DISCOVER

DISCOVER! | JUNE 24, 2017
10 | Community
At a Glance:
WHAT: Village Northwest Unlimited
Independence Day Celebration
WHERE: Village Northwest Unlimited,
330 Village Circle, Sheldon
WHEN: 5 p.m. Monday, July 3
COST: Varies
CONTACT: 712-324-5416
ONLINE: www.villagenorthwest.org
LINDSAY KRUSE | STAFF WRITER
Schedule
5 p.m. Food booths open — Hy-
Vee, Kelly’s Catering, Pizza Ranch,
Subway
6 p.m. Carnival games, inflatables,
laser tag, kiddie train rides, kiddie
Ferris wheel, face painting,
ice cream parlor, petting zoo*, fire
truck rides*, pony rides*, Mr. Twister*,
horse-drawn wagon rides* and
more (*free activities)
7 p.m. Mud Dogs concert
Dark, Fireworks
History
The idea for Village Northwest
Unlimited was first conceived
in November 1974 when Bob
Hoogeveen, then principal of
Sheldon High School, stopped
to visit a friend, Lamar Esbeck,
who worked at Handicap Village
in Clear Lake.
“That was my introduction to the
disabled,” said Hoogeveen, founding
executive director of the Village.
“I was totally dumbfounded. The
situation of the disabled was foreign
to me until that day.”
The trip to Clear Lake proved to
have a haunting impact on Hoogeveen,
and he was overwhelmed
at his excitement of the possibility
of Sheldon building a similar village.
For more information, visit www.
villagenorthwest.org.
Celebrate Independence Day
Village Northwest Unlimited has activities for the family
Village Northwest Unlimited’s
annual Independence Day Celebration
has something for
everyone.
“It’s a great, family-friendly event,”
said Samantha Waterstone, events and
volunteer coordinator for the Village.
This year’s event will kick off at
5 p.m. Monday, July 3, with food
booths from Hy-Vee, Pizza Ranch and
Subway in Sheldon and Kelly’s Catering
in Hospers.
A variety of fun will follow at 6
p.m. Carnival games, inflatables, laser
tag, kiddie train rides, a kiddie Ferris
wheel, face painting, an ice cream parlor,
petting zoo, fire truck rides, pony
rides, Mr. Twister, horse-drawn wagon
rides and more are sure to be a hit for
all ages.
“They’ve all done quite well in the
past,” Waterstone said.
At 7 p.m., the Mud Dogs will perform
from a song list of more than
200 tunes, ranging from crowd favorites
like “I Saw Her Standing There” by
the Beatles to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet
Caroline” and more modern day
country songs by Little Big Town and
Jason Aldean.
“We’re really looking forward to
having them,” Waterstone said.
Fireworks will cap off the day’s entertainment
at dusk.
According to Barry Whitsell, president
and CEO of Village Northwest
Unlimited, the Sheldon-based facility
began its Independence Day festivities
more than 30 years ago.
“It started as a celebration amongst
our own residents. They decorated
their bikes and wheelchairs in patriotic
themes, and they would march around
Village Circle,” he said. “It got to be,
‘Let’s shoot off some fireworks,’ and
then, ‘Let’s invite the public,’ so it’s just
expanded and grown over the years.”
According to Waterstone, an average
of about 6,000-7,000 people turn
out for the celebration each year, with
even more showing up for the fireworks
display.
“People are able to participate in
so many different activities, with the
fireworks, with the music group, with
the carnival games, food booths and
inflatables — there’s something for
everybody, really,” she said. “Our
hope is to be able to celebrate with
the community and really share what
the Village is all about and be able to
draw people to our campus.” F
Sheldon | Iowa