Homeless advocate named Grand Marshal of St. Patrick’s Day Parade

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The woman who leads the charge to help Lexington’s homeless will be leading Lexington’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade this year.

Ginny Ramsey, director and co-founder of the Catholic Action Center, has been named as the grand marshal of the 39th annual Alltech Lexington St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Ramsey has led the all-volunteer organization that serves the city’s homeless since 1999.

More than 12,000 volunteers each year have provided over 5.8 million meals and 850,000 room nights of shelter, along with clothing, laundry, mail service and phone service to those without permanent housing — all with no government funding, but instead the support of the community and community volunteers.

“The work done by Ginny Ramsey and the Catholic Action Center to create a place where dignity, relationships and connections can become the path from the streets to a home for so many is remarkable,” Bill Enright, parade chair and president of the Bluegrass Irish Society, said in a statement. “Ginny Ramsey is a wonderful example of someone who lives each day the principles we admire.”

The Lexington Division of Parks and Recreation produces the annual St. Patrick’s parade and festival with community support from local businesses and cultural organizations. The events are part of an all-day celebration that begins at 8 a.m. with the 12th annual Shamrock Shuffle to benefit Lexington Habitat for Humanity.

The Irish festival kicks off at the Robert F. Stephen Courthouse with the annual “Blessing of the Keg” at the Alltech tents on the courthouse plaza at 10:45 a.m. Local Irish musicians, dancers and pipe bands keep the entertainment going all day.

The annual parade, with Ramsey as grand marshal, begins at 1 p.m. and goes down Main Street from Midland Avenue to Mill Street. The parade is the longest running citywide civic event in Lexington.

For more information, go to http://lexingtonstpatsparade.org/ .