Our Town: Sheldon
By Corey Elgersma, Broker/Officer at ISB Services, Sheldon
The saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and my favorite village is Sheldon, Iowa (population 5,067). In Sheldon, our community is small enough that this statement holds true, but we are also large enough to have some really great amenities. Our town is clean and well kept, and we work together and take care of each other.
I believe Sheldon is a special place. We have both great public school system and private school options, which is somewhat unique for rural Iowa. Our public school’s music, athletic and drama programs are all outstanding and every year we have highly rated performers and teams from all of our extra-curricular activities. Speaking of ratings, the Sheldon School mascot is the Orab. Never heard of it? That’s okay, we made it up! It’s a combination of our school colors, ORange And Black, and in this town we are absolutely proud to have what the Des Moines Register called the number one worst rated mascot name in the state. Go Orabs!
Located primarily in O’Brien county, but with a little piece in Sioux county, Sheldon is a community that works together. We are home to the wonderful Northwest Iowa Community College and Sanford Medical Center, who collaborate well with the City of Sheldon, a number of great local banks, and many other businesses. Our local entities work together to accomplish things a small town otherwise could not on its own. In Sheldon, we are all proud to be partners in the community’s success.
Another thing I love about my town is that in Sheldon, we know how to have fun. Each year, our community hosts Risefest, a large Christian music festival in mid-June. We welcome thousands of people to our little town for a very big two day event. Later in the summer, Labor Day brings everyone out for Sheldon Celebration Days and a whole weekend of events, including street dances, comedians, food, cow patty bingo, a duck dive, worship, and carnival rides. That event is capped off by our wonderful Labor Day parade.
I invite you to come spend a day in Sheldon to have fun and make some memories. Try out a round of golf at the Sheldon Golf and Country Club, take a dip in our beautiful outdoor aquatic center, or attend a school athletic event. Of course any of these activities would be great topped off with a treat from the Dairy Dandy, one of the best ice cream shops in the world! Many passersby gladly exit the Highway 60 expressway to get some of that famous Dairy Dandy ice cream. If you’re visiting at meal time, Sheldon boasts several great locations for fast food, and we’re home to Langer’s and Cook’s Café, The J & B Bar, Old 60 Steaks and Chops, a host of Mexican cuisine options. We’ve got Chinese Chef and an awesome little coffee, soup and sandwich place called Truly Scrumptious, which lives up to its name. If you are hungry and it’s a Wednesday in the wintertime, be sure to visit the J & B Bar for hot beef, it’s amazing!
Next time you’re in the area, I hope you too will take time to turn off the expressway and come experience all that Sheldon, Iowa has to offer. We’re a friendly place, and we’d love to see you.
About The Author
Corey Elgersma is a REALTOR® member, and the Broker/Officer at ISB Services Inc. in Sheldon who has been in the real estate industry for 7 years. An active part of the Sheldon community, over the years Corey has served with Kiwanis, the Sheldon Fire Company as a volunteer fireman, a youth sponsor, and as a member of the leadership team for both the Sheldon Community School District and his church.
Corey says, “I sincerely enjoy helping people. I am an efficiency expert and a problem solver. The most rewarding for me, is first time home buyers. They are the most work but the most rewarding as well. It is the American Dream to own a home and when you achieve that dream, it is awesome!”
