Vicky Kuharski, Staff Writer~
Lynchburg Project Lifesavers are holding their 8th annual Second Chance Prom at Phase
2 on Saturday, April 8, from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Every year, Project Lifesavers holds the Second Chance Prom to raise both donations and
awareness for their cause.
The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Donations of $20 or more will be taken for
entry at the door, and the first 200 people to show up will receive free t-shirts. There are also a limited supply of VIP tickets available. The VIP tickets are $50 and will upgrade the experience with a buffet dinner in the VIP lounge, a free event t-shirt and reserved seating in the main area throughout the evening.
This year’s Second Chance Prom will be a throwback to the ‘50s and ‘60s. The theme is
Sock Hop, and all who attend are encouraged to dress accordingly.
Live music will be provided all night, beginning with Taylor Rodriguez, an Elvis tribute
artist. Rodriguez channels The King through his music as well as his style and dance moves.
Rodriguez’s performance will last from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a meet-and- greet to follow.
Following that performance will be En’Novation, which is a classic R&B and soul band hailing from Richmond, Virginia. They will be playing throughout the night with DJ Charlie Rock spinning during their breaks. DJ Charlie Rock will also be performing during the dance for the winners of Prom King and Queen.
This event is taking place the same week as World Autism Day. Project Lifesaver was
brought to Lynchburg by previous Sheriff Ron Gillispie in April of 2002.
Project Lifesaver’s mission is to “utilize state of the art technology in assisting those who
care for victims of Alzheimer’s and other Related Mental Dysfunctional Disorders (ARMD) and victims who become lost.” This includes the elderly and also those of all ages with autism and Down syndrome.
Research conducted for the National Autism Association shows that approximately half of children with autism will attempt to wander off, which is four times more likely than unaffected children. Of those children that do wander, over one-third are unable to communicate their name, address or phone number. This makes it much more difficult for them to make it home and is one of many reasons that Project Lifesaver was brought to Lynchburg.
Lynchburg’s Project Lifesaver is staffed 24 hours a day by a joint search team from
member agencies. Three members of the Lynchburg Sheriff’s Department recently attended an advanced training program for Project Lifesaver in an effort to provide the best help and care possible to the Lynchburg area.
Your donation of $20 will go toward this organization. If you are interested in attending this event, tickets can be bought through Phase2Club.com.
