For most of my adult career, I’ve worked from home. I hopped on the home office train in the year 2014 B.C. – “before children,” and “before COVID.” Working from home has shown me the power of working smarter, not harder. My flexible schedule led me to master the skills of time management and productivity […]

March 21st is the date for Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy’s Civic Service Award Private Broadcast Celebration. Pella Fingersh and Neil Sosland are serving as co-chairmen of the virtual event. The late Tiberius Klausner, acclaimed violinist, concertmaster, educator, and parent and grandparent of HBHA graduates, will be posthumously honored with the Civic Service Award. The late […]

Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Alan Krizek of Mission Hills, Kansas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kylie Alice Krizek, to Stephen Louis Finno, the son of Mrs. Stephen Finno of Chicago, Illinois, and the late Mr. Finno. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Jeanne Marie Swalm of Sedona, Arizona, the late Mr. […]

Luke Deets, Vice President, McCownGordon Construction As the leader of McCownGordon Construction’s K-12 market sector, Luke Deets provides client, design, and student-focused solutions for pre-construction and construction services. Luke exemplifies the McCownGordon core values of integrity, relationships, and performance. “Luke is a natural leader, motivator, mentor, and philanthropist,” said Sheri Johnson, McCownGordon. “Through his volunteer […]

The Independent is delighted to share some of the many wonderful philanthropic endeavors from 2020. Kansas City is filled with fabulous volunteers and organizations that stepped up for our community during the pandemic. Join us as we celebrate their hard work and kindness. Kelly Van Allman, Kate Cullinane, and Marcus Rhodes, board member; participated in […]

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Patel of Chillicothe, Missouri, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Dr. Amy Patel, to Joseph Rathermel, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Rathermel of Fort Dodge, Iowa. Amy is a graduate of Chillicothe High School. She earned a bachelor of liberal arts degree and a doctor of […]

InterUrban ArtHouse may be a mouthful, the multi-pronged concept may be a bit confusing, the location may be intriguing, but all of the layers of concept and construction and utilization lead to one thing: a creative space in which artists are to be seen and heard. The kernel of truth is that despite Kansas City’s […]

“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” – Lord Byron With the pandemic still raging and the news cycle attempting to drive us all into some new form of madness, laughter as medicine has never seemed so enticing. As usual, I have been turning to books for respite, and I wanted to share […]

Sometimes, there is a very thin margin in life.  Often we search for meaning, question our place, or look for guidance in the direction our lives might take. Sometimes the signs are small – almost undetectable. And, other times we literally get knocked off of our feet by a message where immediate heed must be […]

It has been 50 years since Sister Berta Sailer and Sister Corita Bussanmas began what would grow to be Operation Breakthrough. They started by helping a few children, and ended up improving the lives of thousands. The Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy will be the site for the celebration of Operation Breakthrough’s 50th birthday […]

Back in the 1920s, The Independent recorded the lament of a world-weary kindergartener who said she just had no idea who she would wed when she grew up – most of the men she knew seemed to be married already. We understand her feelings completely. Here we sit, reading of Valentine’s Days past, and leaving […]

The course of true love was anything but smooth for Lillian and Dr. Rex Diveley. The couple was involved in not one, but two serious car accidents in a short span of time during their courtship. A different pair might have termed the relationship star-crossed, wished each other well, and proceeded on their separate ways. […]

Jennifer Malone is a member of  Centurions, where she serves as the co-chairman for the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee and volunteers with Uplift, HappyBottoms, Harvesters, and Giving the Basics. Jennifer received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and secondary education from Rockhurst University, while on a soccer and academic scholarship. After teaching for […]

“All is right,” is the Italian translation of the name Va Bene – the newest restaurant member of Corinth Square at 83rd and Mission Road. With Kristi Burns (formerly of Webster House fame) and Kevin Fossland (J.J.’s) at the helm, this new laid-back eatery defines itself with a comfortable atmosphere and authentic, fresh Italian dishes […]

Lisa and Kelly McKee of Los Angeles, California, welcomed a darling baby boy, Peter Kirk McKee, on October 15th. He weighed eight pounds, five ounces, and was 21 inches long. Peter’s delighted grandparents are Susan Carpenter, Kirk Carpenter, and Margie McKee. Also featured in the February 6, 2021 issue of The Independent Photo Credit: Kendall […]

Wendy Savlin has what sounds like a wonderfully rewarding career as senior director, employee experience and culture enablement at T-Mobile. She focuses on connecting employee programs, products, and services to elevate the employee experience. With two bachelor’s degrees from Truman State University in business and marketing, Wendy has spent most of her professional life in […]

February 25th is the date for The Center For Practical Bioethics’ private broadcast celebration of Humility, Health and Healing: Where do we go from here? Dr. Barry Kerzin, personal physician to the Dalai Lama, is the keynote speaker, and Dr. Steven Stites, The University of Kansas Health System, will be honored with the Vision to […]

November 12th was the date for The Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Kansas City Chapter’s National Philanthropy Day Celebration virtual program. Honorees were congratulated for work done in their respective fields of non-profit fundraising. Included in the event were the following awards: Spirit of Philanthropy – Individual given to Marylou Turner and nominated by the […]

Michelle Carlstedt joined Urban Ranger Corps’ (URC) board of directors in May of 2019. Since then, she has served as chairman of the development and marketing committees. Michelle has also served on the annual dinner planning committee, and much more. She has been honored by the organization as its Volunteer of the Year.  Erik Dickinson, […]

Brian Votava is passionate about the Who Is Carter Foundation. He serves on the organization’s board of directors and is a driving force behind the annual Who Is Carter Gala. Brian is the director of development and founding partner of NorthPoint Development. He often engages other NorthPoint staff members in a variety of volunteer roles […]

Kwanza Humphrey, in his own words, “makes the invisible visible.” His works, both paintings and drawings, seem to help us focus. It’s kind of like when we are seated in the chair at the eye doctor’s office, and the double lenses are resting on our cheeks, and the doc says, “Okay, one or two; two […]