The National World War I Museum and Memorial held a Steel Beam Signing Ceremony on May 3rd to commemorate construction of the new Wylie Gallery. More than $5 million has been raised for a new gallery space as the result of the Museum’s ongoing “Call to Duty” Centennial Capital Campaign. The Jack F. and Glenna […]

Christine Ashley Ginter and Joseph David Kraemer were married at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Catholic Church. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Barry Ginter of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Christine is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary E. Haggerty of Lee’s Summit and Mrs. LeRoy Ginter of Salisbury, Missouri, and […]

April 28th was the date for Literacy KC’s 23rd annual Spelling Bee at UMKC’s Pierson Auditorium. Gillian Helm, Literacy KC; served as the chairman of the evening that featured an appearance by Vanya Shivashankar, 2015 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee co-champion; “Bee Stinger” cocktails, student testimonials and live and silent auctions. The event co-champions were […]

Mr. and Mrs. David Rufus Gibson, Jr. of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Clare Gibson, to Jeffrey Martin Crowe, Jr., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Martin Crowe, Sr. of Our Town. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mr. Gene Gerard of St. Louis, Missouri, and […]

Mr. and Mrs. Fred I. Rock of Leawood are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kristen J. Rock, to Michael David Chouinard, the son of Karen Chouinard of Overland Park and the late Mr. David Chouinard. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mrs. James J. Russell of Olathe and the late Mr. Russell […]

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas David Clemans of Melissa, Texas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Margaret Opal “Molly” Clemans, to Kirk Robert Farrell, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Anthony Farrell of Plano, Texas. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Hovey of Mission Hills, the late […]

Austin Bickford is a member of Centurions, class of 2017. He is co-chairman of the Wild Card Task Force. Austin is a board member of Children’s Mercy’s Mercy Ambassadors Auxiliary. He was a Japanese major at The University of Kansas, and his favorite sports team is the Tottenham Hotspur, an English Premier League Football team. […]

Following graduate school, Patrick Parkes has worked in Our Town’s non-profit sector for three years and is a member of the 2017 Class of Rising Stars. He serves as the Fiscal Policy Analyst for the Kansas Policy Institute, a nonpartisan public policy research organization dedicated to providing information about Kansans’ tax dollars. Patrick essentially analyzes […]

March of Dimes’ Greater Kansas City’s March for Babies was held in the Kansas City Power & Light District. More than 10,000 people attended the May 7th event. Team Captain Deb Stockwell and her daughter posed with a sign in honor of her son, who was a NICU graduate 27 years ago. Children, ages one […]

April 22nd was the date for Cristo Rey Kansas City’s 11th annual Dancing with The Kansas City Stars, “Creating a Masterpiece,” at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center. Ellen and Dr. Mike Sweeney, DeeDee and Jeff Cooper and Deborah and Tom Macon served as honorary co-chairmen, and Mary and Dr. Kevin Ring and […]

  Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s A Fearless Fête – Mission to Planet Rep was held on May 20th. Blast-off site was Spencer Theatre, located in the James C. Olson Performing Arts Center on the UMKC campus. Kathy and Mark Donovan served as the chairmen. Guests – many of them in galactic attire – enjoyed a […]

Linda Ann Howard and Matthew Stephen Rau were married on April 8th at Village Presbyterian Church. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Kent Howard of Prairie Village. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Charles Jensen, Jr., also of Prairie Village, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Paul Leroy […]

Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Leroy Nelson of Mission Hills are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Dr. Allison Lesta Nelson, to Code Lee Williams, the son of Brenda Lee Williams of Amarillo, Texas, and Mr. Glen Michael Williams of Fort Towson, Oklahoma. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mrs. Herman Darrell Hale of […]

Lyndse Elle Bortnick and Prentice James Hanes were married in Antibes, France. The bride is the daughter of Connie Kimble Rhoden and Mr. Benjamin David Bortnick of Our Town. Lyndse is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Lee Kimble, Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Bortnick of Prairie Village and the late Linda Fox […]

Patricia Elbel of Overland Park and Donald R. Elbel, Jr. of Leawood are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Lucy Jane Elbel, to Samuel Robert Salem, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Salem of Maple Grove, Minnesota. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Richard Charles O’Connor and […]

May 1st was the date for Kansas City Young Matrons’ Installation Day Tea. Barbara Eiszner and Barbara Joslin were the co-chairmen. Members enjoyed a delicious brunch, and Magic Ball Co-chairmen Edie Downing and Gigi Rose presented a check to Bobbi Jo Reed of Healing House, the beneficiary of the ball.  Barb Joslin and Linda Weber […]

Now in its 36th year, the Ben and Betty Zarda Family Golf Classic, which was held on May 15th at Lake Quivira, continued to raise significant funds for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas while giving golfers and volunteers alike a day of fun. Justin Gerstner, Phil Connealy, Trey Sabates, and Richard Prendergast Brad Cook and […]

Kansas City Ballet Guild’s annual Spring Luncheon was held on May 9th at Indian Hills Country Club. President Mark Sappington thanked the outgoing Guild Board for their hard work and welcomed the new 2017-2018 board. Guests enjoyed beautiful floral arrangements by Craig Sole. Jennifer Wampler, Michelle Hamlett-Weith and Jeannie Murphy Jennifer Wampler, Gigi Rose, president-elect; […]

Susie and Tom Corbin were the honorary chairmen, and Lauren McCarthy and Nancy McCarthy served as the co-chairmen of Wayside Waifs’ Fur Ball, “Beach Pawty,” on May 13th. More than 1,000 guests enjoyed a delicious dinner, silent and live auctions and dancing. Emily and Mark Johnson with Geoff Hall, Wayside Waifs; and Michele Pritchard Erica […]

March 8th was the date for the Kick-Off Tea for the Symphony League of Kansas City’s Symphony Ball, “An Evening in Vienna,” at the beautiful home of Rachael Sabates. Pam Bruce and Suzanne Shank are the Ball co-chairmen. Committee members enjoyed a delicious array of tea sandwiches and elegant chocolates and learned about upcoming plans […]

Patrick Parkes is a volunteer with Variety KC. He drafted the language for its 2016 mission video and believes that conversations can educate others on the importance of inclusion as well as change attitudes about disability in the community. According to Patrick, each interaction is an important one for Variety and could lead to a […]