NORTH PLATTE – The 49th annual Irish Fest event drew a huge crowd to St. Patrick’s High School on Sunday, February
25th resulting in $40,000 net proceeds for the North Platte Catholic Schools. Endowment Director Wendy Dodson says
that homemade roast beef dinner was served to over 340 people, over 6,000 game tickets were sold for the mini
carnival in the school gym, over 5,000 raffle tickets sold, nearly $1,000 worth of baked goods, and the silent auction
generated $7,500. Dodson estimates that total event proceeds to total $40,000, the highest on record for the event that
began in 1975.
Raffle winners were: Sara Ningen, Carol Hovey, Aaron Marroquin, Kelsie O’Neill, and Christian Ramos, all of North Platte.
Raffle prizes were donated by: Kwik Stop, Dave’s Place, and Irish Fest sponsors (a complete sponsor listing can be round
at: www.bidpal.net/irishfest24).
Dodson notes that the Endowment is particularly grateful to those who sponsored and volunteered at Irish Fest.
Longtime school parent Marty Troshynski prepared and cooked the meal. The Lincoln County Feedyard, LLC donated all
of the beef for the meal, and potatoes were donated by Mike & Alison Noffsinger. Dodson adds that special recognition
is due to the faculty, families, and students of St. Patrick’s, McDaid and Little Leprechaun schools. St. Pat’s student
volunteers staff the game booths, serve in the cafeteria, and provide baked goods for the event. McDaid Elementary and
Little Leprechaun Preschool classes each provide themed baskets for the silent auction.
The 50th annual Irish Fest is already on the calendar for next year. It will be held on Sunday, March 2nd, 2025.
