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Volume 114, Issue 3
Faith, Hope, and Love
Article and photos by Auxiliarist Barbara Sama
TO HONOR IS TO HAVE FAITH
D5NR was recently honored to have participated with the TEBOW
Foundation to brighten the lives of wonderful special needs people.
On February 10, 2017, the 50 states of America plus another 11
countries participated in the “Night to Shine”. Close to 400 churches
worldwide held a prom night above and beyond the expectation of the
crowds. Kids and adult with special needs were honored. Everyone
became a Queen or King for this one night. The active duty Coast
Guard and the Auxiliary united in another adventure at the Glasgow
Church, in Newark, De.. Minutes before the Red-carpet entrance,
hundreds of the volunteers gathered for a briefing to make this night
special.
TO RESPECT IS TO HAVE HOPE
Auxiliary members D.CLENDENING, McINTYRE
MERRILL, HORAN AND SARAC line up along the Red-
carpet, for the arrival of the honored guests, dressed in their
stylish tuxedos and evening gowns. Each side of the church
entrance was flanked by the Coast Guard Team to show
respect, and with the hope of making this evening, their night
to shine!
DEVOTION IS LOVE
The parents watched from the balcony with smiles and pride. An empty chair was
occasionally filled by an exhausted dancer. There is no stronger love than the devotion of
the parents of special needs children. The true hero here, is not the Coast Guard active or
the Auxiliary. Neither is the Glasgow Church, TEBOW Foundation, or the hundreds of
volunteers who got the kids ready or the hall decorated. Nor are the parents who take these
challenges every day to help their child. But the truth is, the child who wears the crown/
tiara is the real hero.
Every day is a challenge and you would never know it as they dance the night away. They
don’t see it as a struggle as we do. Instead, it’s the joy, and wonder that is expressed. You
see and hear it in the endless smiles and laughter of the evening, filling the ballroom with so
much noise, you could barely hear the D.J. An emotional parent explained to DDC/DSO
of Operations Sarac, how their “daughter may never go to a prom or get married, you all
have provided these kids AND us parents a moment we will never forget!”
D5NR humbly volunteered that night without realizing that they got more than they gave. Additional members present
include Palermo and Sama. The active duty volunteers include; McNaughton(in headline, picture by Sarac), Kaufman, Martin,
Kirkham and Alejandro-Mar.
We danced the night way with everyone and a few were seen singing. (OUCH!) But in all, every one of us agreed that we
would happily do it over and over.