Let us begin by saying how much we love this homeschooling community. The leadership team had a giant zoom call last night and some of the most beautiful hearts and creative people we know worked together with the board to determine how to move forward in light of the recent mandates and health reports. Since the governor’s executive order on July 2, 2020, requiring the wearing of face coverings throughout the state of Texas, our leadership team has been working to gather as much information as possible to come to a decision about what to do for the 2020 prom.
Yesterday, from the email we sent the prior week, we received a reply from the mayor of Frisco indicating that the city did not feel it prudent to continue with the plans for having the Texas Christian Homeschool Prom next week. Out of an abundance of caution and care for the students and their families, our leadership team had come to that same conclusion. It is, therefore, with heavy hearts about adding one more loss to our students this year, that we must announce that there will be no 2020 Prom.
If your family booked a hotel room through the Texas Christian Homeschool Prom BLOCK of rooms, your room reservation will be cancelled for you within a week as part of the cancellation process of this event. If you booked your room through any other avenue, you will need to handle cancelling it yourself, as the hotel has no way of knowing which extra rooms on their reservation list are associated with our group. If you are coming to town and wish to keep your room reservation, please call the hotel directly to let them know. The general manager at the Embassy Suites has been very helpful walking with us through this difficult decision and process.
As a non-profit organization, with one annual goal to provide this beautiful experience for hundreds and hundreds of homeschooled high school students, this is definitely one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make and will take some time for us to know exactly how the organization’s budget will be impacted and what next steps can be taken. For the time being, we are doing everything in our power to keep the organization afloat so that when times are more normal, we can continue having this incredible event that you have all come to know and love so much.
We are currently reaching out to our vendors to see what can be done with the contracts that we have in place for the ballroom décor rental, the prefunction décor rental, the lighting and sound production, the DJ and string quartet, the catering/beverage order, the hotel AV, the hotel rooms and event plan, truck rentals, as well as processing the receipts from the amazing team of set leads who design and produce the activities and games for the pre-function area. We should have a good handle on that within a couple of weeks. We appreciate your patience while we “undo” prom – something that we have never done in 20 years of prom planning.
It has been suggested by some parents, that they wish to have the money they spent become a donation, in order to ensure that this prom experience can continue to be made available to future students. For those interested in that, if you will let us know your intention, we can provide a 501(c)3 tax-deductible donation receipt for your tax purposes. For others, we know that times have been difficult during the quarantine and you may need a refund. Since monies have already been spent on contracts and projects to plan and prepare for prom, there will not be full refunds available, but if you find that you need some of your ticket funds refunded, you may email
PromTickets@TxCHP.com
and we will follow up with you once we have assessed the financial situation with our vendors.
For those of you who have been praying, we ask that you would continue. God is so very good and He loves your families and each student. We don’t understand why the world is going through all of the unexplainable things right now, but we do trust the Lord to be with us in all things.
If you have questions, you can email them to the Board of Directors at
Prom@TxCHP.com
As we close, we want you to see some of the names of the servants who lead so well in this organization. Your incredible prom could only happen with the input and efforts of these folks who volunteer to serve TxCHP. As we were wrapping up our phone call last night, they all wanted you to know that they are thinking of you and praying for you.
Many blessings from our families to yours!
TxCHP Leadership Team 2019-2020
Stephen & Sunny Lerch, Directors
Wayne & Vickey Smith, Directors
Tamar Bennetsen, Storage/Organization Lead
Connie Burnett, Red Carpet Assistant Lead
Richard & Michelle Cawood, Prefunction Cast Assistant Leads
Sharon Edwards, Prayer Team Lead
DeAnna Goode, Ballroom Cast Co-Lead
Shellie Hawes, Prefunction Cast Lead
Rob & Laureen Herman, Student Check-in Assistant Leads
Bliss Herron, Former Director
Lisa Hickman, Bathroom Décor Lead
Jill House, Group Reservations Lead
Laura Keltz, Special Meals / Ballroom Management Lead
Christy Lasseigne, Former Director
Timothy Lerch, Teardown Co-Lead
Laurie Nickell, Photo Sales Lead
Donna Norman, Reception/Hospitality Lead
Jill Palomino, Red Carpet Seamstress Lead
Leslie Pecena, Ballroom Cast Co-Lead
Brenda Powell, Former Director
Amy Repak, Former Director, DJ/Stage Coordinator
Duane & Kristine Rosengartner, Photography Leads
Steven & Melody Seida, Student Check-in Leads
Melissa Shavor, Bathroom Décor Assistant Lead
Christopher Smith, Teardown Co-Lead
Delilah Stephens, Red Carpet Lead
Jim & Rachel Sutton, Lighting Lead
Vicki Sword, Former Director
Tim & Tina VanHecke, Set Design Leads
Myra & Mark VanHorn, Red Carpet Dress Check Assistant Leads
Keith & Clara Wilkerson, Red Carpet Dress Check Assistant Leads
David & Michelle Williams, Sentinel Co-Lead and Parent Participation Coordinator
Amanda Womack, Red Carpet Assistant Lead
Paula Woodham, Former Director
TxCHP is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization run entirely by volunteer homeschooling families.
