It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Van Meter, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Van Meter, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Van Meter, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Van Meter, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
FORT DODGE — Back-to-back state championships, and back-to-back game-winning hits off Ava Hohenadel’s bat.Van Meter – the No. 1 seed in Class 2A – finished the Iowa high school softball state tournament where it began: on top. The Bulldogs defeated No. 3 West Lyon, 8-7, in eight innings on July 25 for their second-straight state title.In the semifinal matchup, Hohenadel drove in the game-winning run to send Van Meter to the championship game.And in the championship – in extra innings, no les...
FORT DODGE — Back-to-back state championships, and back-to-back game-winning hits off Ava Hohenadel’s bat.
Van Meter – the No. 1 seed in Class 2A – finished the Iowa high school softball state tournament where it began: on top. The Bulldogs defeated No. 3 West Lyon, 8-7, in eight innings on July 25 for their second-straight state title.
In the semifinal matchup, Hohenadel drove in the game-winning run to send Van Meter to the championship game.
And in the championship – in extra innings, no less – she drilled a ball over the fence for the walk-off winner, rounding the bases to greet her teammates at home plate and celebrate their second title in as many years.
“We see it in practice,” said head coach James Flaws, about the trust he has in Hohenadel. “I have to scoot back to the edge of the grass sometimes when she’s hitting the ball. So, we knew if they gave her a pitch she could handle, we were gonna trust her to go hammer it.
“And that’s what she did there at the end. I asked her like, ‘Hey, you feel confident?’ And she’s like, ‘Yep, I’ve got you, coach.’”
It wasn't all smooth sailing for Van Meter, though. The Wildcats got on the board early when Leah Blauwet ran home from second base on a single from Braylyn Childress. But the Bulldogs wasted no time responding in the bottom half of the inning.
Finley Netten led off and drew a walk. She stole second while Mady Schnell – the second player in the batting order – was in the box. And when Schnell attempted a bunt, Netten managed to score from second base thanks to a West Lyon throwing error.
The first inning wrapped up with a run from each team on the board, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.
West Lyon pitcher Jersey Hawf struck out the first Van Meter batter she faced in the second, then walked the next. Eighth grader Annie Netten came in to bat, and a throwing error on her bunt allowed her to reach first and allowed Alice Ruggles to score. Finley Netten hit a single that sent her little sister home, and the Bulldogs took a 3-1 lead heading into the third.
That advantage didn’t last, though.
Ella Langenhorst reached first with a single, Blauwet walked, and Hawf followed all that with a three-run home run over the left-field fence and the Wildcats took a 4-3 lead – which only stood into the fourth inning.
The Bulldogs took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. Finley Netten hit a standup triple into right field. Mady Schnell’s sacrifice bunt attempt turned into a hit, scoring Finley Netten and moving Schnell to second.
Cali Richards hit a single on the first pitch of the next at-bat, and Schnell ran all the way home. Three batters later, Bianca Prickett drove in courtesy runner Ivy Vaught. The series of runs gave the Bulldogs a 6-4 lead heading into the fifth.
Van Meter added another run in that inning, with Schnell driving in courtesy runner Ashlan Small for the Bulldogs to go up 7-4.
But as was the case with the rest of this matchup, the Bulldogs' lead wavered. West Lyon ate away at Van Meter’s advantage until the Wildcats tied the game at seven apiece, with three straight batters driving in runs.
The seventh inning passed without a score, and so did West Lyon’s half of the eighth. Hohenadel led off the start the bottom of the eighth and, well, she wasted no time taking care of business.
Hohenadel's home run marked the second-straight time that Van Meter won the championship on a home run, too. Last season, Schnell hit a go-ahead home run to take home the title over Audubon.
'Can't dream that stuff up': Van Meter wins Iowa softball state championship off eighth grader's batHohenadel wasn’t the only senior who made a major impact in the title game.
Finley Netten played her heart out at shortstop, and it helped her move from a three-error performance in the quarterfinals to being named captain of the all-tournament team.
Prickett moved from right field to pitcher in the third inning, and she finished with two strikeouts in three innings pitched.
And that doesn’t account for the offensive and defensive contributions of the other four seniors in the starting lineup: Katie Vaught, Richards, Ruggles and Halle Karaidos.
“(This team) keeps it interesting all game long,” Flaws laughed. “But…every time you get in this situation, it’s just complete joy and just gratefulness. (I’m) truly grateful to have this group with us and their toughness, they showed it today. And yeah, they’re champions.”
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
FORT DODGE — Van Meter put a fork in its semifinal opponent at the Iowa high school softball state tournament.The No. 1 seeded Bulldogs took down No. 5 West Fork, 5-4, on July 23 to advance to the Class 2A state championship game – with hopes of defending their title.But much like with their quarterfinal matchup, the Bulldogs needed to come from behind to pull off the win.“Every pitch is the next pitch that matters,” said head coach James Flaws. “It doesn’t matter what happened previou...
FORT DODGE — Van Meter put a fork in its semifinal opponent at the Iowa high school softball state tournament.
The No. 1 seeded Bulldogs took down No. 5 West Fork, 5-4, on July 23 to advance to the Class 2A state championship game – with hopes of defending their title.
But much like with their quarterfinal matchup, the Bulldogs needed to come from behind to pull off the win.
“Every pitch is the next pitch that matters,” said head coach James Flaws. “It doesn’t matter what happened previously, good or bad. We’ve got to move on to the next pitch, because it’s a long game and we just have to stick the course.”
Van Meter’s opponent jumped to the early lead, much like what East Marshall did against the Bulldogs in the quarterfinals on July 22. The Warhawks took a two-run lead in the opening frame and forced a pitching change, with eighth grader Annie Netten taking over in the circle.
Mady Schnell got one back for the Bulldogs on her first at-bat, executing a sacrifice bunt that brought Finley Netten home.
Flipping back to defense, Annie Netten and company sent all three of West Fork’s batters back to the dugout in the top of the second. In the bottom half of the frame, Alice Ruggles’ bunt scored another run and the two teams were tied, 2-2, after two.
Van Meter took its first lead of the game in the third inning.
Schnell led off the inning and walked. During Cali Richards’ at-bat, Schnell stole second and managed to run all the way home on a throwing error. Ava Hohenadel – the next batter up – drilled a pitch over the fence to give Van Meter a 4-2 lead.
That advantage didn’t last long, as West Fork’s Brylee Dickman hit a two-run home run to tie it up.
The score remained knotted up, 4-4, through the top of the seventh inning, but the Bulldogs were determined to end the game in regulation. Schnell led off, once again, getting a base hit before stealing second while Richards was in the box.
Richards bunted and made it to first and moved Schnell to third.
That’s when Hohenadel stepped up and delivered, getting a hit that scored Schnell.
“I was like, ‘We have zero outs, we don’t need to bunt,’” Flaws recalled about the final play of the game. “I said, ‘I trust you as a hitter, put the ball on the ground and pull hard somewhere,’ like she does all the time. And that’s what she did.”
The Bulldogs will take on either No. 2 Louisa-Muscatine or No. 3 West Lyon in the state title game on July 25 at 5 p.m.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
FORT DODGE — Van Meter didn’t bring its usual heat to the quarterfinal round of the Iowa high school softball tournament, but the Bulldogs didn’t necessarily need to.In 85-degree heat – with a real-feel of close to 100 – and 78% humidity, No. 1 seeded Van Meter didn’t push the score into the double figures like it's used to. But the Bulldogs still took care of business in the Class 2A quarterfinal, beating No. 8 seed East Marshall, 11-3, on July 22.“They just trust in the work that they...
FORT DODGE — Van Meter didn’t bring its usual heat to the quarterfinal round of the Iowa high school softball tournament, but the Bulldogs didn’t necessarily need to.
In 85-degree heat – with a real-feel of close to 100 – and 78% humidity, No. 1 seeded Van Meter didn’t push the score into the double figures like it's used to. But the Bulldogs still took care of business in the Class 2A quarterfinal, beating No. 8 seed East Marshall, 11-3, on July 22.
“They just trust in the work that they put in,” head coach James Flaws said. “I think that’s the key, and just trusting in the process of the game. It’s not going to all happen at once, although it did (in) a couple innings for us.
“You’ve just got to get on base and then try to do the things we can do, and they’ve really bought into that.”
Van Meter was in a hole early because East Marshall came out swinging, literally.
The Mustangs took a two-run lead in the first inning off a stand-up double from Bailey Grant. And East Marshall’s defense took care of business, sending Van Meter’s first three batters back to the dugout in quick succession.
“They’re a very good hitting team,” Flaws said. “We did a pretty good job, and then the one girl got a pitch that she could handle, and she drove it to the outfield there. They had really good stats up and down their lineup, so we had to be prepared for this game.”
Van Meter didn’t allow any runs in the second frame, but the Bulldogs didn’t add any tallies to the scoreboard, either.
The Bulldogs’ luck changed in the third inning, though.
Senior Finley Netten stepped up for her second at-bat of the game, and the shortstop sailed a ball over the fence to score Van Meter’s first run. The Bulldogs still trailed the Mustangs with two outs on the board, but Van Meter wasn’t done scoring.
Ava Hohenadel and Halle Karaidos hit back-to-back doubles. Bianca Prickett’s base hit allowed Karaidos to score. By the end of the third, the Bulldogs went from trailing by two runs to leading East Marshall, 4-2.
The Mustangs picked up another run in the fourth, but the Bulldogs didn’t allow a hit in the fifth or sixth innings.
Annie Netten drove in a run early in the sixth inning, and older sister Finley Netten drove in another run immediately after. Mady Schnell made it to second on Van Meter’s next at-bat and brought another teammate home in the process. Annie Netten scored too as East Marshall’s catcher chased down a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. The final run of the game – making it 11-3 and ending the game by run rule – came in anticlimactic fashion, as Alice Ruggles was hit by a pitch with bases loaded.
“I was not ready for that,” Flaws laughed, talking about his team’s seven-run sixth inning. “I was like, ‘If we can get one, I’d feel a lot better.’ And then it just kind of snowballed.”
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
Van Meter Raccoon River Days returns as a way to bring the community together.“It’s an opportunity for the entire community to come together to socialize and have a good time and just celebrate everything we have going on,” said Joel Akers, president of Van Meter Community Development.The event will get a head start with the Little Mr. and Miss Van Meter Contest at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 6 at Memorial Park. The free event is open to kids ages 4–6 who attend Van Meter School or live in the area.The...
Van Meter Raccoon River Days returns as a way to bring the community together.
“It’s an opportunity for the entire community to come together to socialize and have a good time and just celebrate everything we have going on,” said Joel Akers, president of Van Meter Community Development.
The event will get a head start with the Little Mr. and Miss Van Meter Contest at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 6 at Memorial Park. The free event is open to kids ages 4–6 who attend Van Meter School or live in the area.
The festivities will continue with the Park2Park Foam Fun Run at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 7. A one-mile fun run/walk will also be offered. Find more information at 5kevents.raceentry.com/park2park-5k-fun-run/race-information or on the Park2Park 5K fun run Facebook page.
The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. The parade line-up will start at 9:45 a.m. at the Van Meter United Methodist Church.
Akers said the parade will feature a dry and wet portion. The front half will feature traditional parade entries while the back half will include water guns and water activities.
“A lot of the time what we’ll see is kids will start on the first part of the route where the candy is thrown out,” he added. “They’ll get their candy, and they’ll run over to the wet part of the parade so they can partake in the squirt guns.”
The festivities will then shift over to the Van Meter Soccer Complex for a community meal by the Van Meter Fire Association, kickball and bags tournaments, carnival and more.
Akers said a survey was sent out to the community following last year’s Raccoon River Days. Community members responded saying they would like to have activities closer together.
“We wanted to have an area where it was all-encompassing and everyone is together,” Akers said of the reason behind moving the afternoon and evening activities to the soccer complex.
The event will continue with a barbecue smoking competition and community meal and dessert auction.
“There are a lot of people who like to smoke meat and this is an opportunity for people to enter a contest. But it’s a way to feed the community as well,” Akers said.
The contest entries will be judged and then the food will be used in the community meal that starts at 5:30 p.m.
The day will wrap up with live music by Anthony Koester starting at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks at 10 p.m.
A community worship service will be held on Sunday, June 8 at the Van Meter Legion Shelter, weather permitting. Coffee and donuts will be served prior to service at 10 a.m. with worship starting at 10:30. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs.
For more information, follow the Van Meter Raccoon River Days Facebook page or visit vanmeterlife.com/raccoon-river-days/.
877-292-2126
