The Independent’s 2026 Rising Stars and Top Ten winners enjoyed a delightful evening of celebration on February 19th at Mission Hills Country Club, complete with friends, family, and lots of fun! Our honorees and Rising Stars represent the best and brightest of those making a lasting impact in Kansas City. Congratulations!
2026 Class of Rising Stars: Willy Pegues, Taylor Smith, Elizabeth Wheeler, Tahir Atwater, and Luis PadillaChris Kruse, Elizabeth Wheeler, 2026 Class of Rising Stars; Tatiana Briceño, and Luis Padilla, 2026 Class of Rising Stars
THE TOP FIVE TOURNAMENT EVENTS OF 2025
Ronald McDonald House of Kansas City Trent Green Golf Classic – $306,634
Fore the Kids Foundation Fore the Kids Golf Tournament – $285,214
Down Syndrome Innovations Step Up for Down Syndrome Golf Tournament – $240,603
First Tee of Greater Kansas City Day For Kids Golf Tournament with Tom Watson – $206,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City Legacy Golf Tournament at Loch Llyod – $185,000
2026 Rising Star Tahir and Beth Atwater Jim and Diana Cusser, Taylor Smith, 2026 Class of Rising Stars; and Peggy and Andy Beal Tiffany Stuck, Erica Ostroski, Tahir Atwater, 2026 Class of Rising Stars; Laura Palacios, and Luis Padilla, 2026 Class of Rising Stars
THE TOP FIVE MULTI-DAY EVENTS OF 2025
Children’s Mercy Kansas City: Big Slick – $3,520,929
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: ShuttleCork – $1,984,739
Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City: Most Wanted Auction – $1,520,731
Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City: SummerBowl for Kid’s Sake – $776,500
Newhouse Worthy Pop-Up Bar – $233,161
Dan Cranshaw, Emily Buckley, and Henry Wash Brittany Davis, Tahir Atwater, 2026 Class of Rising Stars; and Hannah Neel (Front row) Diana Cusser, Kimberlee Ried, Taylor Smith, 2026 Class of Rising Stars; Nicholette Haigler, and Donna Thomason (back row) Peggy Beal, Jim Cusser, Sidonie Garrett, Nicole Browne, and Andy Beal
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: C100 Luncheon – $286,722
Life Unlimited: Hats Off to Mothers – $229,609
Ability KC Ability Luncheon – $152,432
Kiana Brown and Kara Kahn Kaylee Hansen, Jordan Cronan, Kara Lemmer, and Riley Jimenez Stephanie Moore, Elizabeth Wheeler, 2026 Class of Rising Stars; Elizabeth Hill, Julie Headrick, and Mollie Porter
THE TOP FIVE WALK/RUN EVENTS OF 2025
Down Syndrome Innovations: Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk – $204,517
Ability KC: Groundhog Run 2025 – $171,349
Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired: CCVI Trolley Run – $114,776
Wayside Waifs: Strutt With Your Mutt – $102,955
KC Pet Project KC Pet Project 5K – $78,109
Alessandra Graber and Denton Williams Beth Chappelow and Lia Wilson India Williams, Rachel Falcon, and Gene Willis
THE TOP TEN IMPACT PLAYERS OF 2025
Fore the Kids Foundation Lifting Spirits: A Premium Bourbon Experience – $199,603
Wildwood Outdoor Education Center Wild Night for Wildwood – $175,438
HappyBottoms Bottoms Up for Babies – $1666,065
Truman Heartland Community Foundation: Toast to our Towns Gala – $164,688
Great Plains SPCA Best In Show! – $146,000
Answering the Call: Resiliency Gala – $122,871
The Pet Resource Center of Kansas City: The Fairy-Tails Ball – $116,245
Band of Angels Art That Blows – $115,977
Jackson County CASA Cocktails for CASA: A Night of Hope -$115,466
Answering the Call 6th Annual Trivia Night – $92,725
Kayla Smith, Sarah Vizzachero, and Ronnie Doumitt Hathaway Maranda and Kyle Gabrielson Robyn Ratcliff, Hunter Witt, and Denise Wiese
THE TOP TEN NATIONALLY SPONSORED EVENTS OF 2025
Breakthrough T1D Kansas & Missouri: Dream Gala Kansas City – $1,523,784
Variety KC Heart of Inclusion Gala – $842,546
American Heart Association: 2025KCGo Red for Women Luncheon – $841,360
American Heart Association: KC Heart Ball – $824,579
Alzheimer’s Association Kansas City: Walk to End Alzheimer’s – $635,000
Blood Cancer United Light The Night Kansas City – $496,444
Breakthrough T1D: Kansas City Walk – $338,028
American Heart Association: KC Heart & Stroke Walk – $379,941
American Cancer Society: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Kansas City – $310,088
Variety KC Hy-Vee Golf Scramble – $130,038
Nancy Wilkerson and Lisa Connor Sarah Howard, Vicki Milano, Caroline Barber, and Brenda Vreeke Connor and Amy Kagy
THE TOP TEN EVENTS OF 2025
Catholic Charities Foundation of Northeast Kansas: The 51st Annual SnowBall – $4,852,369
Children’s Mercy Kansas City: Red Hot Night 2025 – $4,075,054
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City: Kids Night Out 2025 with Jordan Davis – $2,702,002
Police Foundation of Kansas City: A Call for BackUp – $1,595,560
Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy Leading With Love – $1,524,186
Rockhurst High School Spectacular Auction – $1,480,335
Benedictine College Scholarship Ball – $1,353,516
Donnelly College SHINE for Donnelly College – $1,327,664
Ronald McDonald House Kansas City Spark of Hope Gala – $1,258,202
Kaylee Hansen, Erica Ostroski, Hannah Neel, Jordan Cronan, Brittany Davis, and Riley JimenezAnn Spivak and Chris HarrisMaxx Pittone, Mike Jeffries, and Madeline LongMary Ann Powell and Allison MullerErin McNamara and Jennifer MataSusan Belger Angulo, Kristal Ronnebaum, and Elizabeth MayerJohn MacDonald, Tracy MacDonald, Kevin Timmons, Jen Timmons, and Dylan QueenNancy Wilkerson, Monsignor Stuart Swetland, and Emily Buckley
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.
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