Windsor’s special-needs ‘Prom 16’ coming to Mayacamas Golf Club this year

It's a night on the red carpet, with spotlights, photographers, Oscar souvenirs and more. But the special people in attendance won't be there for the Academy Awards.

Less than a week after Hollywood has its annual gala, Prom 2016, a party for special-needs students, is being held at the Mayacama Golf Club for those who don't ordinarily get to the dance.

It's the third year in a row that Windsor High School students have organized a prom for special-needs youth. But for the first time, the venue is the ritzy, private club in the gated community in the hills east of Windsor.

The March 5 event is organized by several Windsor High students under the mentorship of Cindy Cahill, whose daughter Victoria organized the first prom in 2014, when she was a senior.

Victoria, now a sophomore at San Diego State University, was inspired to stage the event by her brother Justin, 22, who has severe autism.

About 150 special-needs students from Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties, ranging in age from 14 to 26, are expected to be there. With caretakers, dates and relatives, attendance is expected to swell to 250.

“It was so awesome the first year,” said Ciara Johnston, a Windsor High senior helping to oversee this year's party along with classmates Riley Smith and Cassie Howard.

This year, instead of a church meeting hall as they used for the past two years, organizers were able to get Mayacama as the setting with the help of club member Pat Dugan.

“We wanted to make them feel special. It's fancier,” Johnston said.

Word of the prom has spread with the help of the Sonoma County Office of Education.

It's free to attend. But to make it happen, money is raised for food, including light appetizers and desserts.

Corsages and boutonnières must be made. Prom dresses and men's dinner jackets, ties and tuxedos need to be found. And hairdressers have to be enlisted. It takes a lot of organization and work from a team of volunteers.

Lights, a DJ and a photo booth all need to be arranged, either through volunteer labor or via donations collected for an approximate $3,000 to $3,500 budget.

Those who want to help - bakery items, hairdressers and a photo booth still are needed - can call 889-2526.

“It it is a ton, ton, ton of work,” Cindy Cahill said, adding that it is well worth it.

“These kids have the time of their life. There's no complaining, no drama. Everyone's having fun,” she said. “They talk about it all year long: ‘When is the prom?' They're so excited.”

Even students who don't have dates can be sure someone will be there to dance with them, or they can jump into the conga line. No one sits on the sidelines.

“There's a smile on everyone's face,” Johnston said.

The students might have autism or Down syndrome. Wheelchairs are welcome.

Even a prom king and queen will be chosen in a random drawing.

Cahill said special-needs students don't always get treated well at school.

“Kids can be cruel,” she said.

But at the prom, there's nothing to fear.

“They're just sweetness. They don't have any hate in them,” Cahill said. “I love (disabled) kids. I want them to feel as special as they are.”

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @clarkmas.