Michael Franco of Dublin, left, and Anneli Rullo, of Los Altos, both with special needs, dance during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Pleasanton’s Blue Oaks Church hosted The Starlight Ball, an in-person prom for special needs people, on Friday night. The church, which usually hosts the annual Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine, held the event because Night to Shine was held virtually. “We wanted to offer an in-person experience this year, so ‘The Starlight Ball’ was born,” said Joe Hartley, Blue Oaks Church’s executive pastor.
After a brief limo ride within the fairgrounds, special needs guests walked the red carpet to a host of cheering volunteers. The complimentary event featured hair and makeup stations, shoe shining, corsages and boutonnieres, and food truck dinners. Therapy pets were available for petting, and parents and caretakers were treated to a respite room.
The highlight of the ball, however, was the dancing. Each of the 320 guests had a dance partner, a volunteer “buddy” who stayed with them at all times, escorting them through the event.
The buddies were among the 460 volunteers along with sponsors who helped to run the free event. “We couldn’t do The Starlight Ball or Night to Shine without our incredible sponsors and our dream team of volunteers,” said Jenna Litvinchuk, director of The Starlight Ball.
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Special needs guest Andrew Kunzel, center, dances with other special needs guests and volunteer helper “buddies” during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Adam Shariff, left, and Ally Brady, both with special needs, dance during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Special needs guest Keith Bailey, of Antioch, walks the red carpet to cheering fans during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Special needs guests and their volunteer helper “buddies” dance during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Volunteer helper “buddy” Reyna Gunn, left, and special needs guest Ryan Berry, both of Pleasanton, dance during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Special needs guests are given a ride through the Alameda County Fairgrounds in a McLaren and Ferrari before walking the red carpet during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, walk the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Volunteer helper “buddy” Barb Henshaw, of Pleasanton, left, and special needs guest Jeff Throop, walk the red carpet to cheering fans during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Special needs guest Tanya Spikes, of Tracy, left, and volunteer helper “buddy” Elle Bowman of Livermore, dance during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) A police escort through the Alameda County Fairgrounds is given for the limousines carrying special needs guests attending the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, walk the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Special needs guest Adam Shariff, of Danville, left, and volunteer helper “buddy” Mariah Gill, of Livermore, dance during the Blue Oaks Church-sponsored “Starlight Ball” held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., on Friday, April 29, 2022. The Starlight Ball was held to provide an in-person prom experience for people with special needs. Each special needs guest was paired with a volunteer “buddy” to escort the special needs person through the event. Guests were also treated to a limo ride, a walk down the red carpet to cheering fans, dancing, karaoke, and a host of treats and food. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
