way to promote a great community event.

Handley, a well-known and much loved optometrist in Columbiana, works behind the scenes in many Shelby County organizations, from Boy Scouts and the Columbiana Beautification Board to the Shelby County Cattleman’s Association.

A few years ago, I received one of the most unique phone calls of my career. “Mr. Prince,” the caller said, “this is Dr. Stancil Handley. I’m going to be driving by your office in a minute and you’ll want to take a picture of what I’m driving.”

I walked outside just in time to see Stancil pulling up Main Street driving an old red van with a life-sized cow mounted on the roof.

The smile on Stancil’s face was the size of the cowboy hat he was wearing. Stancil was driving the “cow van” around the area to promote that year’s Shelby County Rodeo.

This year, Stancil has developed an even more exciting plan for promoting the annual Shelby County rodeo: a cowboy parade down Main Street in Columbiana. The parade, set for the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 21, will feature cowboys and cowgirls of all shapes and sizes.

Stancil and countless other area cowboys hope the parade will help create awareness for the 22nd-annual rodeo, set for the next weekend — Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28. I’ll bet it does that and more.

Farm animals of all types will make their way down Main Street to the Summer Classics property where families will enjoy cowboy demonstrations.

Any riding club or individual interested in participating in the parade or setting up demonstrations afterward should call Handley at 669-4131.

And those just interested in having a great family outing should put on their finest cowboy hats and head to downtown Columbiana for the parade.