gal but she enjoyed that.” Davis has been grateful for the acceptance her daughter has found in the community, especially attending Vermillion High School. “A lot of the kids in this high school have accepted these kids as equals and the SESDAC adults and things like that, they are part of this community,” she said. “They do the Special Olympics and every time they have an event they all know each other and they get to get together and do all this together. I think that’s great.” Volunteer Stephanie Christopherson felt the ‘Night to Shine’ event benefitted everybody. “I think it helps shine a light on a population, adults with disabilities, here that don’t get a lot of special attention to them,” she said. “It allows folks in the community to come together and give back. I think it’s just a win-win for everybody. “Most of the volunteers I’ve seen are college students. There are probably a dozen or so community folks. So the college kids have come out in full force. It’s amazing. There are actually a lot of people volunteering that I don’t know. It’s nice to see these kids out here doing their part in community work.” One University of South Dakota student, Savannah Kirsch, was acting as a buddy for her friend Katie Pearson. Kirsch said she most enjoyed the time she was able to spend with Pearson. “I went to high school with Katie for a couple of years,” she said. “So, (we spent time) just chit-chatting and seeing her in the beautiful dress. I let her borrow it. She looks better in it than I do.” Pearson enjoys dressing up. “I have other dresses too like a cheetah dress,” she said. “I have lots of cheetah stuff.” While most buddies were assigned randomly, Pearson and Kirsch got lucky. “My mom is one of Katie’s teachers in Katie’s classroom and I know Katie so my mom just paired us up right from the beginning when I signed up,” Kirsch said. “I have a lot of friends that are helping out. I’m in a sorority so we have quite a few of our girls that volunteered their time tonight. It’s really awesome. I guess I’m just so glad that we could get something like this to our area. So many of these kids and adults that are here are so deserving of it. I know I was excited. I hope they can all walk away from it just having the night of their lives and just remember it forever.” Pearson enjoyed herself quite a bit. “I liked that room with the karaoke,” she said. “I just listened.” Her favorite selection? ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.’ “I have fun all the time in my room,” she said. “I watch movies and am on my IPad. I dance all the time in my room.” McKenzie was immensely pleased at how many people like Pearson took part in the night. “We were surprised at how many people we wound up getting as guests,” she said. “It’s so hidden; it’s not something the town talks about or advertises a lot. That is what made this night so special is we don’t focus a lot on these people so we got to literally shine the light on their population and show them how much the town is behind them and how special they are, giving them this special night to remember forever.” According to McKenzie, many of the guests were reached out to through SESDAC, an organization in Vermillion which provides services to those with disabilities with the goal of independence for everyone. “We provide the support that leads to a seamless transition to the adult service system and helps navigate the years between school and age 21 by fostering development and offering guidance,” their website reads. “Today, SESDAC is centered on the basic principles of dignity, respect, and quality. Our thriving program has expanded services to include: residential, supported living, service coordination, job development and job coaching, transportation, medical services, family support services, as well as many others.” Living a normal life is something many take for granted and it is something that those with disabilities have a right to according to Davis. USD and National Music Museum Events Enrich Shakespeare Book Display Renaissance music concerts, school tours, movie screening, teachers’ workshop and a symposium about Shakespeare’s impact on South Dakota are among the events planned in conjunction with the National Music Museum’s upcoming exhibition of the 1623 first printed collection of Shakespeare’s plays. First Folio will be on display Monday, March 7 through Saturday, April 2 next to instruments from that era at the museum on the campus of the University of South Dakota, the only stop in the state for the exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of his death. The Folger Shakespeare Library, in partnership with the Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association, is sponsoring the “First Folio! The Book that Gave us Shakespeare” tour to all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The free exhibition, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, gives groups of school children from the region, actors of all ages and anyone else interested in Shakespeare the chance to see one of the world’s most treasured books, said Darlene Farabee, project director and chair of the USD Department of English who initiated the effort to bring the folio to the museum. Details of each event, video interviews with Farabee on the significance of Shakespeare and the folio, and other information can be found at www.usd.edu/ shakespeare. The schedule of events on the USD campus and in Vermillion, all of which are free, open to the public and held at the National Music Museum unless otherwise noted: Kenneth Be “Music for the Plucked Instruments of the Elizabethan Era” concert: 12:05 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26. Kenneth Be, “The Elizabethan Lute” concert: 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26. Darlene Farabee “Shakespeare Illustrated” lecture highlighting Shakespeare-related items from USD’s I.D. Weeks Library collections: 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 1, Neuharth Conference Room. Media availability to book: Monday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 8. A media advisory with details will be sent the week before. “Shakespeare Illustrated” Exhibition with items that illustrate Shakespeare’s plays or offer ways of thinking about what the plays illustrate: Monday, March 7-Saturday, April 2, I.D. Weeks Library. Opening reception and welcome from Lee Ann Roripaugh, South Dakota’s poet laureate: 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 9. Dakota Writing Project “Teaching Shakespeare” Workshop offering teachers new ways to approach Shakespeare in the classroom: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 12, Old Main. Space for the workshop, which includes free continental breakfast, lunch and tour of the folio, is limited. Register by emailing English@usd.edu. “Shakespeare in South Dakota” Symposium, a series of short talks on how Shakespeare has been presented in the state, including uses in 19th century newspaper ads, difficulties and possibilities of translating “to be or not to be” in Lakota and ways settler communities and Native Americans interacted with Shakespeare: 2-5 p.m. Friday, March 18 and 1-5 p.m. Saturday, March 19, Farber Auditorium, Old Main. Ayreheart performing Renaissance music for children: 1 p.m., Friday, March 18, Vermillion public library. Ayreheart “Will You Walk the Woods so Wild” concert by the Renaissance music group featuring Grammynominated lute player Ronn McFarlane: 7 p.m., Friday, March 18, Farber Auditorium, Old Main. Screening of “Shakespeare in Love,” Academy Awardwinning movie from 1998 about Romeo and Juliet (Rated R): 10 a.m., Saturday, March 19, Coyote Twin Theater. Tickets are $5; free admission for USD students and NMM members. Closing reception: 2 p.m., Saturday, April 2. Concert by Sigiswald Kuijken with the Bach Society of Minnesota: 7 p.m., Thursday, April 7. Tickets are $7; $4 for seniors and youth; free to USD and NMM members. “First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare” has IMMEDIATE OPENINGS OAKWOOD APARTMENTS •AFFORDABLE RENT ADJUSTMENT FOR YOUR INCOME •LARGE 2 AND 3 BEDROOM RENTAL UNITS •STOVE, REFRIGERATOR & AIR CONDITIONING •OFF-STREET PARKING AND PLUG-INS •UTILITIES INCLUDED •ON-SITE COIN LAUNDRY •PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT & SAND BOX •3 BLOCKS FROM CAMPUS CALL NIKKI OR DAVE (605) 624-9557 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY Attention Pleasant Valley Township Residents Pleasant Valley Township Annual Meeting Tuesday March 1st, 2016 7:00 pm at Clay Rural Water System Agenda items include election of officers and receiving quotes for gravel, blading, mowing and snow removal. Full agenda available at: http://sites.google.com/site/pvtownship For more information, please contact: Brandi Johnson, Clerk 30630 Frog Creek Rd. Wakonda, SD. 57073 Brajohns76@icloud.com been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, and by the generous support of Google. org and Vinton and Sigrid Cerf. Learn more at www. folger.edu. “They’re just like everybody else,” she said. “They have feelings and they love to get out and do things like this. A lot of people don’t look at them as equals but they are. They have feelings and they enjoy these little extras that they get to do. It makes them feel special. And they are in each of their own little ways. It helps them feel like they’re part of the community. I enjoyed the fact that they got to do something like this.” Christopherson agreed. “Someone said something in our training to remember that they are people first,” she said. “So they are people with a disability. If you remember that I think it will help you in your everyday life visiting them, helping them, and communicating with them. They are people first. They have a disability second. So when you’re out and about take the time to visit with them, talk to them, ask them how their day is. I think that’s a good place to start. If you have the time to give, reach out to SESDAC. Mrs. Ford and I teach dance classes together and we have a SESDAC class. That’s a community we’ve brought into our circle as a dance studio that had been missed.” Lucky for everyone, the ‘Night to Shine’ is looking to be an annual event. “If at all in our control we will do this every year,” McKenzie said. “This was our test year. If it goes next year we’ll be that much more prepared, it will be that much bigger. They tend to fund the same places if you did it the year before and did a good job. I think they’ll be pleased with what we did so there’s a good chance. Even if they don’t give us funding we’ll fundraise in the community and make it happen.” What everyone is reading. www.broadcasteronline.com www.plaintalk.net Read and Recycle RTEC Announces Spring Class A CDL, Welding & Career Expo Opportunities! Class A CDL Truck Driving Training: Take advantage of Northeast Community College’s truck driving training program while it’s offered in Yankton and earn your Class A CDL. Sign up for the classroom portion to be held at RTEC from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on March 3 & 4, 2016. Classroom instruction will prepare you for the written test needed to obtain your learner’s permit. Driving portion of the course will be held during the week of Mar. 28 - Apr. 1, 2016 in Norfolk, NE. Cost is $995 plus tax. Class size limited to three! Welding Basics Class: Applications are being accepted for this introductory 48-hour Welding Basics class which is scheduled to begin Mar. 14, 2016. It meets Monday and Wednesday evenings from 4-8 p.m. through Apr. 20, 2016. Contact RTEC at (605) 668-5700 and apply today! Upgrade Welding Classes: Applications are still being accepted for RTEC’s AWS Certification/Upgrade Welding course set to begin on Mar. 15, 2016. It will be a 48-hour night class held from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Apr. 21, 2016. Contact RTEC today! RTEC’s Annual Career Expo for Students: Schools are invited to transports groups of middle school and high school students to this one-day event held from 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Once at RTEC, they’ll have an opportunity to explore careers and participate in hands-on activities and demonstrations. Local and area businesses, organizations and post-secondary schools are invited to sign up to host a free booth to showcase their services, career opportunities, educational programs or products to students in attendance! Contact RTEC for details and make plans to participate! More “Just for Fun” Classes in March! We are putting the finishing touches on a couple of fun classes that will be offered in mid to late March 2016. One is an Advanced Knitting Without Needles course which will show you how to create a cowl-type scarf using a new arm knitting technique. The other, yet unnamed, will feature canning jars to create a functional storage or decorative display perfect for any counter or table top. Details will be announced soon so keep watching www.rtecedu.org or like RTEC on Facebook so you and your friends can sign up! Please contact RTEC for more information today! 1200 W. 21st St. Yankton, SD 57078 (605) 668-5700 www.rtecedu.org Like RTEC on Facebook!