Meet Your Event Planning Committee Members | Gintare “G” Kelley

Tell us about yourself.

I am originally from Lithuania and now I live in Clive, Iowa, with my husband and our two boys. 

Why are you involved with Christkindlmarket Des Moines?

With each year passing I appreciate my European roots more and more.  I got involved with Christkidlmarket Des Moines because I loved the idea of authentic European traditions getting carried out in Iowa. For me it was a way to learn about organizing an event, getting involved in our community, and meeting some amazing like-minded people along the way!

Why should people become involved?

The real question is why not get involved?!  This has never been done in the Des Moines area! The event has a long tradition of successfully bringing joy to communities all over the world so why not here? Our community deserves it!  Whether you are a sponsor, a vendor or just want to donate and support us that way, it’s a great way to be part of something special, to educate our community and bring some European flavor to our holidays!
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.