Doctors Hilary and John Stroh served as the honorary chairs for Soirée 2023. The benefit for the Friends of Chamber Music was held at the Kansas City Club on March 3rd. Nancy Lee Kemper is the board chair. Among the highlights were a preview of the 2023-2024 season, a live auction, and a performance by […]

January 1970 saw the launch of a new soap opera on Channel 9, Kansas City’s ABC affiliate: All My Children, created by Agnes Nixon. One of its stars was Ruth Warrick, who had roots in Our Town. Film aficionados may argue that she should be best remembered for her part in Orson Welles’ film Citizen […]

The Good Cheer Volunteers are being applauded by Children’s Mercy during this year’s Volunteer Appreciation Month. These rays of sunshine help make the days brighter for clients and their family members and caregivers. In addition to assisting with parent programs, they help clients enjoy experiences similar to camp activities, such as crafts, games, and special […]

February 24th was the date for the K-State Alumni Association’s Wabash CannonBall. The 16th annual event was held at the Overland Park Convention Center. Nearly 900 guests celebrated at the black-tie evening, which supports scholarships for K-State students from the Kansas City area.                     Featured in […]

The J. Rieger Distillery was the site for Alphapointe’s seventh annual Boots and Pearls: Wine and Whiskey. Nearly 600 guests gathered for the February 24th event. Partygoers sampled wines, beers, J. Rieger spirits and cocktails, delicious bites, and tempting auction packages. Proceeds will be used to support vision rehabilitation for people with vision loss.   […]

Lisa Schubert Hickok and Mr. John Dible Hickok, Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri, and Mr. and Mrs. Bart Carl Schubert of Coronado, California, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Ericka Jean Schubert, to James Austin Howe, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kerry James Howe of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The bride-to-be is […]

Ann and Josh Rowland are serving as the honorary chairs for the 29th annual Community Luncheon, a benefit for the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA). The event will be held on May 5th at the Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. The keynote speaker will be Jodi Kantor, a Pulitzer Prize […]

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Joseph Burns of Village of Loch Lloyd, Missouri, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, McKenzie Rose Burns, to Riley James Shirk, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Troy Lynn Shirk of Rogersville, Missouri. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Vera Quiroz Clarke and the late Mr. […]

The Central Exchange was founded in 1980 by Marjorie Powell Allen and Beth Smith. The 160 founding members included Kay Barnes, Anita Butler, Joan Dillon, Adele Hall, Mamie Hughes, Dorothy Johnson, Linda Moore, Terry Satterlee, Linda Hood Talbott, and Judith Whittaker. Toni Watson was the organization’s first executive director. Ann Hackett is the current leader […]

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) was founded in 1950. The Kansas City chapter, which was created in 1982, currently has more than 150 members. The organization’s focus is on STEM Outreach for girls in the metropolitan area and on networking events for women in STEM fields. Events include Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day […]

Sylvya Stevenson founded the National Congress of Black Women–Kansas City Chapter in 2013; it is an affiliate of the National Congress of Black Women, which was founded by the late Representative Shirley Chisholm, who was the first Black woman to be elected to The United States Congress. The organization offers affordable memberships for Black women […]

Terri E. Barnes founded The Nia Project Kansas City in 2020. The organization works to support projects that enable Black women and girls to build confidence and increase their opportunities for success. Black Women Get Fit (BWGF) is the signature program. Participants meet with experts in a variety of fields. In addition to physical fitness […]

Cynthia Newsome, founder, and Angela Curry, co-founder, created Awesome Ambitions in 1997; Cynthia now serves as the organization’s president. Awesome Ambitions participants are Black and Brown girls in the eighth through the 12th grades. The organization has four pillars: social justice and the law, college and career readiness, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness. Participants are […]

Mother’s Refuge was founded in 1987. The organization’s clients, who reside onsite, are young women who were previously homeless and are either pregnant or have very young children. Medical care is provided. Residents are required to pursue educational opportunities and are encouraged to accept counseling. A five-step program is devoted to lessons in parenting, infant […]

Unice Harris founded Purses With Power in 2018. Unice, who has a master’s degree in business administration, recognized that women who have hospitalized children would appreciate gifts that included self-care and inspirational items. The organization provides gift baskets and gift boxes, in addition to purses. The contents may feature such smile-generators as bubble bath, candles, […]

Kim Riley knows from experience how difficult it is for parents of students with autism or developmental disabilities to make arrangements for them after they graduate from high school. In 2019, she founded The Transition Academy as a way of supporting the families facing mountains of paperwork and no clear plan. The organization’s mission is […]

Tayten DeGarmo Tayten DeGarmo won’t be lounging around the pool when school’s out. Instead, the high school student will be attending Indiana University’s Ballet Summer Intensive and the Sacramento Ballet’s Summer Intensive. For the past nine years, Tayten has studied at the Kansas City Ballet School. Her list of credits includes Kansas City Ballet productions, […]

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” – Virginia Woolf Many of the traditional and textbook historical narratives center male experiences and hide the contributions of women. Throughout the different aspects of human history, whether politics, science, literature, art, or sport, that tendency removes a huge portion of the knowledge and experiences of the […]

Life contains moments in which we are forced to steady our balance, draw a breath, and take a flying leap. Or as we say in ballet, a grand jeté. By her mid-twenties, Amaya Rodriguez had established a solid career as principal dancer of the National Ballet of Cuba, where she was the company’s top ballerina […]

Tandra Stacer has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City for many years. Not only is she a board member, but she is a Big. Tandra and her Little, Gabby, were matched a decade ago and have many wonderful memories of their time together. Tandra and Gabby received the Big and Little Sister […]

Never underestimate the power of a hungry, talented, artistic woman on a mission. What strikes us as we learn more about these mavericks, is the sheer length of each of these women’s lives. We think there must be some real health benefits to pursuing the arts on one’s own terms… . (Author’s note: Many thanks […]