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May 8, 2007
Couple will participate in Tulip Fest as parade
marshals
by Janine Calsbeek Sioux County Capital-Democrat (reprinted with
permission of Pluim Publishing, Inc.)
ORANGE CITY – Dave Van Engelenhoven loved Tulip Festival when he was a kid.
Of course, in the mid 50s, Tulip Festival was a bit smaller. The queen was
crowned every day in the park. For a couple of years, he remembers, the night
show took a break from The Red Mill and Sweethearts; they brought in the
Mariners Quartet, a well-known group who sang beautifully, he said. He marched
with the band in every parade.
But what young Dave liked most was riding the carnival rides, and goofing off
with friends.
So it's great that the Van Engelenhoven grandkids can look forward to Tulip
Festival too.
This year the whole family is coming. Ben lives in Orange City of course, as
does Paul, Laurie and their kids, Thomas, Serena and Madison. Julie and her
husband Travis Else will be in town also, with Ian, Sophie and Annie.
They'll see Dave and Marilyn in the parade. At the April 17 Extravaganza, the
Van Engelenhovens were named the 2007 Parade Marshals.
Outfitting the family
Marilyn and Dave are long-time Tulip Festival people. She was on the court in
1964. He has helped in all areas – with the "all" underlined. When they moved
back to Orange City after Dave's stint of teaching at Morningside, Marilyn
pulled out the sewing machine and made outfits for the entire family. She
counted 54 pieces of Dutch costume.
Ben was 1-1/2, and Julie and Paul weren't much older. So those outfits had to be
redone almost every year.
It was fun, though, having the kids involved from their toddler years, said
Dave. One May, in fact, the family was featured in the Des Moines Register's
Picture magazine, with Paul photographed in the elementary band, Julie playing
Dutch games, Ben scrubbing streets with his dad, and the whole family posed in
their Dutch attire. And yes, Marilyn saved those outfits... so she has little
Dutch shirts, pants and dresses for the grandkids.
Dave served on the steering committee; he chaired the committee in the old days
when it was large and somewhat unwieldy. Picture 15 people trying to report
their activities in one short meeting. Today's smaller committee, with
subcommittees, is an improvement, he said.
Marilyn, who taught kindergarten for 23 years, helped with the flower show, the
queen's committee, and the Extravaganza for the Festival. She is now heading
promotions for the executive steering committee. Orange City, she said, has made
so many additions and changes to the Festival, yet the Festival is true to its
original purpose. The changes have been an enhancement, she and Dave believe.
But Orange City people get so busy during the Festival, Marilyn said, "that we
almost need a pre-Festival." Or locals need to buy a value book, she said, and
make a point to go to those events sometime during the three days.
In '92 she became producer of the night show.
It was a step out of her comfort zone, she said. She didn't feel qualified. But
she learned, and loved the excitement and camaraderie in the Oklahoma cast that
year.
Later, in '97, '98 and '00, she produced Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel and State
Fair. She helped work to provide new seating, air conditioning, and curtains for
the town hall and night show... so the visitors would not only get "an A-1 show,
but also a comfortable environment in which to enjoy it."
That last producer job in '00 was unplanned. The night show was at "a fork in
the road," she said; possibly it would be no more. But she took the helm, found
directors, committee people and a cast... and State Fair performed for
"sold-out" crowds.
The night show is a crucial part of the Festival, she believes, and Dave agrees.
It draws bus tours, it makes money for the Fest, and it gets great reviews. One
tour group member a few years ago compared the night show with the Chanhassen
Dinner theatre, and gave top billing to the Orange City show.
"It's done very, very professionally," Marilyn said.
And Pella people who come with the court each year are amazed, she added. "They
can't believe we do this."
Marilyn, as producer, had a heart for those who gave hours and hours to the
night show. She tried to make it a great experience for them, so when the show
ended, they said, "I can hardly wait until next year."
Cancer
It's been a difficult year for the Van Engelenhovens. Dave, who had never been
sick his entire life, who had spent only one day in the hospital ever, was
diagnosed with stomach cancer. He spent four or five months in Rochester, much
of that time hospitalized. A third of his stomach was removed.
But he's improving, slowly. He eats well, about as much as the rest of us should
eat, said Marilyn. "I had to get used to eating often, not all at one time,"
Dave said.
So Tulip Festival for the Van Engelenhovens will involve the parades, and a few
outings with the grandkids... but not much more for Dave. "We'll pace
ourselves," said Marilyn. One loses strength so fast, she said, and gains it
back so slowly.
They were honored to be named Parade Marshals, but they had to decide between
Tulip Festival and their son-in-law's graduation from Western Seminary. The
graduation is the Monday before the Festival, and it would be too exhausting to
do both.
"Travis and Julie said, 'There's no decision,'" said Marilyn... that they should
be at Tulip Festival. So the Van Engelenhovens visited Michigan this month, they
won't be at the ceremony in May, but they'll attend Travis' ordination in July.
It's been a rough year, but "we gain strength through weakness," said Marilyn.
"We've had so many blessings, even through this last year."
And Dave is hoping to return to Van Engelenhoven Agency, where he's worked for
30 years. He loves it. Why would he want to give it up?
The same goes for Tulip Festival.
2007 Parade Marshals
Honored as the Parade Marshals for the 2007 Tulip Festival are Dave and Marilyn
Van Engelenhoven, long-time supporters of the Festival and the town. Dave's dad
Everett also served on the Festival steering committee, and Marilyn's parents
Garret and Abby Docter moved back to Orange City at retirement, and were part of
the Festival. Dave and Marilyn's three kids have always been involved too, Julie
as queen in 1991.
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