Kelly a voice for Special Kids

A DIFFERENT LOOK

We’re trying to do two things, give contestants something different than the four walls they are in all the time. The other things is we’re trying to give the caregivers a break. So we pair them up with a mentor and tell the caregivers we’ll take it from here.”

Craig Kelly, Voice of Special Kids Rodeo

COMING UP

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FORT MADISON – Craig Kelly has been part of the Tri-State Rodeo’s Special Kids Rodeo for the past 23 years, and event Chairwoman Lisa Woods says she calls the 64-year-old every year not assuming he’ll return.
“Every year I call him and he tells me I don’t need to call him and he says, “Why you callin’ me, you know I’m gonna be there,” Wood said.
“Look, let’s go down to it. The Bible is true and the human spirit is that we need to help one another. The people that are fortunate should help the ones that aren’t as fortunate. The bible talks about that in James,” Kelly said.
“If you do that, you are rewarded. It’s not a monetary award, to me it’s a spiritual how-you-feel-about-yourself award as a human.”
He had a daughter with a birth defect so he understands what the children and adults who participate in the mock rodeo are going through.
He said one of the biggest transitions he’s seen over the past couple of decades is the number of participants, which got close to 200 this year, and the number of volunteers.
Without the volunteers he said the event wouldn’t be as rewarding for the participants as it is.”
“We’re trying to do two things, give contestants something different than the four walls they are in all the time,” he said. “The other thing is we’re trying to give the caregivers a break. So we pair them up with a mentor and tell the caregivers we’ll take it from here.”
Kelly has also been the voice of the Lil’ Spurs Rodeo Monday nights, but this year will be the first year he doesn’t do that.
“This is the first time I’ll have a Labor Day off in more than 20 years, but you know I’ll be around.”
A salesman by trade, Kelly said holding the microphone and working with the staff and participants of the Special Kids Rodeo is natural for him. He’s also been part of the Fort Madison’s Saddle Club. The club is celebrating its 50th anniversary, but it’s been around for closer to 75 years. He will announce the Saddle Club show on Tuesday.
“God made us all. We’ve all got different talents and abilities and here’s one thing I’ve learned over the years. If you go to any of these kids and ask them if God loves them, they say, 'Oh Yes!' You don’t need to tell them they’re dealing with problems. They know and that’s encouraging to me."
Woods said Kelly really tries to get the kids involved and he knows the names of many of the kids and adults.
“He's very much engaged. He talks to them and teases them and gets them to talk and sing. He does a wonderful job,” she said.
Woods said she had 167 participants pre-register for the event Saturday in Fort Madison at the C.E. “Eddie” Richards Arena. That’s about 40 more than last year and, when walk-ins were included, the event had more than 200 participants.
The event follows the annual Pancake Breakfast which kicks off the Tri-State Rodeo week.
TSR Chairman Bobby Holtkamp said Kelly is part of the face of the Pre-Rodeo week.
“Craig has been a blessing for Rodeo. It’s one of those things where you ask him to do anything and he’s on it. He doesn’t ask for a penny, he just loves to participate, especially with Special Kids Rodeo. It’s near and dear to his heart,” Holtkamp said.
“This is the first year he’s stepping down from Lil’ Spurs. He went out in good fashion last year and he’ll be missed for sure, but he loves this so much he couldn’t pass it up.”
Holtkamp said the rodeo presale of tickets has been great and sponsors are at the highest level ever. He’s looking forward to a second straight year of seasonable weather without rain. Forecasts are showing mild temperatures during the day with cooler temps at night and a very low probability of rain as the week kicks off.
“Wednesday and Thursday look phenomenal and the weekend is just the weekend, so that’s always going to be good,” he said.
Holtkamp has worked his way up through the Rodeo committees and was named the next 3-year Chairman of the Rodeo last winter.
“I’m so used to being in the stockyard where I haven’t been able to leave that place. With the new position, I didn’t have to wake up at 4:30 and do pancakes. I woke up at 6 and was like, 'Wow'."
“It’s a lot of hard work, but we got the right committee in place to make it all go ‘round.”