Two and a half years ago, when I was 38 weeks pregnant, my husband and I decided it was a good time to move. We bought a house in a coveted area of Prairie Village without really giving it much thought. We followed our gut, and, in my case, my about-to-pop pregnant belly, and decided […]

Louis L. Touton was an educator for many years, but he is best remembered as the head of Camp Sosawagaming (sometimes called Camp Soso or Camp So-So) in Big Bay, Michigan. The boys-only camp was sited where Yellow Dog River adjoined Lake Superior. In earlier times, the area had been home to members of the […]

A Cocktail Party and The Meadowbrook Car Show were held recently in support of the Kansas City Auto Museum and The Parks & Recreation Foundation of Johnson County. Proceeds from the events will benefit the new Public Art Program of Johnson County Park & Recreation District, and the programs of the Kansas City Auto Museum, […]

April 14th was the date for Jackson County CASA’s Light of Hope Breakfast, which was a virtual event this year. Kelly and Ron Lockton were the honorary chairmen. Debbie Bass was the keynote speaker. Jewish Family Services (JFS) and the Robinson Family were honored with the Light of Hope Award, and Michele Sewell received the […]

Tempe Ostergren Elsberry and Karen Yungmeyer are serving as co-chairmen of Kansas City Ballet Guild’s 2021 Nutcracker Ball. (Both are Ballet Guild members, and Tempe is also a former Kansas City Ballet dancer.) The 54th annual event will be held at Loews Kansas City Hotel on November 20th. The festivities will include cocktails, dinner, and […]

Lana Franco has been a volunteer with MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) since 2019, giving more than 600 hours to support survivors of sexual assault in local hospitals. The pandemic has not stopped Lana, as she has made a commitment to support MOCSA’s mission to improve the lives of those impacted by sexual […]

While the 1970s might have been idyllic for some of us (the author was in junior high and high school and worried about dates, disco, and the right Gunne Sax dress for the occasion), many in our community and around the country were struggling. It was a time of political divisiveness (history has a way of […]

April 12th was the date for University of Central Missouri’s President’s Gala, “The Arts are the Future,” which was a virtual event this year. Jeanette Prenger and Debby Ballard were the honorary co-chairmen, with Bryan Busby serving as the emcee. Guests enjoyed performances by students and faculty that were recorded in Helzberg Hall at the […]

Weston Wood Thompson was born on March 29th. This darling baby boy is the son of Chandler Bramanti Thompson and Justin Ross Thompson of Leawood, Kansas. He weighed eight pounds, two ounces, and was 21 inches long. Weston has dark brown hair and blue eyes. His doting grandparents are Lisa and Kenneth Block of Mission […]

The National World War I Museum and Memorial is very grateful for the Aces volunteers. Each member of this remarkable and dedicated crew has donated more than 500 hours (in 2019 and again in 2020) of community service to the Museum and Memorial. They help support the organization’s mission by making sure guests have a memorable and wonderful experience at the […]

Fresh, elegant, sophisticated, and graceful – Paros Estiatorio, the new Greek-influenced neighbor in Mission Farms is just the vacation we haven’t been able to take and just the fare we didn’t know was missing from South Kansas City until we tasted it… and experienced it. Brought to life by Kozeta (Cozy) Kreka (she also owns […]

Many times, numbers speak with as much authority as words do. In the case of domestic violence, the numbers paint a frightening, if not more frightening, picture than the actual words which describe this trauma. One-in-three women and one-in-four men have experienced domestic violence.  There are 342 beds in our city for emergency shelter, and […]

Mr. and Mrs. William Perry Brandt of Our Town are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Elizabeth Hundley Brandt, to Robert Walker Harbison II, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Siegel Harbison of St. Louis, Missouri. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Almeron Sprague III and […]

Benedictine College’s virtual 2021 Scholarship Ball was a huge success. The event set a record for fundraising, and guests tuned in from across the United States and around the world to watch the fun. The program included performances by the Raven Regiment Marching Band, stories from featured students, and inspiring messages from Benedictine College President […]

I remember when I was pregnant with my first child, people would warn me that our dogs would absolutely move down the love line. As a lifelong animal lover, I would deny this theory over and over again and insist our pups would continue on as royalty. Today, approximately four years into the parenting vs […]

We ran into John Keeling and his work quite by kismet. (By the way – the word kismet is taken from Turkish and Arabic origin – qisma, meaning lot or portion, which extrapolates out to “fate” as in, our portion of luck came due on an ordinary Autumn weekend in Overland Park.) During the fall […]

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day    Companionship is the simple, defining factor of the special relationship between humans and dogs; it is the act of just being […]

A celebration of the remarkable pets of Our Town.  Sponsored by:       Cooper * The Silvey Family   Dobby and Haley Bowman Photo Credit: Nicole Bissey   Captain and Lillie * Lauren Fredrickson and Aaron Schmeltz   Dobby * Haley Bowman Photo Credit: Nicole Bissey   Dobby and Hank Bowman Photo Credit: Nicole […]

HALO’s Virtual ArtReach Auction, “The Main Event,” was held on February 26th. The evening featured the premiere of the HALO documentary short film, live entertainment, silent and live auctions, and Special Guest Oprah Winfrey, who interviewed HALO youth, Marjai. Proceeds support the organization’s mission to end childhood homelessness.   Meilene Robinette, Chelsea Tapken, Carly Schultze, […]

The Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and The Ivy Community Service and Education Foundation hosted the 68th Debutante Ball on February 26th. The theme for the virtual event was “A Celebration of Grandeur and Grace.” Twyla Woods-Buford, the midwestern regional director, gave a special greeting. Kimberlyn Jones choreographed the waltz for the […]

Throughout history, stories have been told through poetry. My first introduction to these wonderful tales was through The Odyssey as I first delved into Greek mythology. After digging into other epic poems, the ability for stories to shape their culture became increasingly apparent. These works are kinetic and often times visceral with words that have […]