The Fair Comes To Valley View Home

A.J. ETHERINGTON

THE COURIER

The Valley County Fair made its way to Valley View Home last week to bring the festivities to residents who remain largely isolated from the outside world amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Valley View's activities director Terri Wedel told the Courier that back in May she was having a discussion with a few residents as they talked about the things they looked forward to over the summer that they would likely miss this year.

"We had many topics from farming, ranching, gardens, fishing, trips they would take, to dinners on the porch with family," recalled Wedel in an email to the Courier. "Then we started to talk about the fair. Oh, it was so fun to watch them lighten up talking about the different parts of the Fair they personally enjoyed. This is when the idea was planted."

She explained that the activities team at the nursing home began collecting a list of activities and food from the fair that the residents were interested in and set the wheels in motion to make it a reality.

Wedel explained, "Dietary was excited to join in with this idea of providing foods for Fair week. Some of the foods that are always enjoyed at the fair, from brauts and sauerkraut, burgers and hot dogs, to traveling tacos. We also collected a list of snacky foods they enjoyed: funnel cake, cotton candy, root beer floats, kettle corn."

On the agenda was a full week starting Monday with making funnel cakes and ending Saturday with a concert by Dave Pippen and the Guys. In between there was a petting zoo, a televised rodeo complete with root-beer floats, horse races with Kettle corn and 4H fair shows on Youtube.

"The only thing we were not able to pull off was cotton candy," wrote Wedel. "I still hope to get this provided to them in the near future for a special treat." Wedel added that the residents enjoyed every aspect of the fair and even reminisced about the days when Valley County hosted a horse race at the fairgrounds.

The activities director had a long list of people to thank for helping create such a fun-filled and enjoyable week for the home's residents. That list included Dixie Shephard, Denise Stutheit, Tessa Stutheit, Leshia Stutheit, Reid Stutheit, Jodi Pankratz, Becca Olfert, Micaiah Olfert, Azariah Olfert, Zion Olfert, Aimee Kirkland, Elise Kirkland, Emma Kirkland, Jack Kirkland, Roubie Younkin, Pat Rice, and Pat Knierim for their help with the craft show.

Also noted were Sammy King who helped put on the petting zoo, Kari Roller with 3 J's Kettle Corn LLC, and Dave Pippen for bringing the band.

"Thank you to all that helped make this week wonderful," exclaimed Wedel. "[The] activities staff worked hard to getting things set up and making snacks for the residents. Dietary cooked some great meals. And the Valley View staff jumped in during the week to make sure we could have a fun fair week. What a great team that deeply loves the residents and works hard to provide the best care for them."