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In addition to receiving 26 issues of The Independent Kansas City’s Journal of Society, your subscription will include our annual publication, the Charitable Events Calendar and a subscription to our e-newsletter, The Insider.

Questions about your current subscription? Contact Laura Gabriel at 816-471-2800.

Kansas City Pet Project – 10th Anniversary Gala / Love Finds A Way

Kansas City Pet Project will host its 10th Anniversary Gala / Love Finds A Way at Loews Kansas City Hotel on September 30th. Lisa Epps and Tim Clark, Roshann Parris and Jeff Dobbs, Cathy and Steve Doyal, Jenny and Warren Erdman, Bonne and Cliff Illig, Angelea Busby and Jake Jacobson, Christine and Sandy Kemper, CiCi […]

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2022 Summer Celebrations

The residents of Our Town love the summer months, and The Independent delights in sharing your special moments.                                          

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2022 Class Of Rising Stars – Mark Nuss

Mark Nuss is a humble leader with a heart for service. One of Mark’s most memorable service activities was when he joined his fellow Centurions and collected 3,990 boxes of cereal and proceeded to break the Guinness World Record for “Most Cereal Boxes Toppled in a Domino Fashion.” The project, which benefited Harvesters, mirrored Mark’s […]

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Palatable Pursuit: Pizza And Negronis

Jessica James recently joined the staff of The Independent as a contributing writer. She is looking forward to sharing her passion for great food and restaurants with readers. Jessica attended culinary school at Johnson County Community College. She worked in fine dining as the sous-chef at EBT Restaurant and as the executive chef at Ophelia’s […]

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2022 BOTAR President –  Amy Ball Polen

Amy Ball Polen is serving as the president of BOTAR this year – and her recollections of the event date back to when her sisters, Jennifer Ball Jones and Melinda Ball Roper, were participants in 1981 and 1986, respectively. “Some of my best memories were when my sisters were BOTARs, and I got to see […]

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A Toast To Olde Tymes – E. Geneve Lichtenwalter

Geneve Lichtenwalter (originally known as E. Geneve Lichtenwalter – her first name was Eva) was an esteemed piano teacher for decades in Our Town. She was born in Iowa on Valentine’s Day in the late 1860s. Geneve graduated from The University of Kansas with a degree in music in 1892, and a bachelor’s degree in […]

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Arts & Recreation Foundation of Overland Park – Stems: A Garden Soirée

Guests had the opportunity to view the construction of LongHouse, the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens’ new visitor center when the Arts & Recreation Foundation of Overland Park hosted Stems: A Garden Soirée at the Arboretum on June 25th. Everyone enjoyed sampling wines (in signature hand-painted wineglasses!) and delicious fare from local restaurants. The […]

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Congratulations, Bonnie & Jack!

Mr. and Mrs. John Woodson Longan of Leawood, Kansas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Bonnie Merriman Longan, to Jahn Thomas Kudrna, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jahn Scott Kudrna of Auburn, Nebraska. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Stewart McKie of Prairie Village, Kansas, Mr. and […]

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Band of Angels – Art That Blows

July 8th was the date for Band of Angels’ Art That Blows event, which was held at The Abbott. Partygoers enjoyed great music, a unique atmosphere, and the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind art pieces, which were all made from recycled music instruments.     Featured in the August 20, 2022 issue of The Independent. […]

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Welcome House – Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Reverend Dr. Ted Pierce of Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church gave the invocation when Welcome House held a Groundbreaking Ceremony on June 23rd for the soon-to-be Welcome House Recovery Center. It will provide temporary shelter for more than 100 men seeking assistance in dealing with substance use disorder. The amenities will include classrooms, offices, a […]

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Congratulations, Olivia & Anthony!

Olivia Belle Kuester and Anthony Kenneth Jacobsen were married on June 4th at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The bride is the daughter of Catherine and Anthony Kuester of Omaha, Nebraska. Her groom is the son of Julie and Richard Jacobsen of Scottsdale, Arizona. The evening prior, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at […]

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Rachel’s Reads – August 2022

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” – Sydney J. Harris As we enter the period where students and parents get ready to head back to school, I find myself thinking about education in general. Receiving an education can open minds to new perspectives, and knowledge obtained is (hopefully) gained forever. […]

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Off To College – Class of 2022

Join us in our proud send-off to the Class of 2022. We wish the best to these amazing students as they start their exciting journeys around the country this fall!                                  

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art – Kemper Gala 2022: PRISMATIC

Kemper Gala 2022: PRISMATIC will be held on October 8th at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Liz and Greg Maday and Lindsey Patterson Smith and Matt Smith are serving as the honorary co-chairs, and Elizabeth Bennett and Paul Gutiérrez are the co-chairs. The festivities will include delicious cuisine and entertainment, as well as dancing. […]

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The Folly Theater – Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Folly Theater has just begun the most extensive renovation project in its history. To celebrate, there was a Groundbreaking Ceremony on June 21st. Among the upcoming attractions are wider seats, an upgraded bar and restrooms on the balcony level, and, in order to help the stars shine, revitalized dressing rooms. Bought your tickets yet […]

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Cheers to Volunteers! Betsy O’Brien

Betsy O’Brien joined Lead to Read KC as a reading mentor because she believes, “Time is the biggest gift we can give to a child. By helping students develop early reading skills and gain confidence, we help open doors for their future.” Betsy makes an immeasurable impact with students by taking the time to read […]

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The 2022 Jewel Ball

Kathy Hunt Woodward (Mrs. Phillip Scott Woodward) was the chairman for The Jewel Ball, a benefit for The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kansas City Symphony. The event was held on June 18th at the Museum. Mary Jane Young Barnes (Mrs. Bryant Page Barnes) was the honorary chairman, with Anne Potter Russ (Mrs. Norbert […]

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Crib Note – Bea Attaway Beckman

Bea Attaway Beckman is the new girl in Town! The hazel-eyed brown-haired beauty was born on February 3rd to Jill and Ian Beckman of Mission Woods, Kansas. Bea weighed eight pounds, six ounces, and was 19 and one-half inches long. She joins big sister Molly Deramus Beckman, age six, and big sister Hannah Wagner Beckman, […]

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2022 Class Of Rising Stars – Gene Willis

Gene Willis believes in the power of community. He was raised in a neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, that fostered his belief in the importance of supporting others, even when resources may have been scarce. Whether volunteering at church, serving as helpers in the food pantry, or assisting with rides to extracurriculars, his family instilled […]

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The UMKC School of Medicine – 50th Anniversary Benefactor Party

The UMKC School of Medicine’s 50th Anniversary Benefactor Party was held at the stunning home of Rachael and Dr. Nelson Sabates. A jazz trio from the UMKC Conservatory provided entertainment for the guests. The Honorable Brenda and Charlie Shields served as honorary chairmen.        Featured in the July 23, 2022 issue of The […]

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Saint Luke’s Health System – Lifetime Legacy Award

Friends and family gathered on May 24th at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts to toast Starr and Tom Wagstaff, as they received the Lifetime Legacy Award from Saint Luke’s Health System. The loyal and generous couple have devoted 50 years of service to the Saint Luke’s community in Our Town. Cheers to the […]

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