CROW RIVER NEWS
Michael • Rogers • Albertville • Medina • Corcoran
WWW.PRESSNEWS.COM
A Night To Remember Prom guests will be able to show off on the red carpet this May, while being photographed and cheered on by their loved ones.
A Night To Remember Prom: New organizer, same goal
By MADELAINE FORMICA
madelaine.formica@apgecm.com
Limos, a red carpet and a
night all about them are what
special needs teens and young
adults, ages 15-22, will experi-
ence May 22 at A Night To Re-
member Prom. With a Candy-
land theme, it’s bound to be a
sweet night.
The 100 teens, or honored
guests, will be from all over
the Crow River area and its
surrounding cities including
STMA SCHOOLS
BUDGET CUTS
STMA School District
looks to cut up to $1.4M
from budget.
— PAGE 2
Serving the communities of St.
THURSDAY • FEBRUARY 17, 2022
Albertville, Becker, Big Lake,
Buffalo, Corcoran, Elk River,
Greenfield, Hanover, Maple
Grove, Monticello, Otsego,
Rockford, Rogers and St. Mi-
chael.
A Night To Remember Prom
started in 2017, hosted by West-
bridge Church of St. Michael,
but as of 2021 the church could
no longer host the event. When
Albertville resident Samantha
Pfeifer was asked in May 2021
if she would like to take over,
there was no hesitation.
ROGERS GIRLS WIN 12TH
STRAIGHT GAME
PAGE 25
_______________________
PUBLIC NOTICES:
PAGE 21
_______________________
“It brings such joy to those
kids, I couldn’t let it fall off at
the wayside,” Pfeifer said. “I al-
ways wanted to make a change
in people’s lives ever since I was
little, no matter what it was I
was going to do something. And
this kind of fell in my lap and I
ran with it.”
She instantly went to work
recruiting seven board mem-
bers and registering A Night To
Remember Prom as a nonprofit.
Due to the pandemic, there was
a drive-thru prom in 2020 and
CROW RIVER NEWS
763-425-3323
33 SECOND STREET NE
OSSEO, MN 55369
sunpressnews@apgecm.com
www.pressnews.com
the event was cancelled in 2021.
With fundraising on hold
until they became an official
nonprofit in February, there
was very little money left for
Pfeifer to use for the prom. She
also wanted to go bigger than
the St. Michael Albertville High
School gym.
Thankfully the community
came through and was ready to
help local teens feel special and
experience a prom of their own.
Rockwoods restaurant, bar
and event center in Otsego is
$1.50
Volume 58, Number 36
(PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMANTHA PFEIFER)
donating its entire venue and
food for the prom. The teens
and young adults will have the
run of the place for the night,
enjoying the ballroom, a confer-
ence room that can be used as a
quiet space for those who need
it, a private dining area that will
be used for hair and makeup
for the guests and the front en-
trance where the red carpet will
be set up so guests can strut
their looks for pictures.
See Prom, Page 3
pressnews.com
Prom
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Other local businesses have
made donations, including des-
serts from Applebees, photos
by Lorissa Lynn Photography
space for guests to hair and
makeup from Dream Day
Dressing Room.
“It’s just heartwarming and
amazing,” Pfeifer said. “Every-
one wants to help these kids
have a great evening.”
The Special Night
The variety of special needs
of the prom-goers have been
taken into account when plan-
ning the event.
“They’re just beaming with
happiness and joy,” Pfeifer said.
“We are very cautious of these
kids’ needs and we take that to be
a priority to make sure everyone
is safe and comfortable.”While
there will be no parent view-
ing room this year, parents who
still wish to be near may stay in
the venue and eat and drink in
a separate room. Nurses and a
doctor will be in the ballroom
area to help with the guests.
“I wanted this to be more of a
prom, where kids are away from
their parents and being kids,”
Pfeifer said.
The event starts at 1 p.m. May
22 with hair and makeup treat-
ment. Prom-goers should show
up already dressed. At 4 p.m.
there will be check in, followed
by the Red Carpet starting at
4:30 p.m., allowing the guests to
make their way into the venue
and take pictures. Dinner will
start at 5:45 p.m., followed by a
dance from 6:45-9 p.m.
Student host volunteers from
Crow River News Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 • Page 3
In 2020, A Night To Remember Prom was a drive-thru event due to the pandemic, (PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAMANTHA PFEIFER)
but this year it will be in person at the Rockwoods restaurant, bar and event cen- Albertville resident, Samantha Pfeifer (middle) is now the president of A Night To
ter in Otsego, which donated its entire facility. Remember Prom.
ages 15-22 will escort the guests to do that and feel really special
throughout the night to allow ... and create something really
their time to be extra special. special for them that’s the goal
The hosts are expected to arrive right.”
dressed to impress with their Pulling in sponsors, organiz-
hair and makeup already done. ing the agenda for the event and
They will walk down the red getting a full non-profit status
carpet, accompany their guest within a year has been an under-
to dinner and then the dance. taking, but Laingen had faith in
This is Board Member and Pfeifer and the rest of the board
Fundraising and Sponsorship to manage it.
Coordinator Tam Laingen’s “I have full faith it’ll all come
first A Night To Remember together,” Laingen said. “[Pfeif-
Prom and she wishes she wasn’t er] had full faith before I did.
too old to be a host and escort But, that’s why she is our vision
a prom guest down the red car- girl and our leader.”
pet. She will be there at the red Registration to attend as a
carpet, cheering them on. guest or student host is now
“Prom just allows us to make open at anighttoremember-
people feel really special, you prom.org. As of Feb. 4, only
get to get your hair done, you 10 out of the 100 student host
get really dressed up and to do slots have been filled. Donations
that with people who are a little and other sponsorships are also
bit like yourself,” Laingen said. welcomed. Honored guests will have the oportunity to get their hair and makeup done by
“To give them an opportunity volunteers before they start their night of festivities.
Online scheduling
now available!
Now offering
TELETHERAPY!
Pediatric Occupational Therapy and
Speech Therapy Services offering:
-Free screenings
-Flexible hours Convenient morning
Park Dental and evening hours
-Next day appointments Albertville-St. Michael
Doctor-owned, locally loved
-Assistance with insurance questions 11091 Jason Ave NE, Suite 3
Albertville, MN 55301
Contact us today to set up your free 763-497-2822
screening.
952-223-2506
parkdental.com Trusted dentist for the
www.SunnyDaysTherapy.com