December 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

The 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 […]

Hyman 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 […]

November 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 […]

December 2nd was the date for the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas’ 73rd Annual Community Ball and Cotillion, which was held at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Gina Brozenic and Lindsay Golubski were the co-chairs, and Cindy Ford served as the Cotillion chair. The lovely evening featured a “Masquerade” theme. Guests […]

The 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 […]

Kansas 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, […]

The 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 […]

Marty 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 […]

Dear 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 […]

Investing in youth like Caylin is at the heart of what HALO does. Providing a family foundation, shelter, a safe place to sleep, and skills is just the beginning of how this organization helps homeless young people. The HALO Art Auction, “Defying the Odds” will be held on February 24th at The Midland Theatre to […]

The inimitable Sophian Plaza building celebrated a centennial anniversary! The opening of the building provided such fanfare that the Kansas City Star devoted the top half of the front page of the Real Estate section on February 25, 1923 to the extravaganza. Fast forward to 2023 and a year filled with special celebrations, including a […]

Horizon 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, […]

With Grammy-winning artists Take 6 on the stage at the Folly Theater’s Folly Frolic, there is a guarantee of a festive, entertaining evening! Celebrating 123 years of glorious stage performances at the theater, guests thoroughly enjoyed supporting Our Town’s “grand lady” of venues. The day was even declared “Take 6 Day” in Kansas City by […]

Claire Schaefer Kramer and John Peter Cunningham will meet at the altar of the Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, Kansas, for a June wedding. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Edward Kramer of Overland Park, Kansas. She is the granddaughter of Mrs. James Lawrence Schaefer of Jefferson City, Missouri, […]

Kansas 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 […]

Holly Barnes Milledge (Mrs. Droste DeForest Milledge, Jr.) will serve as the chairman of the 2024 Jewel Ball, which will be held on June 15th at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Holly is the daughter of Mrs. Bryant Page Barnes and the late Mr. Barnes. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. […]

The 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.         […]

As the year comes to a close, it’s time once again for my yearly roundup of my favorite reads this year. A few might look familiar as I have recommended them throughout the year. Below are my favorites in four categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and backlist books (published prior to 2023).  Fiction Chain Gang All-Stars […]

Captain Molly Kay Langland and Lieutenant Andrew Rankin Carter were joined in matrimony on August 12th in Missoula, Montana, at a private home, with a friend officiating, the Reverend Matthew Holmes. The bride is the daughter of Kay and Jon Langland of Missoula, and the granddaughter of Donna and Roger Schumacher of Buckley, Illinois, and […]

November 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 […]