OCEAN CITY — Katie Bowman didn’t raise $23,000 for a trio of local programs just so she could wear a fancy gown and crown and ride on a big boat during last summer’s Night In Venice boat parade.
Looking back on the past year, she admits that was a fun experience but that it paled in comparison to supporting programs that benefit so many people in the community.
Bowman was crowned the 2021 Miss Night In Venice in July, a title for a unique type of pageant that bestows the crown on the young woman who raises the most money.
Last year, the six contestants raised more than $40,000 that is going to the Ocean City Ecumenical Council Food Cupboard, the HERO Campaign and Ocean City High School After Prom.
Bowman raised more than half of the total herself, an effort that actually began the year before when Night In Venice was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Night In Venice contest is known for the plastic Johnson’s Popcorn tubs that crop up on counters at businesses all over the island. They feature pictures of the contestants and are used to collect drop-in donations.
Bowman, a 2021 graduate of Ocean City High School who is now a freshman at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, said the young women involved couldn’t put out the buckets in 2020 because of pandemic restrictions, but were able to use them this past year.
She said a “good sum” of the donations she raised came from the buckets, but even more came through a letter-writing campaign.
Bowman sent out letters to more than 500 people asking them to donate to the Miss NIV program that in turn donates to the local groups.
“It was a lot of work, but I had so much fun doing it,” she said. “It was a lot of time and effort but it was definitely worth all of it. “
The letters explained how Miss Night In Venice works, described the groups that would end up with the donations and included some biographical information about Bowman. That biographic info included the fact that she took part in all of the programs that benefit from the donations.
As a high school student, she attended After Prom, has volunteered with the Ecumenical Council and taken part in events with the HERO Campaign, which aims to reduce drunken driving deaths by encouraging sober designated drivers.
“I wanted to do Miss Night In Venice because I had a chance to participate in each of the charities that they had,” Bowman said. “I got to experience After Prom first hand. I helped with the Ecumenical Council, and I’ve helped with the HERO Campaign. I’ve done all the walks with different clubs with my school.
“It was exciting for me to see where my money would go to when I raised it all and to see the difference the money raised from Miss Night In Venice makes.”
So, putting in all that effort over two years wasn’t about the fancy dress and boat ride? “No, definitely not,” she said with a laugh.
“I do love the parades and it’s so fun to see everyone, but to actually know where the money goes to and to help raise it is why I did it,” Bowman said.
Supporting local causes is nothing new for Bowman, the daughter of Charlie and Jennifer Bowman of Ocean City, who have instilled in her the importance of giving back. It’s also nothing new for her sisters, Caroline and Kelsea.
“I’ve always wanted to help out. Every year for my birthday — me and both of my sisters — we would invite the entire grade to our birthday party and instead of asking for gifts, we would ask for money,” she said.
The girls would then donate the money to a charity of their choice.
“That’s where it all kind of started. I always had so much fun with that. It was always great to invite everyone because sometimes you didn’t get invited to a party when you were little and it was always so sad. This way everyone was invited and it was going toward a good thing and it was fun,” she said.
Her parents, she said, “definitely influenced me and told me to be the best person and help out any way I could.”
It was her choice to do Miss Night In Venice.
“This was something I wanted to do on my own,” she noted.
For all the work she put into writing 500 letters and collecting the funds, she did get to enjoy herself riding in the parades. That includes being on a boat with the other girls during Night In Venice, and then the Baby Parade, Halloween Parade and Christmas Parade.
“I do enjoy the parades and seeing everyone I know, especially since I’m away at college. I get to see all the people I’ve known and grown up with and who helped me with everything,” she said. “That is very exciting.”
Night In Venice “is definitely is the most fun parade. It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had. You get to see everyone, you’re on the boat and music is playing. And I’m friends with all of the other girls who did (Miss NIV), so that was super exciting to experience that all together.”
Bowman is midway through her freshman year in college. She is majoring in elementary education and hopes to become a teacher someday.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff