Newton woman to star on NBC’s ‘Little Big Shots: Forever Young’

An 88-year-old Newton woman known for her chicken-calling, spunki-ness and style will be featured on the small screen Wednesday night during NBC’s “Little Big Shots: Forever Young.”

Bonnie Swalwell Eilert, a Baxter native and a 1947 Newton High School graduate, went on one of her biggest adventures yet this past spring — she traveled to Los Angeles to film with TV host Steve Harvey.

Eilert’s hoots and hollers are not only famous to Iowans, but they are also known to Eilert’s friends and family internationally. Eilert has participated in the calling contests at the Iowa State Fair for more than 45 years, where she has won a hefty amount of blue ribbons in various categories.

When one of the producers of the newly launched show saw Eilert on social media, they reached out to the Iowa State Fair. The state fair employees then reached out to Eilert about the opportunity.

“Well I didn’t have to wait to think about it,” Eilert said. “Yes, yes, yes.”

Eilert said she received a call from NBC in January.

“My daughter Sheryl (Beals) and I went through all kinds of pictures — hundreds that they wanted us to send over,” Eilert said. “Sheryl shipped all those albums and there were 12 to 14 boxes full.”

Fast forward to April, and Eilert and Beals found themselves flying to Los Angeles for 11 days. Eilert said she was not the least bit nervous and the producers were very welcoming.

“I just go with the flow,” Eilert said. “I call it one of my adventures.”

Eilert said she showed Harvey all of her wacky, antique hats.

“I gave Steve my pizza hat, and I gave him an Iowa shot glass,” Eilert said. “He just loved it.”

Eilert said she demonstrated how to call chickens and hogs and the fan favorite — husband-calling, which is basically her hilarious attempt on trying to get a husband to come inside for dinner.

Eilert said all the goofiness and fun that will air doesn’t “phase her.”

“This was the thrill of my life to be given this honor,” Eilert said.

Eilert grew up as a farm girl on the edge of Baxter.

“It was wonderful to share how my grandfather got here and how he was a surveyor,” Eilert said. “He got here in 1844 and bought 1,000 acres.”

Throughout Eilert’s childhood, her parents spent summer days at the Iowa State Fair, where traditions and events were much different than today’s.

“Dad would buy us a sherbet pineapple ice cream cone,” Eilert said. “A wonderful treat because dad would never want to spend money on ice cream then.”

Eilert and her late husband Roy moved to Newton and had one child, Sheryl.

Eilert has been a longtime member of the Jasper County Chorus, the Jasper County Farm Bureau Club, volunteer of the Mingo Centennial and was a member of the Sugar Grove Grange, Killduff Grange and now the Amboy Trail Grange.

Today, Eilert continues to attend the Iowa State Fair where she has competed in the calling contests for at least 45 years.

“I am always singing about Iowa,” Eilert said. “I am proud of Iowa. My two hometowns are here — Baxter and Newton.”

Catch Eilert on “Little Big Shots: Forever Young” at 7 p.m. Wednesday on NBC.

Contact Kayla Langmaid at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or klangmaid@newtondailynews.com