Tour Of Homes To Benefit Kids In Mahaska County

Oskaloosa Tour of Homes 2017

Oskaloosa, Iowa – You might say that Oskaloosa has gotten the Christmas spirit, and is sharing it with everyone in sight. That spirit flows into the homes of its residents, and several of them opened their homes to help raise money for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Mahaska County.

The annual event has traditionally helped to raise funds for a cause and is hosted by the Oskaloosa Area Association of Churches.

For homeowners, it can feel very different having strangers roam through your home. Lindsay Maxwell is one of those owners who graciously opened up her home over the weekend.

Maxwell decided to open her home, after a conversation with one of her good friends, and provide a glimpse into a single person’s home at Christmas.

Maxwell decorated her home with “whatever came to mind” over a single theme. Maxwell had help from her mother in making it all come together.

For Maxwell, Christmas to her is spending time with family.

Rachael Venema opened up her family’s home to the tour as well.

Venema and her family moved to Oskaloosa just a year and a half ago and has quickly made many friends in the community, including Val Van Waardhuizen, who owns Interiors by Val.

That collaboration to decorate for Christmas also included decorations from Stam Greenhouse, and Salt & Light Market also helped out. “It’s been fun collaborating with a whole bunch of people to put this all together so people could come and enjoy my home,” added Venema.

Being a fundraiser for Big Brothers and Big Sisters was a big part of why Venema took the time out of her busy schedule as a photographer to participate. “Being able to give back in that way to a neat organization that’s just getting off the ground here in Oskaloosa. It’s amazing to be a part of that.”

Venema said that the “community has been amazing and very welcoming,” to her family as they settled into Oskaloosa.

Hosting the open house allowed Venema to hear many stories about the former owners of the home, and the things that took place there.