Steve Bowman figures he has a nice little incentive to draw as many veterans as he can fit into his workshop Saturday morning.
Some may be there for the coffee. Others will certainly be just as interested in an automotive restoration project about to get underway.
Or, Bowman hopes, they may just want to talk about life in general.
“That’s the whole idea: just chatting.”
Bowman is hosting the first of a planned “Cars and Coffee” session at his workshop at 10 a.m. Saturday at 222 South St. in Iola.
The event is sponsored by the SAVES (Suicide Awareness Veterans Engagement and Support) Coalition, a locally formed group geared to serve veterans suffering various levels of mental distress.
There will be plenty to keep folks occupied, not the least of which is bountiful amounts of fresh coffee.
Clinton Blevins, chief commander of the Iola American Legion, and Phil Ebert of the LaHarpe Veterans of Foreign Wars, will be on hand, as will Patrick Zirjacks, community engagement coordinator for Thrive Allen County.
The centerpiece will be the announcement of a new vehicle restoration project.
Bowman has been in touch with local automotive enthusiast Michael Stockebrand, who is donating a vehicle, which is in relatively good shape, but could stand a healthy dose of TLC.
Bowman is keeping the vehicle model and year a secret, for now. He figures the work will almost certainly be a top-to-bottom restoration, from the suspension to the door handles.
“It runs,” he said, “but it doesn’t go.”
The plan is to work on the vehicle through the latter half of 2026 to have it show-ready, perhaps as early as December.
Bowman, an Australia native, has more than 30 years of experience in fixing up classic cars, and found more than a handful of fellow enthusiasts when he and wife Diana moved to Iola from Australia’s Gold Coast in 2024. (Diana works as a grant writer at Thrive.)
“When we moved here, we found out there are a lot of people around here who are military or are ex-military,” Bowman said. “And there are a lot of people who like cars. This is kind of a way to give back a bit.”
Bowman is uncertain how often subsequent cars and coffee sessions will be scheduled, because he wants to hear feedback from Saturday’s attendees.
