EVENT EXTRAS
The Carriage Club was the site for Kansas City Ballet Guild’s Nutcracker Luncheon on December 14th. Guild members and Ballet staff celebrated the wonderful holiday season, which was filled with Nutcracker ballet performances. Angela and John Walker were recognized as the 2023 Ballet Guild Pirouette Award winners, and Grace Holmes was toasted for her tenure […]
Read MoreIn the mid 1800s, many who were enslaved traveled through Missouri to Kansas, seeking to escape the bonds of slavery. While Kansas Citians know of Quindaro Boulevard, its namesake was an early Kansas settlement that was integral to the pre-Civil War abolitionist movement. Known today as the Quindaro Ruins, the area is significant to Black […]
Read MoreNeeding medical care is something we all eventually experience. Yet, receiving fair and equal healthcare treatment is not. According to Dr. Jason E. Glenn, associate professor in the department of history and philosophy of medicine at The University of Kansas Medical Center (KU Medical Center), health inequities are most stark in the African American community. […]
Read MoreThe Prize Imagine being only two years into starting a brand new non-profit organization and receiving the call that you have been selected as a 2022 Pinnacle Prize winner! That is exactly what happened to Brandon Calloway, co-founder of G.I.F.T. – Generating Income For Tomorrow. Knee-deep in a movement to provide grants to Black-owned […]
Read More“There is nothing in here you can’t touch, and if I like it, it ends up here.” Such are the words of an art collector who surrounds himself with pieces that speak to him directly, not because of their perceived value or the potential commerce of the artist’s name. Maurice Watson is pretty sure that […]
Read MoreWhen reflecting on the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, you might recall significant events that advanced the cause. What may not immediately come to mind is baseball and how a series of events in the sport initiated progress for African American rights. With Kansas City as the epicenter, a seemingly unassuming series […]
Read MoreDecember 16th was the date for Kansas City Young Matrons’ annual Mistletoe Party. Members and their guests enjoyed an evening of fun and fellowship at KCYM Member Shari and John Olander’s beautiful home. Featured in the January 27, 2024 issue of The Independent. Photo Credit: John Caulfield
Read MoreThe Harriman-Jewell Series thanked its board of advisors with a dinner that included special guest opera star tenor, Juan Diego Flórez, who spoke of his connection to Our Town through the Harriman-Jewell Series and thanked his supporters. Guests enjoyed a delicious meal at The Capital Grille and celebrated the legacy of the Harriman-Jewell Series in […]
Read MoreHyman Brand Hebrew Academy’s 50th Jubilee Civic Service Celebration will be held on March 10th at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Mindy Corporon will be honored with the Civic Service Award. Guests will enjoy a wonderful evening to celebrate the work of Mindy, who founded the SevenDays organization. Dianne and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, Peggy […]
Read MoreNovember 15th was the date for the elegant Benefactor Party for the donors of the annual Fireside Fundraiser, which was hosted by the Fireside Committee of the Kansas City Art Institute at The Carriage Club. Lynne Weilert was the chairman. Guests enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres, wine, and lovely music from a harpist. Featured […]
Read MoreThe Midland was the site for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City’s Most Wanted Auction, which was held on December 9th. The Most Wanted honorees were recognized, and guests enjoyed bidding on once-in-a-lifetime auction packages. Proceeds support the organization to make a difference by creating professionally supported, one-to-one matches for kids who want […]
Read MoreKansas City Ballet Guild’s 56th annual Nutcracker Ball was held on December 1st at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Jo Anne Dondlinger was the chairman, and Susan Lordi Marker and Dennis Marker served as the honorary chairmen. Angela and John Walker were honored with the 2023 Pirouette Award. The event featured cocktails, dinner, […]
Read MoreThe Sugar Plum Fairy Children’s Ball was a magical occasion for young and old alike! The festive event was held on December 2nd at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Carrie Kruse and Jennifer Pontier were the co-chairmen. With a luncheon reminiscent of Clara’s Holiday Party, lots of activities, and, of course, a performance […]
Read MoreMarty McFly would have been jealous of the Back to the Basics Open House, hosted by Giving the Basics on October 26th! The “Back to the Future” themed event welcomed more than 200 guests to learn more about the organization’s mission of providing hygiene products for human dignity – the necessities of life such as […]
Read MoreDear Readers, Welcome to our 125th anniversary celebration year! It’s hard to believe that the humble beginnings of a local paper on March 11, 1899 would yield 125 years of chronicling the happenings of Kansas City. While The Independent had political origins, the magazine, its owners, editors, and staff have reinvented the publication many times […]
Read MoreHorizon Academy recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary! Opening in 1999 with 12 students, the school has come a long way to its current enrollment of 117 young learners. Founded by the smart and curious group of Rick Boxx, Fred Crouch, Bob Dunn, Laura Hall, Paula Halsey, Jenny Vaughan, and first-ever head of school, Sharyl Kennedy, […]
Read MoreKansas City Ballet Guild’s Nutcracker Ball Benefactor Party was held on November 29th at The American. Julia Irene Dennie-Kauffman was the host. With festive food, drink, and decor, guests eagerly anticipated the Nutcracker Ball, which was held two evenings later. Featured in the January 13, 2024 issue […]
Read MoreThe 2023 National Philanthropy Day, hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Kansas City Chapter, was held on November 7th at the Kauffman Foundation Convention Center. With well-deserved awards, the event honors and celebrates the individuals, families, businesses, and non profits that make Kansas City a very generous community, indeed. […]
Read MoreNovember 11th was the date for Johnson County Community College Foundation’s 37th annual Some Enchanted Evening, which was held at the Overland Park Convention Center. Sharon and Dr. Jerry Cook served as chairs of the event. Dr. Roy Jensen, University of Kansas Cancer Center, was named as the 2023 Johnson Countian of the Year. Proceeds […]
Read MoreMembers and friends of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Holy Family Catholic Church in Eudora, Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lawrence, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish in Lawrence, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish, and Holy Trinity Catholic Parish gathered recently at events to support and celebrate the 50th Annual Snow Ball. The Ball […]
Read MoreNewhouse’s Imagine a Day Gala was held on November 18th at Loews Kansas City Hotel. More than 1,300 guests gathered for dinner and auctions and to raise awareness and critical funds to support the brave survivors served by Newhouse. Jill Grace and Lindsey Murphy were the co-chairs, and 11 honorary co-chairs chose to take a […]
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