OC Mag 01-22

AT A GLANCE:
Prairie Winds Event Center in Orange City is a popular location for weddings, business
meetings, quinceañeras and concerts. The facility also has an outdoor garden pavilion.
“I hired Danielle to balance me
out,” Kuehl said. “I knew we weren’t
going to agree on things. We have our
differences but that’s good. The bigger
challenge right now for me is still
learning my new role while also teaching
Danielle her new role.”
Kuehl often focuses on the technical
aspects of events from working
with vendors to knowing the precise
measurements during event set up.
Zuidema’s focus is geared toward
the overall picture of how an
event should look to be able to think
through table settings and facility decor
that add up to the proper environment
for each event.
“It’s all in the details,” Kuehl said.
“That’s our slogan and focus for every
event.”
The women have enjoyed working
together and overseeing their 18 parttime
staff.
“We try to make it a fun environment,”
Kuehl said. “A job is as stressful
as you make it so we want to provide
a chill atmosphere.”
Having two people step into a role
that had been run by one person
for six years changes out how some
procedures are done, which can be a
struggle for clients.
“We’re working through gaining
community respect and trust,” Kuehl
said. “We may not have been born
here but we’ve both been living in
the area for almost a decade. We call
Orange City home because we love it
here and we want to support our community.
By putting our best efforts
forward, we hope the community can
come to see that.”
As of Jan. 20, they had 67 events
on the 2022 calendar — at least 30 are
weddings. Other events include business
meetings, quinceañeras, a craft
show, a bridal show and a couple of
concerts in partnership with OC Arts.
“We work hard to help make each
event a success; it’s fun to see the end
result,” Kuehl said.
“We live for those moments where
people are truly appreciative,” Zuidema
said. “Every ‘thank you’ counts
and helps us keep doing what we’re
doing.”
JESS KUEHL
Age: 33
Position: General manager
Start date: October 2021
Residence: Orange City
Education: Associates degree
in applied arts and graphic
communications from Hawkeye
Community College in Waterloo, 2009
Experience: Jobs in customer service,
event planning, coordination, graphic
design, arts and entertainment; Prairie
Winds Event Center staff, 2020-21.
Family: Husband, Kody; daughter
Charlotte, 7.
Interests: Spending time with family,
playing with the family’s two dogs and
cat, watching “The Office.”
DANIELLE ZUIDEMA
Age: 29
Position: Assistant manager
Start date: November 2021
Residence: Orange City
Education: Degree in agriculture
business from Dordt University, 2015.
Experience: Various customer
service roles.
Family: Single
Interests: Cooking, playing with her
dog and visiting Orange City’s
dog park.
PRAIRIE WINDS
EVENT CENTER
Owner: City of Orange City
Open: June 2012
Address: 908 Eighth St., Orange City
Hours: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-
Friday; by appointment only Mondays
and Saturdays.
Phone: 712-707-5900 or 712-737-7717
Online: prairiewindseventcenter.com
40 OC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022