CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Sept. 5, 2020
Even torrential rain couldn’t dampen spirits Saturday afternoon, as a local couple got a hearty send off after spending nearly two decades in the Pontiac.
Simon and Julia Clarke came to the region . . .
17 years ago from England. Simon is a musician and entertainer, while Julia is a fitness coach. He said that he and his wife have enjoyed their time in the area, but the COVID shutdown has had a significant impact on both their jobs.
“We’re very sorry to go,” he said in a brief interview that was cut short by a sudden downpour. “We might well come back, but we don’t know what the COVID’s going to do … We’ve made a lot of friends over the years, and they’re all lovely people in the Pontiac, especially Shawville.”
The send off was organized by the couple’s friend Ruth Hahn and held at Mill Dam Park in Shawville, which allowed for dozens of the couple’s friends, fans and clients to attend. The main entertainment for the afternoon was an Elvis tribute show by one of the Clarke’s friends.
