At the Lair Event Center a special group of people gathered for their second annual prom. The prom goers were from the Stoddard County ARC, Family Matters Dayhab, Sikeston and many more.
The event was the Family Matters Adult Dayhab Prom. It is an event for Department of Mental Health consumers. Brandy Kearbey, director of Family Matters and event booker for the Lair, said the clients that come to the dayhab learn a skill each day. This skill could be a social skill, a developmental skill, hygiene or housekeeping. Kearbey said the skill is anything that will enhance the client’s life so they can live their best life.
”Our morning time is always geared toward learning and our afternoon community involvement,” said Kearbey. “We travel to Cape, we do art therapy, we have done equine therapy with other people who open that up to our consumers.”
Kearbey said this year’s event is twice as large as last year’s. The inspiration for the events came from an event run by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Tebow’s event, Night to Shine, was forced to shut down in person activity. It is scheduled to return to an in person event in 2023.
Kearbey saw Tebow’s event and thought a similar event on a smaller scale could be done locally. The Family Matters Dayhab Prom was born. Over 120 adults with special needs attended. Kearbey extended her thanks to Susan and Justin Decker for allowing the use of the Lair.
The event gives the consumers the chance to dress up, be glamorous and feel special. The prom as most proms do, opens with the grand march. After all the the consumers enter to the applause of family, friends and staff members a prom king and queen are crowned. All of the consumers that entered gather on the stage and are part of the prom court.
Kearby drew the names out of a bowl and the king and queen received crowns to wear during the event. After the coronation it was time to dance. The consumers were then free to be themselves and enjoy the day. Every consumer also received a door prize and a gift bag of goodies. Food and drink were also provided to the consumers.
Kearbey said her clients mean a lot to her. She said she lost her son not long ago and she returned to work two weeks after the loss because she knew the clients could help heal her heart.
“I would also like to say that Stoddard County has been so gracious to us,” said Kearbey. “Part of those social skills I was talking about, part of my staff Tina Jones, takes small groups out in the community and works on this event all year long. And just the overwhelming donations that support us and the Department of Mental Health Community. They make this event even more successful.”