St. Paris Pony Wagon Days events start on Thursday

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ST. PARIS – Kyle and Nancy Bowman will be the grand marshals for the Pony Wagon Days Parade to kick off this year’s festivities.

The parade will start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Kyle Bowman graduated from Graham High School in 1975 while Nancy Bowman graduated from Sidney High School in 1977. The Bowmans met in 1978 at Cargill Inc. in Sidney where Nancy Bowman has been employed for 37 years.

In 1977, Kyle Bowman began his business career in St. Paris along with Harold and Kermit Wilson to start KHK Inc. The business was located in the building that is currently the St. Paris Pharmacy and was sold to Moulton Gas in 1985.

In the same year, the Bowmans, along with Kyle’s parents, purchased K&I Hardware from Kenny and Iggy Garver, renaming the business St. Paris Hardware.

Kyle Bowman has served as a member of the village’s Board of Public Affairs for several years and in 2005 joined the St. Paris Lions Club. Nancy Bowman joined the club soon after and the Bowmans were named “Lion of the Year” in 2012.

The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce awarded Kyle Bowman with the Simon Kenton award this year for his contributions to the community.

Nancy Bowman is a member of the Antique Study Club in St. Paris and the Bowmans also belong to the Moose Club in Urbana. The Bowmans also enjoy attending Antioch Shriner functions as well as attending and working at the many auctions in the area.

Kyle Bowman is a member of the Four Wheelers Unit, this is the unit that drives the little red cars in parades. He is also a member of the Funsters unit where he dresses as a clown for the Annual Shrine Circus and other community events.

Most recently, Kyle Bowman obtained his Auctioneer Apprenticeship license. His sponsor is Mick Lile in Bellefontaine.

The Bowmans have two girls that graduated from Graham, Kim and Leslie.

Kim Burns is the owner of St Paris Embroidery. Burns and her husband, Mike, along with their two children, Andrew and Cadance reside in St Paris.

Leslie Roseberry and her husband, Eric, live in Springfield along with their three children, Haylie, Joslyne, and Colton. Roseberry is currently going to Nursing School and works at the Springfield Masonic Home In the Pathways Center for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care facility.

Following the parade, the Pony Wagon Days Committee will host a basket auction on the front lawn of the Kiser Mansion with Phil Thompson as the auctioneer. Pony Wagon Committee Chairperson Billie Dever said the Lions Club will serve dinner at the municipal building, 135 W. Main St.

No activities will be held on Friday.

On Saturday, there will be a community yard sale throughout the village from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dever said there will be requirements or registration for residents but people selling food must have a food vendor’s license.

Kyle and Nancy Bowman
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2015/09/web1_2015-PWD-Grand-Marshall.jpgKyle and Nancy Bowman Submitted photo

By Nick Walton

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Nick Walton can be reached at 937-652-1331 Ext. 1777 or on Twitter @UDCWalton.

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