Local Business Stepping Up to Make Prom Happen

By Chris Tramel

Senior prom is supposed to be a celebration. It is the culmination of a young person's years attending school, from kindergarten to high school. It is an event that commemorates the transition from school age to adulthood. For many, it is the social event of their young lives, where they will say goodbye to schoolmates they have know since grade school.  Some spend months picking out the right dress or tuxedo, renting that stretch limo, and planning the night out.

The year 2020 has been anything but normal. The covid-19 pandemic put a halt to all school activity from classroom to sports, and threatened not only prom but graduation itself. In a year that has seen nothing but doom and gloom in the headlines, one might think they were living through the script of some Hollywood drama, where normal just doesn't exist anymore.

 But one local business is stepping up to the plate for local DeKalb County seniors. They are trying to give the 2020 senior class the prom they have always dreamed of, and that they deserve.

 Fred and Debi Sheets, owners of Twisted Oaks Bar and Grill on Nashville Highway in Smithville, say they want to help local seniors have their special night. "We had heard a rumor that prom had been cancelled," Debi told the Smithville Review. "Now, we found out later that it hadn't been, but we had planned an event for May, for an adult prom. Every month we have an event, and that was one we had scheduled. So, we thought instead of having an adult prom, if they're going to cancel the prom, let's have an unofficial one here."

 Sheets said that they called the school as a courtesy and that's when the ball started rolling officially. "We didn't want to hold one that would disrespect the school. So, I called the school to let them know, and left a message. A few days later they called back and asked if we could do it, because they had lost their venue in Lebanon to hold it. That's how it all got started."

 According to Sheets, while the restaurant was a good local spot to hold the prom, some changes would have to be made for a school sanctioned event. "We are a restaurant that has a bar in it, so there are a few things that will have to be changed. Anything that references alcohol of any type, any signs or anything like that, will be taken down, and the liquor will all be locked up. We're bringing in tables and chairs, and are so praying that it is going to be nice outside. If it can be held outside, we have a lot more room out there. If not, we're going to have to have one of those big tents."

 hile plans for the prom were in the works, the exact date of when it could be held was up in the air. Sheets said that when the date was finally announced, there was a bit of a scramble to pull it all together. "They had a meeting a couple of weeks ago, and it was determined that June 12 would be the date for the prom. We all thought for a long time that this prom was not going to be held until July, because they kept putting off the phases of when we could have a certain amount of people in the building. So now they just sprung it on us that it's going to be held in June."

 "They're not working with a big budget, so we're trying to do things in a cost effective manner. We will be closing down on a Friday night. It will not be open to the public, and we'll probably be closed all day just to get it ready. It's one of our biggest nights of the week, but these kids have been through enough. We didn't want them to lose out on this either."

 Debi said that while Twisted Oaks is providing the venue for the prom, they are still asking for sponsors and perhaps donations to help with the event. "We've had a lot of great feedback. A lot of people like that it is going to be here in town. We have been asking for sponsors to help with this. The more sponsors we have the more we can do for the seniors."

 Sheets said that the business doesn't have a large dancing area and is looking for a portable dance floor for the event. "We're looking for a 40 x 70 foot tent in case it rains and maybe a portable dance floor. We've been given a quote for a tent and a dance floor for rent, and it would be about $7,000. That's way over what they have for a budget."

 If you would like to donate to the 2020 prom, or have a tent or dance floor for them to use, contact Fred or Debi Sheets at Twisted Oaks at 615-318-1290. "We just want it to be a special occasion for these kids that have been through so much. It's what we felt we needed to do."