A nonprofit group in Omaha, Nebraska, hosted an exciting evening for young people with special needs on Saturday.
Organizers with Bridge to Independence were extremely pleased to announce the “Night of Wonders” event, which gave attendees a chance to dress up and have a good time with their loved ones, KETV reported.
TODAY'S THE DAYYYY!!!
Posted by Bridge to Independence on Saturday, March 2, 2024
The event was the first one of its kind that did not have age restrictions, so more people could attend and experience something truly wonderful.
Bridge to Independence President Dr. McKenzie Schneider said, “Typically, you have to be 14, 15 years of age. And with that, we’ve actually got a couple of terminally ill children here tonight that won’t live to be 14 or 15 years of age”:
And so, it’s one of those — we wanted to be able to provide a prom and a special event for people acorss the age, across the lifespan. And another really big thing is we’re completely free, and we have health care professionals, police officers, things like that on staff helping.
Although some attendees might be comfortable going to their high school proms, others might have needs that school staff members do not know how to accommodate, the KETV article said.
According to the organization’s website, its purpose is to empower people with disabilities to attain their fullest potential and become independent.
The group offers activities, such as swim lessons, adaptive yoga, life skills classes, education for parents, and adaptive tutoring.
Several people who attended the event commented on the group’s post about it, one person writing, “Had a wonderful time, Thanks again! Hope theirs [sic] many more to come. Will be looking more into your services for my little guy.”
“It was so much fun! Thank you for allowing me to be apart [sic] of it! I’m hoping there will be many more,” another user commented, while someone else said, “Our girls stayed the whole time and had SO much fun!!!! Thank you!!!”
Bridge to Independence is hoping to host the event for young people on an annual basis.
According to Nemours Kids Health, every child is a special individual, but children with “special needs” may require extra assistance due to medical, emotional, or learning issues they may face.
