COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Council Bluffs C.A.R.E.S. is hosting a prom for people of all abilities on Saturday. It's the second year the nonprofit, which was started by a local Optimist Club, is holding a prom.
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
- Art instructor, Malia Green: “There was a bunch of people who came up to me and were like, ‘Oh, this is my first time ever going to a prom.”
- Carly Sorensen attended her prom at Abraham Lincoln and told me helping others at the all abilities prom is fun: “You could just tell that they were happy and were having a great time.”
- Volunteer Susan Enewold likes seeing the reaction of guests after they get their hair and makeup done: “Just them looking in that mirror when they were done, and they looked at themselves, and they had these smiles like you wouldn’t believe."
Susan Enewold and her husband re-created their prom picture from 1983 at last year's prom
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Everyone who wants to should get a chance to experience prom.
I’m your Southwest Iowa Neighborhood Reporter Katrina Markel in Council Bluffs.
This nonprofit got its start during the pandemic, distributing arts and crafts kits during the pandemic.
Now, Council Bluffs C.A.R.E.S. is making sure that anyone who wants to can dress up and dance the night away.
Curt: “I’m going to look good.”
Curt is one of many neighbors, with a disability, who regularly makes crafts at the Council Bluffs C.A.R.E.S. studio. He’s looking forward to the prom on Saturday.
So is art instructor, Malia Green: “There was a bunch of people who came up to me and were like, ‘Oh, this is my first time ever going to a prom.”
Volunteer Susan Enewold said they started the prom last year because Council Bluffs didn’t have anything quite like it.
“They were already asking us at the prom last year, what’s our theme for next year,” she said.
It’s a Hawaiian theme. The palm trees are being assembled by Corina and her dad.
Carly Sorensen attended her prom at Abraham Lincoln and told me helping others at the all abilities prom is fun: “You could just tell that they were happy and were having a great time.”
Enewold says it’s exciting to see guests pick out donated outfits ahead of time and then be pampered with hair and makeup the day of: “Just them looking in that mirror when they were done, and they looked at themselves, and they had these smiles like you wouldn’t believe."
She says there will be 600 guests this year; 100 more neighbors than last year.
