Project Prom hosts meet and greet

Project Prom of Northern Nevada invites the community to a meet and greet open house event 4-6 p.m. Feb. 3 at the CVIC Hall, 1602 Esmeralda Ave. in Minden.

Project Prom is a 501(c)3 organization that provides “an annual prom event for developmentally disabled adults in the greater Douglas County and surrounding areas” (projectpromofnonv.com/).  The prom began as a community project spearheaded by the 2021 Leadership Douglas County class under the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce (carsonvalleynv.org/leadership-douglas-county/) and has evolved into a legacy event that’s held annually at the Douglas County Community and Senior Center.

Each Leadership class is responsible for coordinating and implementing a special project that benefits the local community. The 2021 Leadership class was inspired to host the prom after a presentation by Kiwanis Club of Carson Valley member and Aktion Club advisor Gary Dove, who shared Aktion Club’s mission “to provide adults living with disabilities an opportunity to develop initiative, leadership skills, and to serve their communities” (aktionclub.org). Dove’s wish to hold a special event for Aktion Club members sparked the interest of the LDC class, and plans for the prom were soon underway.

Class participants Michelle Brown and Courtney Moore were appointed project chairs for the event, which was themed, “A Night Under the Stars.” The first prom was held in September 2021 and drew adult attendees from the Carson Valley and South Lake Tahoe Aktion Clubs, NV Governor’s Council of Developmental Disabilities (nevadaddcouncil.org/), and the Special Olympics of Nevada (sonv.org/).

Following the popularity and success of that initial prom, Brown and Moore partnered to form the nonprofit Project Prom organization, which runs with the support of grants, donations, and volunteers. As co-founders, the duo bring a shared love of community and experience serving on different non-profit boards to their roles as president (Brown) and vice-president (Moore), and they continue to work closely with the Kiwanis Aktion Club of Carson Valley to bring each annual event to fruition.

Brown said that as the event has grown more popular each year, it remains committed to providing “many unforgettable memories for our self-advocates and their guests.”

Project Prom is now in its second official year as a non-profit, and all of the funds raised and received go directly to support each annual event. The theme for this year’s prom is, “A Night Under the Sea.”

“We are so overwhelmed with the support we have received from our community, and how they have continued to wrap their arms around us,” said Moore. She expressed gratitude for the “great buzz and community support in getting our name out there,” and said there are still lots of people who don’t know about Project Prom, their mission, and who they serve.

Moore said the new year provides a great opportunity to raise awareness about what the project does, how they do it, and ideas for expansion in the years to come. The meet and greet open house aims to provide a broad brush overview of the organization, answer questions, and share specifics about the annual event and ways to get involved.

For more information, visit Project Prom’s website or call 530-545-9906.

Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com.