Meet The Staff

I told you a few blogs back about our new improved grand raffle prize. Remember?

Well, now let me me tell you about the brand new Irish Festers who have the enviable job of giving those great prizes away. Though brand new to the Irish Fest family, they're long time active members of the KC Irish community, life long friends and wonderful women. Meet Jayme Wear (on the right) and Maureen (Manning) Deeds, our rookie raffle wranglers.

Hi Jayme and Maureen. Tell us a little about yourselves.

We grew up in Olathe and met in first grade at St. Paul’s Catholic School. Like many of you, we survived those eight years of chapel veils and spelling bees and so did our friendship. Between us we have five sons, five sisters, and five brothers. Jayme fights crime daily at the Overland Park Police Department and Maureen works for the Johnson County Environmental Department.

Describe your jobs at the KCIF for us.

We’re raffle committee virgins, so be gentle with us. We’ve enlisted our friends and family to sell tickets for the dream win but, other than that, we will experience baptism by fire on the weekend of KCIF. Being seasoned volunteers, we are totally up to the task and can’t wait for the fun to begin.

You'll do great. How did you get involved with the KCIF?

The Manning family (Maureen’s) goes way back to early St. Pat’s parade days, Brookside Festival, and the Celtic Fringe. Maureen drafted Jayme into involvement in the Irish community several years ago. Working on the Celtic Fringe parade entry this year (Grand Award winners for the 2006 St. Pat’s Parade) has been our most rewarding volunteer effort to date and gave us the courage to step up to the plate for the raffle committee.

We are so glad you did! What do you like best about the Fest so far?

We made a pact years ago that we would take each other if one of us ever wins the trip to Ireland. We are probably the only two people on the KCIF committee that have not been to Ireland, so we figure the travel gods have to smile down on us sometime. But we’d settle for the other great prizes (cash & Boulevard tasting party), if that’s how it works out. Come join us and volunteer for the raffle dream team.

What a great idea. If you haven't volunteered yet, or would like to pick up an extra shift on a really fun committee, join Jayme and Maureen on the Irish Fest raffle. You can volunteer and still win!