BARNEGAT – Bayside Chapel became a palace for its annual Night to Shine prom, welcoming guests with special needs to an evening designed entirely around one idea: everyone deserves to feel celebrated.
Sparkling lights shimmered on the ceiling. Music pulsed through the halls. A red carpet stretched across the entrance as volunteers cheered for each arrival. Lacey Limousines pulled up outside. A horse and carriage from Giddy Up Ranch circled the property, offering guests a royal ride beneath the winter sky. For three hours, Bayside Chapel became absolutely magical.
The honored guests ranged in age from 14-year-olds attending their first prom to seniors in their 60s and 70s who were just as eager to claim the dance floor. Some arrived with their wheelchairs decorated for the occasion. Others leaned on buddies for guidance. Some were non-verbal. None of that mattered.
They did not need words to express their happiness.
Their smiles, their laughter and the way their faces lit up under the sparkling lights said everything.
Approximately 180 honored guests attended, each paired with a buddy for the evening. Including volunteers, organizers and parents, roughly 450 people moved throughout the space. Every part of the church carried its own rhythm. In one end of the room, women’s faces lit up as volunteers curled hair and applied makeup. Along the back wall, men grinned as their shoes were polished to a shine.
Across the hall, karaoke singers lined up to take the microphone. A photo booth flashed repeatedly. Downstairs, a respite room for parents offered quiet space for anyone who needed a break from the excitement.
It was not simply a prom. It was a night centered on dignity.
Night to Shine: A National Event
While the celebration felt deeply personal inside the Barnegat church, it is part of a global movement. Night to Shine is part of a worldwide initiative of the Tim Tebow Foundation. According to the foundation, more than 700 churches across the globe host the event annually, celebrating approximately 90,000 honored guests ages 14 and older. The evening culminates with each guest being crowned king or queen.
Bayside Chapel has hosted the event since 2017, pausing only during the pandemic before bringing it back in 2023.
“It’s zero charge,” said Chris Yax, a church elder who leads the special needs ministry alongside his wife, Joanne. “We rely completely on donations and sponsors.”
Registration opens first to participants in the church’s special needs ministry and then to the public. Once the public link goes live, spots fill quickly, often within hours.
“There are so many more special needs individuals out there than people even imagine,” Yax said. “We call them the forgotten people of our society. On this night, they’re not forgotten.”
Community support once again fueled the celebration.
Chick-fil-A provided meals for guests and buddies and hosted fundraising nights that donated 20 percent of proceeds back to the event. Members of the Lacey Elks volunteered and contributed financial support. The German Butcher supplied food for parents while they took a break. Local pizzerias, including Vinnie’s, Naples, Pies on Nine and MaMMa Rosa were among the other contributors.
Barnegat EMS stood by. Volunteers flowed from station to station. Even the DJ made it clear this was non-negotiable on his calendar.
“This is my favorite place ever,” DJ Chuck “Hype” Gookins told the crowd. “I’m not missing this for nothing.” Gookins led groups of happy dancers on the stage, whose smiles and foot action mirrored his.
As the night progressed, the dance floor filled with wheelchairs spinning in rhythm, and buddies dancing arm in arm with their guests. Some guests clapped enthusiastically. Others rocked gently with joy.
Later in the evening, buddies lined up to retrieve crowns and tiaras. Pastor Andrew Weber delivered the gospel message, followed by a short video message from Tim Tebow and his wife that reminded guests how valued they are.
Then came the defining moment. Each buddy gently placed a crown on the head of their honored guest. Under sparkling lights, every guest stood crowned. They were all the kings and queens of the prom.
A Ministry That Welcomes All
While Night to Shine may be the most visible event, it is only one part of Bayside Chapel’s commitment to individuals with special needs.
The church’s weekly ministry, called Wonderfully Made, meets every Thursday evening during the school year from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The name Wonderfully Made comes from Psalm 139:14, which speaks of being “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
“Regardless of someone’s disability, we’re all fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator,” Yax said.
The ministry provides a consistent community where friendships grow, faith is shared and families find support. Night to Shine, Yax explained, is an extension of those weekly relationships. “It’s not just one night,” he said. “This is something we do all year.”
Bayside Chapel plans to host Night to Shine again on February 12, 2027.
