I ON PHILANTHROPY

Women and children is the current focus area of The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri. One of its partners is Amethyst Place, which provides recovery housing. Amethyst Place’s EnCompass program features pairs of mentors who work with women who have children and low incomes. The emphasis is on solving personal and family issues in […]
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The BOTAR Ball will be held on October 20th at the Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. This marks the 69th anniversary of the Ball, which is a benefit for the American Royal. This year’s BOTAR president is Blythe Leonard Robertson (Mrs. John Scott Robertson). It takes two hands to count […]
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Jabbar Wesley is a government affairs specialist for Spire and is a member of Centurions, class of 2020. He also is the founder of the Novel City Chamber of Innovation, which is a community economic development organization, focusing on maximizing the value of unified diversity through community events, education resource development services and business incubation […]
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October 18th through the 21st are the dates for The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri’s Holiday Mart, to be held at Bartle Hall. The fun-filled weekend will feature a diverse selection of retailers, a new special event and a new Holiday Mart printed program with information about the League. Co-chairmen Aubrey Holden and Courtney […]
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Shalea Walter received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and legal studies from the University of Central Missouri and is a member of Centurions, class of 2019. She is vice president and marketing manager at Arvest Bank. Shalea served as an event committee chairman for the eighth time for Phoenix Family Housing’s Annual Ungala this year. […]
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Mary and John M. Edgar will serve as the honorary chairmen of the 2018 Symphony Ball, “To Paris With Love,” presented by the Symphony League of Kansas City. It will be held on September 8th at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Music Director Michael Stern will present the Symphony’s first performance of the […]
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Raised on a family farm in rural Iowa, Michael Condon is a graduate of Iowa State University. He is a Centurion, class of 2019. Michael is an active volunteer in the Shawnee Mission School District, Curé of Ars Parish and Saint Luke’s Hospice. He and his wife, Carrie, have three daughters, Lilly, Cecilia and Margaret. […]
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Christy and Bill Gautreaux are serving as the honorary chairmen of the 2018 Kemper Gala. The event will be held at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art on October 13th, and the culinary experts at Café Sebastienne are in charge of the delicious fare. Proceeds will go toward ensuring that more than 100,000 people enjoy […]
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A member of Centurions, class of 2019, Amy Kligman serves on the Arts, Culture and Entertainment Task Force and on the curriculum committee. She is the executive/artistic director at the Charlotte Street Foundation and also serves on the board of directors of Nonprofit Connect. Amy previously worked for Hallmark Creative, where her titles included art […]
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Jackie Vavroch is in-house counsel at Dairy Farmers of America and an active member of the legal community, graduating from both the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Robert T. Roberts Trial Academy and Leadership Academy. Said Trina Le Riche, Ogletree Deakins: “She has the capability to see an assignment through, going above and beyond what […]
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Sharon Gartin started volunteering as a dog walker years before Kansas City Pet Project (KCPP) took charge of the Kansas City Shelter. As her Facebook friends know, she is constantly posting photos in order to help dogs find fur-ever homes. At KCPP, she is known for her caring, positive attitude and the countless ways she […]
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Bess Wallerstein Huff is a native of Our Town. She became associated with Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in 2010 and currently is the director of marketing. Bess is a member of Centurions, class of 2019. She serves on the diversity committee and the Arts and Culture Task Force planning committee. Bess is also […]
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Milburn Country Club will be the setting for Welcome House’s Swing Fore Recovery Golf Classic on September 10th. Ryan Shriver is serving as the chairman of the inaugural event. Welcome House is one of our community’s longest-standing residential sober living organizations. It has served nearly 16,000 men seeking recovery and support for drug and alcohol […]
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R.J. Trowbridge is a commercial real estate broker with Cushman & Wakefield. He is a member of Centurions, class of 2019. R.J. has enjoyed learning through Centurions about the issues that impact Our Town. He has volunteered with many non profits, including Parkinson’s Foundation Heartland Chapter. R.J. is a board member of DeLaSalle Education Center. […]
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Jill and Ray Kowalik are serving as the chairmen, and Eric Stonestreet is the honorary chairman for The University of Kansas Health System’s 17th annual Treads & Threads. Gratitude is the theme for this year’s event, which will be held on September 7th at the Kansas Speedway. John Holt will be the emcee for a […]
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October 9th is the date for Kansas City Young Audiences’ Spark the Arts in Young Hearts Luncheon at the Uptown Theater. Linda and Steve Taylor will serve as the honorary chairmen. Proceeds will support Kansas City Young Audience’s mission to engage all youth in the arts, promote creativity and inspire success in education. Also featured […]
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Adam Miller is a member of Centurions, class of 2019. He has served as a member of the diversity committee and as a member of the Wildcard Task Force. Adam is the director of alumni fellowship for Teach For America – Kansas City. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Hispanic studies and a master’s degree […]
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When Charlotte Russell White (Mrs. Dwayne Kent White) makes her appearance as Jewel Ball chairman at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, it will be a family affair. Among those cheering her on will be her mother, Janet Redheffer Russell (Mrs. William Hamer Russell), who served as chairman in 1982 and honorary chairman in 2013. Two […]
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Jacqueline Erickson Russell grew up in California and graduated from Yale University. Jacqueline fell in love with Kansas City when she moved here to participate in Teach for America. A member of Centurions, class of 2019, she a senior program officer on the education team at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Frank White III, Jacqueline […]
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September 8th is the date for The Symphony League’s Symphony Ball, “To Paris With Love,” to be held at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Guests will enjoy French music performed by the Kansas City Symphony, a silent auction, cocktails, and delicious cuisine with a French flair. Laurie Burgess is the chairman, and Mary […]
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Karen Downing is the auction chairman for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Kansas City Shoot for the Cure event. She is known for her ability to procure highly desirable items for the auction – a great many of them! The total raised by the silent auction just keeps rising. In addition, Karen and her husband, Doug, […]
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