'Shining with the Chiefs!' -- Sixth Annual Lighthouse Gala in El Dorado Springs

Kansas City Chiefs' former standout kicker Nick Lowery is the special guest at this year's Lighthouse Gala April 12. The annual event raises funds to support Lighthouse, a non-profit that focuses on youth in the arts.

This year's gala is at the FBC Family Life Center at 500 South Main, El Dorado Springs, and begins at 6 p.m.

"Nick the Kick" Lowery, who wore No. 8 as a Chief, was the team's placekicker from 1980-1993. He was inducted in the Kansas City Chiefs Hall Fame in 2009.

Lowery was all-pro seven times during his years with the Chiefs, and set several NFL records during his career, including most field goals all-time (384), most accurate all-time (from 1984-1997), most 50-yard field goals, most games with two or more 50-yarders, and the longest field goal in the first quarter (58 yards, tied with Greg Zuerlein).

Lowery also held the record for best PAT percentage since the goal posts were moved back 10 yards and extra point tries became 20-yarders, not 10-yarders.

Lowery received the NFL Players Association's most prestigious humanitarian award, the Byron Whizzer White Award, in 1993.

Lowery kicked more than 15 game-winners during his career, including playoff games against the Raiders in 1992 and Steelers in 1994, and also kicked the game-winning points in three Pro Bowls in 1982, 1991 and 1993.

In 2007, he was an NFL Hall of Fame nominee."

"The Lighthouse is proud to present someone of Lowery's caliber to the area as our guest of honor, but that is not what we are most excited about with this year's celebrity draw," said Executive Director Lynne M. Hedrick.

"Over the last 12 months the Lighthouse has been ramping up its new project, 'Shine like a H.E.R.O.!' "

The youth anti-bullying campaign was kicked off with Lighthouse's December production of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

"Lighthouse Children's Theater has embarked on a vision that has been in the wings of this organization since its inception in 2007. Bullying is a social problem affecting many of our area's elementary, middle and high school students."

According to Hedrick, each year area parents share "heartbreaking" stories with her concerning their own children's experience with this.

"Coupled with the emergence of nationwide social media, the nature of bullying has evolved."

She noted that the repercussions of this have left a palpable mark on our area youth.

"We are not immune. Increased awareness and youth empowerment is vital," said Hedrick.

"When searching for the perfect keynote speaker for the LCT's annual event, Nick Lowery exemplified that total package.

"In t2004, Lowery founded The Nick Lowery Youth Foundation. Nick's lifetime of work mirrors the heart of the Lighthouse's recent campaign.

"NLYF is about giving power and voice to youth,"

"Youth are not just our future, they are our present," Lowery said.

According to his bio, he was instrumental in the passage of AmeriCorps in 1993 for President Bill Clinton as well as the Points of Light Foundation for President HW Bush.

The Lowery Youth Foundation (www.nickloweryfoundation.org) has been "active in the fight to empower our youth with confidence and mutual respect," evident in his "Champions against Bullying" anti-bullying campaign and his "Champions against the Homeless."

Tickets go on sale March 1 for the gala. Invitations will arrive in the mail to guests who attended past galas.

Hedrick said she expects tickets to move quickly and will be sold on a first come basis.

The 2014 LCT Angels will be receiving discounts on sponsored tables and will be receiving their Angel information in the mail very soon.

Single tickets are available, as are tables for groups.

For information, contact Hedrick at 417-876-3712, visit Lighthouse on Facebook or go to the web at www.lighthousechildrenstheatre.org.