Miller, Freeman are Little Mr. & Miss Yesteryear for 2013 by Bob Robinson Darke County Ohio

Winners of the Arcanum Old Fashioned Days Mr. and Miss contest. Center: Little Mr. and Miss Yesteryear
Andy Miller and Kara Freeman, Left to right: Wyatt Lindsey, third; Caleb Jones, second;
Grace Psczulkoski, second; and Madi McCool, third.

Miller, Freeman are Little Mr. & Miss Yesteryear for 2013
By Bob Robinson

ARCANUM - Andy Miller, 5-year-old son of Scott and Shelly Miller, and Kara Freeman, 4-year-old daughter of Jessica and Ryan Freeman, took Little Mr. and Miss Yesteryear honors on May 17 as Arcanum Old Fashioned Days kicked off the community festivities in Darke County for 2013.

Second place honors went to Caleb Jones, five, son of Jenny and Travis Jones, and Grace Psczulkoski, five, daughter of Ashley and Andy Psczulkoski. Third place went to Wyatt Lindsey, five, son of Amos Lindsey and Kristen Rowland, and Madi McCool, five, daughter of Justin and Sierra McCool.

According to Lori Henderson, co-owner of Yes “Deer” Salon, along with co-owner Amber Proffit, First, Second and Third place winners received trophies, while all contestants received gift bags. Little Mr. and Miss were crowned and adorned in their royalty robes.

The Little Mr. and Miss Yesteryear contest was the first event of packed weekend with the Old Fashioned Days Parade taking place the following morning at 11 a.m., a Kiddie Tractor Pull, Children’s Theatre Club, Arcanum H.S. Lift-A-Thon, Hog Raffle, Twisters Acrobatic Cheerleading and more. Rides and concessions were open daily throughout the weekend.

Prior to the parade Alan Fourman said “it’s an honor” to serve as its Parade Marshall, one that the 73-years-young Arcanum resident is proud to add to his resume.

“I’m the bad bean supper cook for the Arcanum Business Assn. and Lions Club,” he said, adding that he is also a 33-year retired worker at the Dayton Chrysler plant and a part time helper at Sutton Super Value since 1994.

He said he was especially proud of the role he and his, Judy, wife play in making sure that both Santa and the Easter Bunny visit all the children in Arcanum each year.

Fourman’s “chariot” was a 1941 Chevrolet, which its driver Lois Troutwine, said was called a Cabrolet.

“It was given to me by my husband, Keith, for our 50th anniversary in 2000,” she said. “He had the insurance agency here in town.” He passed away in 2003.

It seems Mrs. Troutwine also plays a role in the Santa festivities each year…

“I tell the kids I drive up to the North Pole to get Santa,” she said.

Shortly after 10 a.m. more than 45 parade entries had begun staging at Arcanum Butler High School. One worker noted that she hoped the weather would hold. This was echoed most of the weekend as inclement weather threatened all three days. Two children who looked forward to the parade Saturday morning were prepared with an umbrella bigger than they were. They were Molly, 4, and Avery, 3, Kniesly, daughters of Mike and Elizabeth Kniesly.

During the Little Mr. and Miss contest wind and a possible storm threatened to require moving everyone from Veteran’s Park to another location. It wrapped before any precipitation occurred.

In addition to the Yes “Deer” Salon, sponsors of the contest were the Arcanum Business Assn., Koenig Equipment and Sink Jewelers.

Helping at the event was Miss Ohio Junior Teen, 14-year-old Arcanum resident Janae Kinne, daughter of Brian and Julie Kinne. Janae said she was the winner of the Little Mr. & Miss Yesteryear contest in 2005 at the age of six.

The remaining Yesteryear contestants were: Brendon Jones, seven, son of Jenny and Travis Jones, Evan Addison, three, son of Larry and Amy Addison, JJ Vocke, four, son of Wendy Adams, Anna Jean Stump, six, daughter of Chris and Kristie Stump, Lilyan Lindsey, seven, daughter of Amos Lindsey and Kristen Rowland, and Rylee Leeper, seven, daughter of Teresa and Chris Leeper.

Published courtesy of The Early Bird

To see additional Arcanum Old Fashion Days photos, click here

Alan Fourman said he was proud to represent Old Fashioned Days as Parade Marshall. He is shown
with his wife, Judy. Long-time driver in her 1941 Cabrolet is Lois Troutwine.

Molly, 4, and Avery, 3, Kniesly are ready for the weather with their oversized umbrella. They are the daughters of
Mike and Elizabeth Kniesly. Elizabeth had a display tent for her home made hair bows.