The Durand Railroad Days Royalty Committee announces the sixth-annual Prince Competition sponsored by Conrad’s Towing of Durand. Vying for this year’s title of Durand Railroad Days Prince are Lucas Wheeler and Austin Wagner. Each contestant has a sponsoring business where collection canisters will be placed for voting. Voting will run from Jan. 23 through Feb. 6. Each cent collected in the contestant’s canister will equal one vote. The money raised will fund Railroad Days events. Contestants will receive a participation ribbon and a copy of their photograph, courtesy of A&R Portraits. The winner will also receive a $50 gift card, crown, and sash, courtesy of Conrad’s Towing of Durand.
The contestant that collects the most votes will be announced at the 2017 Royalty Crowning Ceremony, which begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 10 in the grand ballroom of the Durand Union Station. The 2017 Railroad Days Prince will represent the 42nd Annual Railroad Days Festival held on May 18 through 21. The Railroad Days Prince will appear in various parades and community functions throughout the year.
Lucas Wheeler is the son of Erin and Brooke Wheeler-Fox of Durand, and Russell and Denise Wheeler of Lennon. He is nine years old and is in 4th-grade at Robert Kerr Elementary. Lucas has one brother, Jack, and two sisters, Ireland and Aurora. Lucas has three pets, two dogs named Olive and Lucy, and one cat named Nutmeg. Lucas’s hobbies include horseback riding, baseball, and being in boy scouts. Lucas loves anything to do with history and semi-trucks. Lucas is sponsored by Fringe Salon.
Austin Wagner is the son of Brett and Kristy Wagner of Durand. He is seven years old and is in 2nd-grade at Robert Kerr Elementary, where is favorite subjects are math and reading. Austin enjoys playing soccer and baseball, spending time with his friends, and playing board games with his family. He also enjoys babysitting his grandparent’s dogs, Nugit, Annie, and Lily. Austin loves to do science experiments and would love to grow up to be a scientist. Austin is sponsored by Coffield Oil-Marathon.
