Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan McBride Kemper of Kansas City, Missouri, are pleased to announced the engagement of their daughter, Charlotte Lee Kemper, to Christopher McNaughton Black, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Lounsbury Black of Cincinnati, Ohio. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Royce Lee Smith and the late […]

Kansas City native Jaime Geer Steinman is the new owner of Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions, and the company’s future could not be in better hands. “All I want is to do right by Marcia and Lon. They gave birth to an amazing brand, and I want to be a good stepmom,” said Jaime, laughing. Jaime […]

Helzberg Diamonds hosted the Helzberg Diamonds Kickoff Forever holiday contest. Entrants had to buy an engagement ring for $1,000 or more and write 25 words or less to explain why their partner was “the one.” Lauren Coady and Josh Cowell were the winners of the contest. They won a $10,000 engagement party or wedding reception […]

The 17th annual Hats Off to Mothers will be held on May 5th at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Ellen Merriman will be the chairman, and John Holt will serve as emcee. Six outstanding mothers will be honored for their remarkable ability to balance family life, personal achievement, and service to our community. This year’s […]

Supporters of the 2019 Nutcracker Ball were guests at a private dinner on the stage of the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on December 17th. The Land of Sweets backdrop from The Nutcracker ballet provided the elegant setting for the event. Partygoers enjoyed a dinner, creative table décor from […]

December 4th was the date for the Lyric Opera Circle’s Holiday Luncheon, which was held on the rooftop of the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza. Rachael Sabates served as the chairman. Members enjoyed a delectable lunch and a gift of homemade granola from the 2020 Lyric Opera Ball Co-chairman, Mary Beth Gentry. Barbara Godfrey, […]

December 7th was the date for Olathe Health Charitable Foundation’s 48th annual Yuletide Gala, which was held at the Overland Park Convention Center. Katherine and Dr. Harlan Opie served as chairmen of the evening that featured cocktails, dinner, and dancing to the tunes of Twice On Sunday. Proceeds from the gala support the From the […]

David Epstein and Wade Tajerian were the honorary chairmen for the Folly Frolic, which was held at The Folly Theater on November 16th. Stacy Purvis and Steve Paddock served as the co-chairmen. The evening’s theme was a 1920’s Parisian cabaret. Sponsors enjoyed a private gathering prior to the concert. For other guests, dinner at The […]

November 9th was the date for the 33rd annual Some Enchanted Evening gala. The Johnson County Community College Foundation hosted the event, which was held at the Overland Park Convention Center. Susan and Mike Lally served as chairmen, and Pam Popp was the corporate sponsor chairman. Frank Devocelle received the Johnson Countian of the Year […]

  Ruth J. Brackney, Partner/Attorney, Lathrop GPM “A consummate giver of her time and resources, Ruth enjoys contributing to many local causes and charities. She is a board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City and a volunteer with Wayside Waifs no-kill animal shelter. Ruth was a board member from 2016 to 2019 at […]

The Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland was the site for Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City’s Most Wanted Auction on December 14th. This year’s honorees helped to raise a record-breaking $897,336 through one-of-a-kind live auction packages and more. Nearly 1,000 partygoers celebrated life-changing friendships at the high energy evening. Courtney and Brian Johanning, honorees […]

Lauren Elizabeth Vaughan and Eric Joseph Racki were married at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, Kansas, on October 12th. The bride is the daughter of Karen Reed Vaughan and Joseph Vaughan, Jr., both of Prairie Village, Kansas. Lauren is the granddaughter of Barbara and DuMont Reed of Prairie Village, Kansas, and the late Elizabeth […]

Jewish Community Relations Bureau|AJC’s 2019 Human Relations Dinner was held on November 24th. The gala, which featured a “Generations of Justice” theme, celebrated the organization’s 75th anniversary. Herb Kohn was honored with the Henry W. Bloch Human Relations Award. After accepting the award, Herb gave the keynote address. Alana Muller was presented with the inaugural […]

Sayaka Gushi Falcon is the owner of the new sushi and oyster spot, Sayachi, in Brookside, along with her husband, Chef Carlos Falcon of Jarocho fame. She may be one of the hardest working and one of the smartest people in the local restaurant business. Her day job? She is an actuary for Sun Life […]

As you know, January marks not just the beginning of a new year, but also a new decade. Instead of starting the year off by looking forward, I thought it might be fun to look back at some of the wonderful books of the decade. This decade marked the beginning of me keeping spreadsheets to […]

The charges were dropped – but being wrongfully accused of a crime was enough to make Saber Hossinei decide to become a lawyer. He began volunteering with the Midwest Innocence Project, which reviews cases in which justice may not have been done. The work was important enough to Saber that a three-hour commute each way […]

Kamera Meaney is the special programs manager for Truman Medical Centers. She is a member of the Centurions Fall Class of 2020. Kamera has served as programming chairman for the annual retreat and as co-chairman of the Healthcare Task Force, in addition to being a member of the curriculum committee. She earned a bachelor’s degree […]

Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas’ 46th Annual Snow Ball will be held on January 18th at the Overland Park Convention Center. Friends from St. Ann and St. Paul’s Catholic parishes gathered on separate occasions to garner support for the Ball. The Snowflakes, the next generation of Snow Ball supporters, had their own festive event in […]

Hallbrook Country was the beautiful setting for The Symphony League’s Holiday Luncheon. The festive event was held on December 11th. Symphony Ball Chairman Mary Leonida presented a check from the Ball to Danny Buckley, Kansas City Symphony, and Pat McCown, board president. New members were introduced, and Outgoing President Elaine Mann passed the gavel to […]

On November 23rd, the Kansas City Ballet Guild presented The Nutcracker Ball at the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza. Peggy Beal was the chairman, and Sandy and Dr. Roger Jackson served as the honorary chairmen. Sue Ann Fagerberg was the recipient of the 2019 Pirouette Award. In addition to a performance by Kansas City […]

Hallbrook Country Club was the beautiful setting for the Kansas City Young Matrons’ annual Mistletoe Party on December 6th. The festive event featured a delicious dinner and dancing. James and Sue Lund, Chuck and Joni Etherington, and Christy and Kent Jennings   Jo Anne Dondlinger and Dee Ritz   Andrea and Alexander Alford   Connie […]