Church holds prom to remember
Young people with special needs invited
It was their turn and their night.
Libby Aleson and Ayanna Thomas were among nearly 100 people with special needs who got the star treatment at a prom night Saturday.
Prom-goers ages 15 to 24 were treated to hair styling and makeup at Vici Beauty School before limousines took them to a red-carpet entrance into the dance at The Ridge Community Church, host of the free event. The young women had selected gowns from among 1,000 donated options; the guys wore tuxes.
Thomas was resplendent in a champagne-colored dress. Lexi Watkins, one of many Vici students pampering their guests, applied makeup as Ayanna’s mom, Brenda, and siblings Regina and Eric explained that Ayanna’s regular stylist had done her hair up in “The Goddess Braids.” The family lives in Glendale.
“She just loves it,” Brenda Thomas said. “She picked out her own dress.”
Awaiting a limousine ride was Libby Aleson, accompanied by her parents, Sue and Dave, from Waukesha.
“She loves the Disney princess movies,” Sue Aleson said of tiara-topped Libby, who proudly showed off a white dress she picked after trying on seven others. “There’s no doubt she’s feeling like a princess today.”
Dave Aleson said it was nice that Libby, having seen her siblings dress up for various special evenings, now had her own chance.
Rebecca Gehle, director of first impressions at The Ridge, a nondenominational Christian church just down Highway 100 from Vici, said the church was inspired by those elsewhere that have put on similar events.
“We exist to help people find and follow God,” Gehle told a reporter. “We wanted to show people that God loves them.”
Many of the prom-goers are challenged by Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or autism. All special guests were escorted by volunteer “hosts” for the afternoon and eventing.
“It just makes you cry to see all these women feeling beautiful and having fun,” Sue Aleson said.