ROCHELLE — The smiles on the faces of the Mooseheart kids said it all when they visited during last weekend’s Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival.
Nearly 80 Mooseheart residents and their house parents spent their Sunday in Rochelle at the festival and also participated in the parade.
“What an awesome day. Thank you to everyone that helped make it happen including the carnival company who let the kids ride all afternoon,” Pat Maronde said. “The haunted room was outstanding as usual, and everyone that went through loved it.”
The Rochelle Moose has been hosting the annual excursion for about six years, with this year’s attendance hitting record numbers. A & A Amusements supplied the one-day wristbands to the Mooseheart guests. Through fundraising the Moose members provided money for everyone to spend on food and games.
For the youngsters, it was a day of fun and excitement.

“They get here and they’ll ride on the float and have a good time with their squirt guns…they have so much fun with that,” said Ellie Schultz, WOTM member. “They’ll get off the float, they get their money and you don’t see them again. They are off enjoying the carnival the whole time they are here.”
Maronde said the guests also had an opportunity to visit the haunted room inside the Moose Lodge as many times as they wanted. She also said the youngsters are appreciative of the support given by the Moose Lodge every year.
“They thank you a thousand times…they are so happy to be here. They are so appreciative,” Maronde said.
About Mooseheart
A portion of annual Moose membership dues goes toward the residential childcare facility, which is located on a 1,000-acre campus in Aurora. The campus is a home for children and teens in need, from infancy through high school and was dedicated in July 1913 by the Moose fraternal organization.