The Fathers’ Icebreaker event for the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties’ Community Ball and Cotillion was held at The Allegro Ballroom in Overland Park. Guests had a wonderful time getting to know each other. Jim Neunuebel, Greg McNamara and Al Rickert Martin Reyes, James Beck, Jeremy Kornis, Jeff Chalk, and John Smeltzer  Additional […]

Debora H. Field and David J. Orlowski of Mission Hills are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kathryn Elizabeth Orlowski, to Christopher Ray Jones, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin R. Jones of Mission Hills. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mrs. Richard M. Orlowski of Prairie Village and the late Mr. […]

Crittenton Children’s Center celebrated its 120th anniversary at Toast for the Children on October 20th at Union Station Kansas City. Mariel Hemingway was the special guest speaker. She recently released two memoirs in conjunction with National Mental Awareness Month, Out Came The Sun and Invisible Girl. Proceeds support mental health services and programs for area […]

Susan Walker has a very humble and happy approach to community service. Susan and her team of volunteers have been essential to the growth of Community LINC’s Rent Party event. She has also been instrumental in coordinating organization leadership and facilitating discussions surrounding the Karen and Hank Herrmann Humanitarian Award.  (Seated) Kristin Walker and Nicole […]

An Evening with Lisa Parker was held recently at the 1900 Building. Greater Kansas City Community Foundation donors and guests enjoyed a presentation from Lisa, who serves as president of the Lawrence Welk Family Foundation. She discussed raising charitable children, youth philanthropy, new models of giving, and the evolution of family philanthropy. Sean and Karen […]

Megan Anne Sinclair and Mark Robert Osmundsen were married on May 1st at the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort in Santa Barbara, California. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Sinclair of Wichita, Kansas. Her groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Osmundsen of Black Mountain, North Carolina. The evening prior, […]

Spofford’s 17th annual Butterfly Gala was held on October 8th. More than 500 guests enjoyed dinner and dancing to the tunes of The Dave Stevens Band to celebrate Spofford’s 100th birthday. David Janus was the honorary chairman, and Teresa and Ryan Keller and Christian and Jim Brown served as the co-chairmen.  Teresa and Ryan Keller, […]

Anita Nigro was the host of the October 20th Giddy Up for Boots and Breast Cancer event held at Nigro’s Western Store. The annual affair benefits The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Al Christofano, John Iselin, Scott Tucker, and Margo Christofano David and Anita Nigro, host; with Travis Marvin Toby Tyler, Ben Aldrich, David Nigro, […]

September 30th was the date for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk at Cleveland University-Kansas City. More than 7,000 participants carried illuminated lanterns: white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. The mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma, […]

December 3rd is the date for The Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties’ Community Ball and Cotillion. The debutantes and their escorts will learn the choreography during practice sessions before they showcase their fabulous performance at the 66th annual event. (First row) Megan Dailey, Emma Kelly, Grace Coker, Mary Margaret Sims, Lena Wencker, Kennedy […]

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth George Block of Mission Hills are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Chandler Bramanti Hampton, to Justin Ross Thompson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Ewell Thompson of New Braunfels, Texas. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mrs. Henry Rudolfo Bramanti of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the […]

Nearly 1,200 people volunteer at Catholic Charities each month. These dedicated volunteers assist in a variety of ways, including picking up food from area grocery stores and delivering it to one of nine pantries, coordinating parish food drives, working in the TurnStyles thrift store, helping with English language classes, serving on the event planning committees, […]

Gus Sachse recently celebrated his first birthday with a fun party at home. Gus is the darling son of Brandi and Scott Sachse of Leawood. Family and friends had a wonderful time at the Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed event. Big brother Henry, age three, enjoyed helping Gus eat his cake. Also featured in the November 12, […]

Kansas City Young Matrons gathered recently at their clubhouse for their Civics and Honoring Day. Members enjoyed a delicious lunch and the premiere of the film, KCYM: The First 100 Years, in recognition of KCYM’s centennial year. KCYM: The First 100 Years Research Committee: Sue von Geyso, Sue Lund, Dianne Tanquary, Lucinda Rice-Petrie, Peggy Beal, […]

The Kansas City Country Club was the beautiful setting for the Kansas City Ballet Guild’s 2016-2017 season’s Fall Luncheon on September 20th. Guests enjoyed a delicious lunch, and the Ballet’s Second Company performed excerpts. Artistic Director Devon Carney explained “partnering,” while the Company demonstrated “lifts,” when the young men hold their partners high above their […]

The 2016 Ballet Bash Benefactor Dinner was held on October 13th at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Lisa Merrill Hickok was presented with the Pirouette Award for sharing her time, talent and treasure with the Kansas City Ballet for so many years. Trapp and Company provided the beautiful décor, and guests savored a […]

September 20th was the date for The Committee of 100’s fifth annual Celebratory Luncheon. This year’s special designer and featured speaker was Jane Scott Hodges, Leontine Linens. Proceeds from the C100 provide support for the programs and mission of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Cara Newell, Trish Wurster, Ann Marie Hamilton, Laurie Montague, Susie Heddens, […]

September 20th was the date for First Call’s 6th Annual Celebration Evening, A Night of Recovery and Hope with Francine Ward. Guests enjoyed dinner, a silent auction, a raffle, and fund-a-need at the Regnier Center and Nerman Museum at Johnson County Community College. Licia Clifton-James and Mayor Sly James served as the chairmen. Owen and […]

The Independent is pleased to honor the many remarkable people in Our Town who share their time and talents with so many different organizations. We celebrate these passionate and dedicated individuals who make Kansas City a wonderful place to live. Wayside Waifs *Wayside Waifs is a charitable animal shelter whose purpose is to place adoptable […]

More than 130 guests and patrons attended The Gathering, a Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas event to support the New Roots for Refugees program. The fourth annual event was held on October 4th at the lovely home of Ann and Mike Hays. After perusing the farmer’s market offerings of Menuka Regmi, a New Roots for […]

September 18th was the date for Powell Gardens’ eighth annual Under a Harvest Moon: A Farm-to-Table Dinner. Rosemary and Byron Banta were the honorary chairmen, and Ken Millsap and Jay Wilson served as the chairmen. Proceeds from the event support youth education programs at the Gardens. Ken Millsap, Beth Whalen and Jay Wilson The Heartland […]