Students volunteer for second special populations prom

Saturday night at 6:30 p.m., the ECU Ambassadors hosted the second annual Special Populations Prom at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pitt County. The event was an opportunity for individuals, who may not have had an opportunity to attend dances or proms, to experience an event that is often a milestone in a teenager's life.

However, the event was not limited to high school students. The Special Populations Prom is held for special population members of Pitt County of all ages, and each person was allowed to bring two guests. ECU Ambassador Leslie Wheeler proposed the idea of hosting the prom, after volunteering at a similar event in her hometown.

"When I got to Pitt County and started working and going to school, I realized that special needs people were a population that our university does not serve," she said.

"We serve at-risk kids and all other kinds of people, but other than Special Olympics, we don't do much for [the special needs population]."

Wheeler said that the purpose of the event was to give this population a social event outside of the holiday parties hosted by the Olympics.

"[It's] just for them to have a night that they can be social and enjoy themselves and feel like they are special," Wheeler said.

"They do a lot of Special Olympics activities but they don't have many social activities except for the Christmas and Valentine's Day parties."

The theme for the prom was "Capture the Dream."

"This [theme] ensures that all attending -- high school age and older individuals with physical and mental disabilities -- will feel that they can capture any dream they have," the ECU Ambassadors organization said in a press release.

"The theme brings the excitement of the upcoming Special Olympics to life. Guests will feel as if they have been transported to Beijing and the opening ceremonies."

The prom was free and many volunteers and donations helped make the event a success. Wheeler said help from the community, sponsors and over 100 volunteers was crucial.

Longhorn and Olive Garden restaurants catered the event; Salem United Methodist Church gave money as a co-sponsor and donated food for 150 volunteers; Discovery Church provided free use of their equipment and The Boys and Girls club hosted the event for free. Females attending the prom were able to receive assistance with hair and make-up before the event. Many businesses and private sponsors helped make the event a success with services, goods and monetary donations. Wheeler said the help was "a huge blessing."

"Without the community, it couldn't be possible," she said.

ECU student and DJ, Tyler Richardson provided the music for the event. Richardson also DJed the event in its first year, and said he felt it was important to volunteer his time and talents to do something for others.

"It was a wonderful experience," said Richardson. "Last year was interesting because it was the first time. Anytime you put something on for the first time, it's very hard to gauge what kind of level you need to be at, especially as a DJ, and what kind of music that you need to play."

But Richardson said the crowd warmed up quickly and he was pleased to see the prom goers enjoying themselves, which was why he wanted to participate in this years' event.

"These kids, they might go to their regular school's prom, but you know, they really feel left out a lot of the time," he said.

"They don't really feel like they're a part of their special group. When we do this, they can really be themselves. They can dance however they want. They can be around kids who are just like them and that's an important thing."

Clara Richards, whose son Chris attended the prom, was thankful for the event. She said it was a wonderful evening that her son looked forward to.

"He had fun getting fitted for his tux and having things ready for the evening," she said. "He did not leave the dance floor while there. He was there for the music and dancing with the pretty girls."

Wheeler said the prom was a complete success, and she hoped the event would help others "understand the complete satisfaction and reward that volunteering for such events brings."

"I can say that I doubt one volunteer or guest woke up this morning with anything less than wonderful memories from the evening," she said after the event. "I think that it is important, especially on a college campus, to realize that this was just a thought and dream of mine, but with the help of the Ambassadors, an amazing and elite group on our campus, it became a reality."

The ECU Ambassadors is a student-run organization focused on promoting ECU through voluntary services. According to their Web site, their mission is "to represent the devotion of every East Carolina University student, staff, faculty and alumni through our determination and enthusiasm concerning academics and community service."

"My small idea with the help of Theresa, community service chair last year, became larger than I could have dreamed," Wheeler said. "If everyone on our campus tried to tackle their ideas with their organizations, think what big things we could do. As our prom theme said, 'capture the dream.'"

ECU Ambassadors is sponsored by the Alumni Association. To learn more about the ECU Ambassadors, or to request their volunteer assistance with an event, visit piratealumni.com.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.