Are you looking for a reason to get all dolled up this Valentine’s Day? Then break out that old high school dress and get ready for the prom. On Feb. 13, non-profit group Tied At The Heart will hold Eclipse of the Heart, a prom for adults.
The event will begin at 8 p.m. inside the Sugar Space Arts Warehouse in Salt Lake. Tickets can be purchased online prior to the event, $22.09 for couples and $16.82 for singles. All proceeds will benefit Tied At The Heart, a non-profit group supporting individuals affected by adoption.
Jessalynn Speight founded the group after she placed a child for adoption eight years ago. “Tied At The Heart is a non-profit that helps women who place their children for adoption. We provide healing retreats for those women as well as help (and) counseling when needed,” Speight said.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, over 50 thousand children were adopted in 2014, and Tied At The Heart is working to ease some of the mental and emotional pain often experienced by parties involved in adoption. The individuals affected most are the adoption triad, which includes the birth mother, adoptive mother and adopted child.
Birth mother Alysia Foote helps with planning classes for Tied At The Heart retreats and events. Foote and her husband became pregnant after she’d been diagnosed with chronic medical issues.
Foote decided it was best to place her unborn child for adoption. The Oxygen network program “I’m Having Their Baby” documented the journey. In the episode, Foote said, “When you sign that paper it makes it very, very real that there’s no going back. It’s really hard for any birth parent to deal with.”
The adult prom, Eclipse Of The Heart, came about as a fundraising tool. Founder Jessalynn Speight said, ”Our prom is our fundraiser and we are so excited about it. Our DJ is incredible and will keep the tunes going all night long.”
The prom will feature music from various eras, food and even the classic prom photo op. The crowning of a prom king and queen has been promised, along with a giveaway featuring two round-trip airline tickets courtesy of Jet Blue. Speight said, “People can come (dressed) in anywhere from Sunday best to (thrift store) chic … We just want to raise money for a good cause and have a good time.”
