Johnson County Lifestyle August 2014 by City Lifestyle

Johnson County august 2014

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Editor's Letter

Home Grown A

nniversaries and milestones come and go, and I’m often a day late in acknowledging them. But this one has been staring me in the face for months and I thought it might be worth sharing. I celebrate my 150th issue with Lifestyle Publications this month. Many of you may not realize that I also oversee the editorial for two of our sister publications, Leawood Lifestyle and Lee’s Summit Lifestyle. I also provide support for our publications in other states, from Newport Beach, California to Cape Ann, Massachusetts. From North Scottsdale, Arizona to Boulder, Colorado. What started with one magazine in the fall of 2009 has grown to nearly two dozen publications across the country. And they’re all designed, printed and shipped from our little corner of the world.

august 2014 publisher Steven Schowengerdt | Steven@LifestylePubs.com editor-in-chief Lisa Harrison | Lisa@LifestylePubs.com assistant editor Kendra Mathewson | KMathewson@LifestylePubs.com chief financial officer | DeLand Shore

director of marketing | Brad Broockerd chief sales officer Matthew Perry | Matthew@LifestylePubs.com regional director Michael Arel | MArel@LifestylePubs.com

Recent news reports have announced that several national publications with a long history are ceasing publication. A few of these publications have merged with others, while some have gone to a 100 percent web or digital format. What makes us different? And successful? We’re home grown. We try to focus on the best our community has to offer and we bring it right to your home every month.

advertising sales Mary Beth Stauch | MStauch@LifestylePubs.com Troy Coup | TCoup@LifestylePubs.com Mike Arel | MArel@LifestylePubs.com

I love having my fingers on the pulse of our community, and I love being able to share the good news of our friends and neighbors so please, keep the story ideas coming our way. But you know we couldn’t do any of it without the support of our devoted advertising partners, and so I offer special thanks to them for their continued support.

art director | Sara Minor

Have a great August, neighbors, and I’ll see you around town.

advertising director | Mike Baugher production director | Christina Sandberg

ad coordinators | Cyndi Vreeland, Samantha Engel executive assistant | Lori Cunningham contributing writers Lisa Allen, Heather Trent Beers, Katherine Bontrager, Ann Butenas, Lisa Gartland, Carrie Hudson, Nicole Kilian, Jessica Maldonado, Michelle Manuel, Susan Motley, Dawn North, Tom Strongman, Tracy Sullivan, Jenny Wolff contributing photographers Alexis Cook, Joann Dost, Taylor Kelly, Susan Motley, Tom Strongman, Jenny Wolff application architect | Michael O'Connell

Lisa Harrison, Editor-in-Chief Lisa@LifestylePubs.com

it director | Randy Aufderheide

Published monthly, subscriptions are also available for $22 for 1 year, $39 for 2 years by visiting JohnsonCountyLifestyle.com

by Community ™ Proverbs 3:5-6 Contact us at:

on the cover Brooke Thomason and Nick Ash were married in Leawood in July. Both were student athletes at the University of Nebraska. Read more on page 48. Photography by Taylor Kelley

| JohnsonCountyLifestyle.com |

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7373 West 107th Street Overland Park, KS 66212 913.599.4300 | JohnsonCountyLifestyle.com Johnson County Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Johnson County’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Johnson County Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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August 2014

Departments 14

Around Town

20 Your Neighbor 24

Hot Spot

Locally Owned

Giving Back

40 Healthy Lifestyle 42 Home Matters 44 Financial Fitness 46 Driver’s Notebook 48 Wedding Bells

28 A Golf Weekend in Wine Country

Napa’s best is found at the Silverado Resort.

32 Turning Potential into Reality

Success builds success at Cristo Rey High School.

Sold Properties

Lifestyle Calendar

Parting Thoughts

36 Helping Cups Runneth Over

The Kauffman Foundation’s program helps startups percolate success.

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Good Times

Expressions of Hope Gallery Event for Veronica’s Voice The mixed media exhibit featured local artists and proceeds will help make possible housing and life changing services offered by local nonprofit, Veronica’s Voice.

Veronica’s Voice Founder Kristy Childs shares her passion for helping women and girls caught in commercial human trafficking and exploitation.

Stems: A Garden Soiree

Kansas City’s own classic garden party offered guests a lovely evening of wine, food, art and music while strolling through the beautiful surroundings of the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in support of cultural education.

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

August 1–September 30

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Good Times

Town Center Plaza Sunset Music Fest

Thursday evenings throughout summer have been filled with music and food catered by local restaurants. Kids enjoyed bounce houses, face painting and balloon creations. JDRF receives all profits from sales of spirits during the concerts.

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KU Alumnae Association at Somerset Ridge Winery The Eastern Kansas chapter of the KU Alumnae Association recently gathered at the scenic Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery to hear from former menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball coach Ted Owens, dine on Prairie Fire Oven woodgrilled pizza and enjoy great Somerset Ridge wine. Photography by Steve Rottinghaus

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Around Town MERRIAM POLICE CHIEF RETIRES The City of Merriam and members of the Merriam Police Department recently honored Chief Tim Burnett, who has retired after more than 32 years of dedicated service with the Merriam Police Department. Burnett joined the Merriam Police Department in 1982 as a patrol officer. He worked many years as the lead detective for the department, and was promoted to Sergeant in 1997. He became a Lieutenant in 2000, and was then promoted to Captain in 2005. Burnett was responsible for the operation and conduct of the department in the chief’s absence, and served as patrol commander responsible for the supervision of the uniformed division of the Merriam Police Department until his appointment as Chief in January 2012. Captain Mike Daniels, having been appointed by Council in February, took over as Merriam's next Chief of Police.

Shawnee Mission Educator Honored for Excellence in Mathematics A Nieman Elementary School teacher has become the most recent Shawnee Mission School District educator to be named a finalist for the nation’s highest honor for teachers of math and science. Anne Sobba, a fifth-grade teacher at Nieman, was named a 2014 state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Sobba is specifically honored for her work as a mathematics teacher. The Kansas State Department of Education presents the honor to recognize educators who show a high degree of knowledge, innovation, skill, and leadership in their field. As a state finalist, Sobba now has the opportunity to be named a national finalist, to be honored by the President, and receive a $10,000 award. Earlier this year, Lindsey Constance, a sixth-grade teacher at Bluejacket-Flint Elementary was the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 14

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

It’s Sign-Up Season for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts Whether you have an elementary or middle school aged son, Scouting is as an activity worth considering. Boys who have completed fifth grade are invited to sign up for Boy Scouts with area troops this fall whether or not they have participated in Cub Scouting. The Boy Scouts plan monthly camp outs and encourage of love of the outdoors. Learn more about the dozens of groups in Johnson County that make up the Heart of America Council at HOAC-BSA.org or Scouting.org.

On the Road with Johnson County Lifestyle We want to know….Where do YOU read Johnson County Lifestyle? Do you read it on a train or on a plane? Or do you read it on the beach or in a cabin in the woods? The next time you hit the road, we hope you’ll pack our latest issue and snap a photo or two. Email your high resolution photos to Lisa@LifestylePubs.com and we’ll try to include them in upcoming issues. Please include your name and destination location with each submission.

District’s Bond Refunding Saves Taxpayers $3.4 million Blue Valley’s excellent bond ratings, combined with a favorable interest rate environment, will lead to a $3.4 million savings for taxpayers. In June, the Blue Valley Board of Education issued $28,835,000 in general obligation refunding bonds in an effort to secure a lower interest rate and savings for taxpayers. Eleven institutions bid on the bonds, with the low bidder being Fifth Third Securities, Inc. at 2.105 percent. The bonds, which were issued in 2005, were originally sold at a higher interest rate. The new lower interest rate will save district taxpayers $3.4 million in interest payments. “We are very pleased that today’s interest rate environment allowed us to refund previously issued bonds and in turn create a savings for our taxpayers,” says Tom Trigg, superintendent. “This is an example of the commitment Blue Valley Schools has to being a good steward of taxpayer dollars.”

SM East Students design book cover Before self-publishing her debut teen novel, Curse Of The Blue Flash, local author, Tina Spear, called on her good friend Jennifer Hair, Digital Design Studio teacher at Shawnee Mission East, to see if her students were interested in designing her eBook cover. The response and creativity she received from the teens was awe-inspiring. Curse Of The Blue Flash, released June 1, 2014 is now available for download online. The book tells the story of Lacie, a seventeen-year-old girl, who makes a bad decision that changes her fate - forever. Lacie spends her summer break dealing with the haunting memory of her first love. As the summer slips away, she witnesses a rare sunset, which unbeknownst to her, is the onset of a Hawaiian legend known as The Curse of the Blue Flash. The legend puts Lacie in danger numerous times as she journeys through the summer trying to decipher the mysterious curse, and the characters that surround the legend. Spear is a life-long resident of Kansas City.

Concussion Baseline Testing The University of Kansas Hospital’s Center for Concussion Management will offer pre-concussion baseline testing to middle

school and high school students. Students aged 11 or older are eligible for the ImPACT assessment. ImPACT stands for immediate post-concussion assessment and cognitive testing. The computerized concussion evaluation provides a reference point to help providers measure recovery and make comparisons should an injury occur. The scientifically validated neurocognitive test lasts 20 minutes. Testing is from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 6 at The University of Kansas Hospital Westwood Campus (east entrance) located at 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway/ Testing is recommended every two years. There is a $20 per person fee. Prepayment and registration are required. For more information or to register, visit KUMed.com/Impact.

Comics Headline Giggle with Gilda Tickets are on sale now for Gilda’s Club Kansas City’s annual comedy fundraiser, Giggle with Gilda. Presented by Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City, the comedy-improv benefit featuring nationally recognized comedians and Whose Line Is It Anyway? stars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood will be Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014 at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City. The "two man group," Mochrie and Sherwood, have emerged as two of America’s most popular comedic personalities. In addition to the comedy-improv, the show will feature the gifted Kansas City entertainer, Missy Koonce, as emcee and legendary Kansas City musician Lonnie McFadden who will perform with his band, trumpet

Container Store Comes to Overland Park Hawthorne Plaza, located on the southwest corner of 119th Street and Roe Avenue in Overland Park, is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation. In conjunction with the renovation, the shopping area will be home to The Container Store, the nation’s leading retailer of storage and organization products - the first to open in the Kansas City metro area. The new store will be divided into 16 lifestyle sections, including kitchen, closet, office, gift packaging, trash, shelving, bath, laundry and travel and is scheduled to open in spring of 2015. The Hawthorne Plaza renovation will occur in phases and is anticipated that the renovation will be completed by fall of 2014.

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August 2014 | Johnson County Lifestyle

Around Town and signature tap dancing. Kansas City magician Todd Lamanske will provide pre-show entertainment as guests arrive. The evening of entertainment will benefit Gilda’s Club, a Kansas City cancer support community offering support groups, educational opportunities, social events and workshops in a home-like setting. GildasClubKC.org.

Heartland Honor Flight: Mission Successful

We’re in... when your doctor is out.

Thanks to generous donations from Kansas City are residents; the Heartland chapter of Honor Flight recently charted an aircraft and took close to 100 well-deserving veterans on a day-long trip to Washington, DC. The veterans represented WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East. A few of the younger veterans stepped up to be guardians for members of the "Greatest Generation." Three female veterans from WWII made the trip as well. The senior veteran was 97 years old at the time of the trip. Guardians are area volunteers who pay their own transportation costs and accompany wheelchair bound veterans for the day. One guardian for this trip was a veteran of the Middle Eastern conflict. He lost his leg, and still served as a guardian for a WWII vet. The veterans were given a hero's welcome both in Washington D.C. and when they returned late that night to Kansas City.

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Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

These Marines from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and conflicts in the Middle East posed for a group photo at the Marine Corps Memorial.

Local Teens Enjoy “Hammocking” “Hammocking” involves a hammock made of modern tent-like material available through the camping world. The hammocks fold up very small and can be easily carried anywhere. It’s a joy, whether you go at it alone or with a friend. “I was first introduced to hammocking by my friends at Kansas City Christian, but it wasn’t until a few months later that I invested in my magnificent double-nested ENO hammock,” says Lizzy Hall, a senior at Shawnee Mission East. “Once that wonderful day came, I started going to SME’s Club Hammock. Usually, the club will go to a nearby park and members will hang their hammocks in the same area and just drink Kool-Aid and talk about life. It’s a really relaxing time and a great way to meet new people.”

Halls says first-time hammockers are hesitant the two thin straps can actually hold their weight. “But after adjusting to the perfect position, you’ll never want to leave,” she assures.

Pretty. Funny. Is Laughing Through The Heat! Pretty. Funny. is a smart and sophisticated show that incorporates fearless physical humor, musical parodies, sketches, improve and pantomime. This all female troupe crosses gender lines because of their hilarious characters, their razor-sharp wit, and their creative takes on everyday situations. The troupe consists of Pearl Rovaris MacDonald of Overland Park, Marian Schafer from the Northland, Anissa Gastin of Blue Springs, Megan Mercer of Lee Summit, Kelsi Smith from KCMO and Cindy Ptacek of Kansas City, Ks. Pretty. Funny. has been interacting with audiences, selling out shows, and bringing down the house with laughter for more than six years. The respect to comedic greats Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, Traci Ullman, Lily Tomlin and Gilda Radner is apparent throughout the shows. Join Pretty. Funny. for an evening of laughter on August 9 at 5 p.m., at ComedyCity’s new location, 3600 Broadway, KCMO. Reservations ComedyCity.cc. Also follow the ladies at Facebook.com/pretty.funny.kc.

The Birthing Experience

advanced care in a comfortable, intimate setting At Menorah Medical Center’s Family Birthing Center, mothers can experience labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care in one beautifully decorated, spacious birthing suite. These specially designed rooms create the ultimate soothing, private atmosphere for life’s biggest miracle. And, along with the amenities of a home-like environment, Menorah’s team of experts delivers signature high-quality, exceptional care. It’s what you’ve come to expect from Menorah Medical Center.

Call (913) 498-6652 to schedule your personal tour. Personalized care throughout every stage of pregnancy and childbirth Prenatal counseling and education classes • Level II NICU

A Word from our Editor We neglected to properly credit photographer David Shaughnessy for the photo he provided for chef Ryan Sneed's braised chipotle short ribs recipe that we ran in our June issue. Our apologies to David and our friends at KC Hopps.

5721 W. 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66209 MenorahMedicalCenter.com

August 2014 | Johnson County Lifestyle

Your Neighbor

Amazing Grace Loyal Organist Has Lived and Given All Article Jenny Wolff | Photography Jenny Wolff and Provided

ith amazing grace, Gloria Slagle of Prairie Village has played the organ at Old Mission United Methodist Church for nearly six decades. Gloria began serving the church as a young newlywed and today her fingers still move flawlessly across the keys and her feet tirelessly push the pedal board. On Shawnee Mission Parkway at Mission Road, stately Old Mission Church sits at the base of a hill, a beacon of traditional architecture built in native stone with Palladian windows, surrounded by gardens. This house of worship is one of the oldest churches in Johnson County, an institution. Equally, Gloria is an institution within the church and our community. She is a steady and stable pillar, and a colorful and caring individual. Gloria plays for the times of our lives, our preludes, interludes and recessionals. She has set the tone and the tenor at thousands of our neighbors’ baptisms, weddings and funerals. She has shepherded her flock with comforting music that resonates through all seasons. On Easter expect Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, Silent Night on Christmas Eve and Here I Am Lord at funerals. She has accompanied choirs of all ages, soloists, stringed instruments and theatrical performances. She has improvised when wedding parties were unprepared for the processional. “We’ve had brides’ fathers who were a bit tipsy—more than once,” says Gloria. “One time the groomsmen and the bride’s father ran down to the Plaza for a drink before the wedding, and when they didn’t return, I had to keep playing until given the sign that they were back!” Like that wedding, she has wound up many a jubilant occasion with Ode To Joy. Gloria’s mother signed her up for piano lessons at age six, organ 18

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

lessons at age 13. At 14 she played for evening services at her family’s St. Joseph, Mo., church, and when needed filled in at churches around town – a month at a time – all before she began college. In 1955, Gloria graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in organ performance and a year later received her master’s from Indiana University. After that she studied in Hamburg, Germany, under Heinz Wunderlich, and taught for eight years at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., , and offered private lessons. Soon after, she married husband Derald, who went on to become an executive with UMB. Together they raised daughter Genelle. “I spent countless hours at the church that I love with my mom from literally the time I was born all they way through college,” says Genelle. “She has always been first and foremost a mom, but it was followed

only a half step back by being Old Mission’s organist.” Genelle is now a physician, married and the mother of a busy two-year-old. Wednesday nights, Gloria arrives with allegro at the Old Mission parking lot, just in time for choir practice. She has a busy life outside of church, but that never gets in the way of her devotion to playing. “Sometimes I even come to the church at two or three in the morning,” says Gloria. “One night I surprised a youth group that was holding an overnight. Suddenly they heard organ music and thought they were part of Phantom Of The Opera.” Gloria has spent only part of her glorious and full life on an organ bench. “I have been around the world several times and on eight safaris,” she says with a wanderlust twinkle in her eye. “Now I have plans to visit Iceland, Cambodia and Burma.” It is Sunday noon. Parishioners slowly make their way out of the sanctuary to greet the minister and say hello to friends. Lunch or brunch is waiting. But the music plays on. In the balcony one choir member waits, a man who is mesmerized by her music. He always stays to hear the last note. Her music settles him. Inside the gleaming sanctuary, you can hear the lyrics of a timeless classic… “To the Old Rugged Cross, I will always be true.” Gloria remains the dearest and best friend to our community. Each week our town leans on her to be at Old Mission, pump the organ and welcome us to worship.` August 2014 | Johnson County Lifestyle

Your Neighbor

Just Like You Films Local Mom Founds Company That Fosters Acceptance through Powerful Messages Article Carrie Hudson | Photography Provided

Like You Films captures real life stories that reveal in “Just compelling ways how all of us are much more alike than we are different,” reads the mission statement of Just Like You Films. “This helps facilitate the physical and emotional healing of exceptional children by creating an environment of acceptance.” Johnson County supermom of three Jen Greenstreet founded Just Like You Films in 2003 after her daughter’s friend, Caroline, severely burned her leg. Greenstreet’s daughter, Whitney Wendel, and her friends wanted to make pajama bottoms for patients in the burn unit at Children’s Mercy Hospital when a hospital staff member described the hospital’s need for a video to send to schools. This video would explain to patients’ classmates their situation and how exactly the patients want to be treated in relation to their burns. In order to raise money for a video, Greenstreet asked her friend and photographer Isaac Alongi to take photos for a fundraising campaign. At this time, Alongi wanted to expand his photography business to include film. And so began the first Just Like You film, “Burns as Told by Three Children.” Following this film, Just Like You also produced “I Care for a Child Burn Survivor,” featuring the parents of several children who have been severely burned. Not long after the burn patient films premiered, Children’s Mercy Hospital Certified Child Life Specialist Amanda Woelk suggested a film for the oncology unit, beginning the process 20

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

for “Cancer as Told by Three Children.” This film explained to patients’ classmates that you can’t “catch” cancer, that the patients did nothing to get cancer, and how the patients wish to be treated while going through their particular treatment. Woelk worked with Just Like You to create the cancer film, which premiered in fall 2010. She later served on the company’s board of directors for a few years. Shortly after the cancer film premiered at the AMC Mainstreet Theater in Kansas City’s Power and Light District, Just Like You Films began work on their next major film, “Down Syndrome as Told by Three Children.” The Down Syndrome Guild of Kansas City sponsored this film, which features three truly inspirational individuals, Rachel, Sam and Elyssa, accompanied by some of their closest friends. Nowadays, Greenstreet’s eldest daughter Whitney, 19, loves seeing her mom giving back and putting 100 percent of herself into something that she isn’t getting any material satisfaction back from because it is a great reminder to Whitney that life isn’t about things or stuff. Whitney has witnessed her mom’s selfless work to build Just Like You from the ground up. “She proves that if you work hard enough and believe in something, good things will come from that,” says Whitney in admiracontinued > tion of her mother.

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Greenstreet is currently working on “Autism as Told by Three Children,” and, having spent more than 30 hours editing this particular film, describes the process as putting together a thousand piece puzzle. She believes this film has a completely different feel from her previous films. She says the film is reflective of the children in that it covers details of the full autism spectrum. Sponsored by the Autism Society of the Heartland (ASH), the film features former Kansas City Chiefs football player Trent Green, a family friend of Greenstreet and a supporter of Just Like You since its inception. The film is slated to premier this fall in time for the New Jersey Golden Door Film Festival sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger, who is a parent of a child with Autism. “Power of Film: Everybody Cut Footloose,” Just Like You’s 2014 fundraising event, will be held November 8, in the Bean Hanger of the Roasterie on 27th Street in Kansas City, Mo. With a Footloose theme, co-chairs Holly Mihalovich and Liz Orr are planning a fun night based on the 1984 film Footloose, in which teenager Ren McCormick moves to a small town after growing up in Chicago. He feels out of place in this small, dance-free town, but he and his new classmates soon find acceptance through dancing. This acceptance mirrors the mission of Just Like You to create an environment of acceptance through their films. At the event, guests will learn about the organization and have the opportunity to support its future films and endeavors. All of Greenstreet’s films can be found on their website, JustLikeYouFilms.org or on YouTube. Visit photographer and videographer Isaac Alongi’s work at IsaacAlongi.com. Carrie Hudson is a sophomore at Oklahoma State University.

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Hot Spot

Blessings Abound in Downtown Olathe Meet the Sisters of Simply Reinspired Café and Treasures Article Lisa Allen | Photography Alexis Cook

Tolkien famously wrote in his J.R.R. poem All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter, ‘not all those who wander are lost.’ Sisters Janice Mann-Harris and Debbie Mann of Simply Reinspired Café and Treasures are banking that Tolkien is right. Wander is exactly what they hope you’ll do in their downtown Olathe gift shop and restaurant. The two story space is a tribute to the sisters’ lifelong love of interior design, home-cooked food and people. It is filled with refinished furniture, framed photos, books, knick knacks and countless other treasures that are all for sale. “What we really hope is that you feel at home when you’re here,” says Janice. “We want the food to taste like what you’d cook at home, and we want everyone to feel comfortable enough to linger. We don’t care about turning tables, like some places. We want people to settle in and stay for a bit.” In fact, when I sat down to chat with them about the meals they offer and the goods they sell, conversation always came back to the sisters’ connections with others and their gratitude for the kindness of others. Those kind gestures, they say, are what got them to this place at this very moment. “Blessings,” says Debbie. “All of it, it’s all blessings.” They talk of Joe Person at JP3 Productions, who created a marketing video for the sisters when they first opened. They talk of a group of seniors at DeVry University, Debbie’s alma mater, who set up the business’ computer system. All free of charge, and all a part of what Debbie and Janice call ‘the wonderful people of our lives.’ The sisters opened in August of 2013 after years of listening to family and friends telling them they should start the business. Each had established residential cleaning businesses that kept them busy, and they both say they enjoyed that work, with just one caveat.

“When we’d go into a client’s home to work, there was usually no one there,” says Debbie. “We worked alone for the most part, sometimes listening to the news. That can be really depressing, and you forget just how good people are. And people really are good!” Almost as if on cue, a regular customer comes through the door just as Debbie utters those words. The posted hours said the kitchen was officially closed for breakfast, but that didn’t matter. He asked if he could still get breakfast, to which both sisters enthusiastically said yes. The setup for meals is homey and just as comfy for a quiet dinner for two as it is accommodating for a larger group. There are tables set up on the main floor and in the bedrooms

What we really hope is that you feel at home when you’re here. We want the food to taste like what you’d cook at home, and we want everyone to feel comfortable enough to linger. We don’t care about turning tables…we want people to settle in and stay for a bit. 24

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

on the second floor. Debbie usually greets guests The carrot cake comes from Bob Byrnes of Simply Reinspired at the door, and encourages visitors to sit wherever Bob the Baker and Catering. 108 West Cedar St., Olathe they like. Debbie takes care of those who are dinAs Debbie and Janice reflect on this first year in 913.768.1177 ing, regardless if the diners are upstairs or downtheir new home, their comments come back to serSimplyReinspired.com stairs, while Janice cooks. endipity and the goodness of others. Simply Reinspired is open for breakfast and lunch “We took a leap of faith when we opened,” says Monday through Friday. The breakfast menu includes omelets, break- Debbie. “A huge leap of faith. We looked at places that weren’t in Olathe, fast sandwiches and oatmeal while the sisters serve soup, fresh salads but after living here for 30 years, Olathe is home for us, and this is where and sandwiches for lunch. I’ve been for both meals, and can honest- we want to be. It’s just blessing after blessing, and we’re grateful.” ly say that the food is just like what I’d cook at home, but better. The croissants are warm and soft, the bread is always fresh and the salads Hot Spot write-ups are based on an unannounced visit and Lifestyle Publications pays for the meal. crisp and filling. The shop is closed on Saturdays, and Sundays are reserved for private parties. The sisters host graduations, baby showers, birthday parties, book clubs and other gatherings. Family dinner is served on Thursday nights. As of this writing, $15 buys fried chicken, potatoes and gravy and a slice of either cheesecake or carrot cake. The cheesecake and the carrot cake are the two menu items that Janice doesn’t cook. The cheesecake is her husband’s creation. A New York native, Stetson Harris moved to Nebraska for college and just couldn’t find cheesecake to please his East Coast palate. So he started making his own. It was so good he started selling it to other students, and then when he graduated and started working at a hospital, he sold it to his co-workers. Now he makes all of the cheesecakes served at Simply Reinspired.

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Locally Owned

Business is a Mother’s Legacy Personal Touch Spells Success for Local Promotions Company Article and Photography Susan Motley

rista Cardell is easy to spot in a crowded room. She’s an attractive red head with a big smile and an infectious laugh. She is the owner of Personal Greetings, a corporate gift and promotional marketing company with several big name clients across the country. Based in Leawood, the company offers corporate gifts, trade show giveaways, promotional items, gift with purchase programs and employee incentive campaigns. It also offers a popular candy and coffee of the month program. “We are a small Kansas company but we work with some well-known names like Sprint, Monster Cable, Merrill Lynch and the University of Kansas Hospital,” says Krista. “We don’t do any advertising, so referrals are important. Developing relationships with our clients and exceeding their expectations is how we are successful.” The company is unique because everything they do is customized to the client, 26

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

to meet specific goals and objectives. “Every time a client orders from us, they order with the promise their gift is special and different,” Krista says. The Personal Greetings staff is gearing up for their busiest time of year. “Many businesses start ordering holiday gifts for customers, and employees by the end of August,” Krista explains. “We will probably do 40 percent of our annual business over the next three or four months. It’s a crazy time but we love it!” Clearly Krista’s energy and enthusiasm have served her well. But this was not the career path she had planned. In fact, it was her mother’s business and she only took over when her mother passed away in 2011. Her mother, Connie Cardell, started the company 25 years ago offering personalized gifts and invitations. The initial intent was to make some extra money while still being home with her three daughters. Over the years, the company morphed into a successful corporate gift and promotional company.

During her teenage years, Krista would help out with projects here and there when needed. “I can remember times when Sprint or Clorox did big promotions and we had thousands of units to put together,” Krista says, “Our whole family got involved. But I never planned to work in the family business.” Diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in 2003, Connie valiantly fought the disease through three bone marrow transplants and enjoyed several periods of healthy remission. With the help of employees, family, and friends, the company thrived throughout that period. Krista eventually went away to college. She returned to the area and took a position as director of elementary education at Colonial Presbyterian Church in Overland Park. Her life took an unexpected turn in the spring of 2011. “My mom was sick again and one day she told us she wasn’t going to get better. Without even thinking about it, I asked

her if she wanted me to take over the business,” Krista says. “She had so much joy on her face when I asked.” In March, at the age of 26, she became the owner of Personal Greeting. Connie died in May. “I wasn’t really prepared,” Krista explains. “But I quickly realized I had some of the same talents as my mom. I’m good at it because she was good at it. I had watched her run the company my entire life so it seemed very natural.” And she had two long-time employees, Debbie Babb and Robin Moduno, who helped immeasurably through the transition and who continue to work for the company today. Amy Wheeler, who handles the finances, joined the staff two years ago. Under Krista’s leadership, Personal Greetings has grown and thrived. “I’m proud of the fact that we have grown our relationships with large, national companies and we handle many big campaigns,” Krista says. Cancer Treatment Centers are a good example. Last year they worked with only one branch and produced a premium leath-

The Personal Greetings staff includes Amy Wheeler, Krista Cardell, Robin Moduno and Debbie Babb.

er Kenneth Cole duffle bag with the center’s logo embossed on the pocket. Krista took the initiative to send one to all the other centers with a hand-written note introducing herself and Personal Greetings. “Now we provide almost all their gifts for the physicians and their board of directors across the country.” According to Krista, the staff at Personal Greetings strives to do everything with excellence to help clients grow their business, impress their customers, and just

have the coolest giveaways at a tradeshow. “It’s always our goal to put together something people are going to be wowed by!” Krista says she loves the variety in her job, whether it’s working on a small keychain order for a local company or supplying 10,000 duffle bags for a client in California. “There is never a dull moment around here and I am excited to see what the future has in store for Personal Greetings.” Learn more about this company at PGreetings.com.

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Napa’s Best is found at the silverado

Article Nicole Kilian Photography Joann Dost & The Silverado

ocated in the Napa Valley, just 50 miles northeast of San Francisco and 60 miles southwest of Sacramento, Silverado Resort and Spa should be at the top of everyone’s list for wine country getaways. The AAA Four Diamond hotel encompasses more than 1,200 acres of land in the heart of the Valley and combines endless recreational possibilities with state-of-the-art business facilities. Since World Golf Hall of Fame member and lead NBC analyst Johnny Miller became owner in 2010, the resort has staked its claim as one of the Golden State’s premier destinations, with recent awards including Golfweek’s 2013 “Best Resort Courses,” Tennis Resorts Online’s 2013 “Top 50 Tennis Resorts,” and About. com’s 2013 Readers’ Choice “Best Hotel Spa.” Beautiful room renovations to the 380 guest rooms and the 12,000-square-foot conference center were completed this sum28

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mer offering a fresh, updated feeling of warmth and luxury. With room options including standard resort rooms, junior suites, or spacious one-, two- or three- bedroom suites, the resort is perfect for couples, families and group vacations. Whether you prefer to unwind with a round of golf on one of the two award-winJohnny Miller ning, PGA championship courses, or with a soothing fireside massage in the full service spa, you’ll discover renewal and rejuvenation around every corner. Take a dip in one of 10 swimming pools, play a game of tennis on one of 13 courts, or explore the many hiking and biking trails. Of course, Silverado’s close proximity to more than 400 wineries means you’re never too far away from a spectacular Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. The picturesque, North and South Courses at Silverado Resort are legends in the golf world. Recently redesigned by Johnny Miller, both 18-hole championship courses feature dozens of water crossings, elevation changes, and routing through oak, pine and redwood trees. Included in all golf rates at Silverado are complimentary range balls for practice, golf carts, yardage cards and green fees. The stylish 10,000-square-foot Club House pro shop, a 2013 AGM Platinum Award Winner for “Top 100 Golf Shops,”

has all you need before teeing off, and the staff of professionals is eager to help with lessons, packages and more. The long tournament history at Silverado includes 14 PGA Tour events, from 1968 through 1980, and the Champions Tour stop, from 1989 to 2002. This year, PGA golf returns to the resort in October, as Silverado plays host to the 2014 Frys.com Open on the iconic North Course. Now in its eighth year, the four-day tournament is the opening event of

the PGA Tour season and will be televised worldwide on the Golf Channel. For those avid golfers that want to be amongst all the action, limited resort rooms are still available during tournament week. Rory McIlroy, a two-time major champion and currently ranked number seven in the official world golf ranking, will be participating, along with acclaimed golfers Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed. continued >

August 2014 | Johnson County Lifestyle

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Turning Potential into Reality Success builds success at Cristo Rey High School. Luis Beltran, Rafael Sanchez and Arleth Arevala collaborate on a biology lab assignment.

Article Lisa Gartland | Photography Provided

risto Rey High School may be located in Kansas City, Mo., but their students are well known throughout the entire metropolitan area for the work they do. Like other area high schools, rigorous academics and extracurricular activities are part of their culture. Unlike other area high Math instructor Walter Bowman teaches Algebra II. schools, Cristo Rey specifically serves highly motivated, urban students who face severe economic challenges. These students are not only the first in their families to plan to go to college, but also the first in their families to even consider college a real option. At this Catholic college preparatory school that is ethnically, racially and religiously diverse, all students participate in the school’s Corporate Work Study Program. 32

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

Many Johnson County businesses and nonprofit organizations partner with the school providing jobs and practical support for students. Students work one full day each week at area businesses. To meet all academic requirements, the school day is 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., from the first week in August to the first week in June and money earned from Work Study is applied to students’ tuition. There are 381 students enrolled in Cristo Rey, with a capacity for 425 and there are 130 eager freshmen ready to start school in August after completing a Seniors Kiva Donohue and Mackenzie Turnrequired work training er sport their “I got in!” t-shirts awarded as students are admitted to college. institute this summer. Since students come from diverse educational backgrounds, students are tested throughout the school year. The testing identifies any educational gaps with the incoming freshmen, and then tutors are called in. Approximately 30 retired teachers volunteer their

time to fill in any instructional holes. Transportation is often a barrier for students, so Cristo Rey provides buses. About a third of the students are transported to school every day by buses which also take students to and from Work Study sites in every corner of the Metro. Companies who partner with Cristo Rey assess their student workers quarterly using a common rubric used throughout the nationwide Cristo Rey network of 26 schools. Students receive a grade for their work and know where they are succeeding and where they can improve. Cristo Rey provides additional training if a student is weak in any area. Students are evaluated on their professional appearance, interaction with others, ability to follow through on tasks and their ability to identify priorities. Kathleen Hanlon, PhD, president of Cristo Rey in Kansas City, reports that 95 percent of her students regularly receive top ratings. Along with businesses, many Johnson County nonprofit organizations support the students in their educational goals, including volunteers of Christ Community Church in Leawood. Volunteers recognize the difficulty of the next step after high school graduation. They mentor new graduates, showing them the wide variety of available resources on college campuses. They teach the new college students where to look for and how to ask for help in college. These mentors help students select classes and provide guidance throughout the college process. Volunteers provide “grad packs” with items needed for college as well as handwritten notes of encouragement. “The connection with Christ Community Church is a real-world, hands-on relationship,” explains Rebecca Summers, director of institutional advancement at Cristo Rey. “Not only have they orchestrated the college send-off for each and every graduate, they tutor and mentor students, which is so personal.” In 2006, after three years in development, Cristo Rey opened with a freshman class and added a class each year. Their

Cristo Rey senior Jonna Garcia received a scholarship to continue her education at Avila University.

Cristo Rey Kansas City’s 2014 Valedictorian Dallas Parker is on her way to the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism.

first graduating class was in 2010, and Cristo Rey celebrated their first class of college graduates this past spring. Two of these graduates, who earned their degrees from Rockhurst University in May, spoke at Cristo Rey’s 2014 commencement. They delivered powerful messages as real examples that college is within reach. Cristo Rey keeps track of alumni, and based on the numbers, successful college graduates will continue for years to come. The national average of graduation for any student who begins college in the U.S. is around 50 percent. Cristo Rey educates students with major financial and social obstacles. According to Hanlon, 62.7 percent of the class of 2012 is still in college, and the class of 2013 has 64 percent of its members still in college. The class of 2014 leaves Cristo Rey with a 100 percent college acceptance rate. Hanlon is optimistic that their college graduates who continue live in the area will return to their high school as mentors for future students. As a new school year begins, Cristo Rey buses will again bring future businessmen and women to Johnson County for Work Study opportunities. Their education at Cristo Rey in Kansas City, mentor support and work experiences combine to unlock the limitless potential of these young minds and bright futures for these young adults. To learn more about how you or your organization can help, visit CristoReyKC.org.

Twin Financial is a partner of Cristo Rey through the Corporate Work Study Program. At work, Rosana Dillon supervises Shayra Mata one day a week.

Shadine Douglas and Vanessa Beltran led Cristo Rey Kansas City’s 2014 Commencement procession.

August 2014 | Johnson County Lifestyle

Helping Cups Runneth Over The Kauffman Foundation’s 1 Million Cups program helps business startups percolate success. Article Katherine Bontrager | Photography Provided

hen Stuart Ludlow and his business partner, David Hulsen, began their own software company, the duo had plenty of hurdles to clear. But getting constructive feedback about their startup? That may have been one of the easiest problems the two encountered, thanks to 1 Million Cups, a program created by Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation, a subsidiary of the Kauffman Foundation. Sporting the tagline “Caffeinate Your Community,” the program (with its clever coffee-cup logo), promises to build communities, “one cup at a time.” And it does so in the simplest and most effective way possible: by offering local entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their startups to a diverse audience of mentors, advisors, and entrepreneurs. “1 Million Cups began in April, 2012,” explains Nathan Kurtz, a manager in Entrepreneurship for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. “It was started as a way for Kauffman associates to meet entrepreneurs in the community and find out what we can do to help them with their businesses. It was a grassroots effort to engage Kansas City-area entrepreneurs.” Yet the local creation has spread to a much broader audience, with 1 Million Cups becoming a nationwide phenomenon. “We’ve had more than 220 presenters in Kansas City, and over 2,200 across the country since the program launched,” Kurtz says. “We also have more than 250 Kansas City-area attendees from the community each week and over 2,000 audience members at 1 Million Cups locations each week across the U.S. We never expected it would get to this level of growth. It was, essentially, an accident that fit the need in dozens of communities across the U.S. of engaging entrepreneurs in their community.” Entrepreneurs like Ludlow and Hulsen, for example. The two have a company called RFP365, which offers a software platform that helps issue and respond to RFPs (Request for Proposal) more effectively and collaboratively. “We spoke at 1 Million Cups in October of 2012, right before we were about to launch with our alpha version,” Ludlow recalls. “It was the first time we’d publicly spoken about the platform. Our main goal was to solicit feedback and to find users willing to test out the software. We received tons of feedback. Because it’s an open forum where people can ask you questions and talk about ideas, we had people bring up issues we hadn’t thought of. And through that, we were able to get a couple of early testers, who provided important feedback that went into the next version of the software. Not only was 1 Million Cups a sounding board, it provided a lot of valuable resources back to us.” 36

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

With the program’s help, RFP365 has successfully moved from startup to functioning business. And as Ludlow says, “Things are going really well right now. We’re adding customers and staying incredibly busy.” The program takes place every Wednesday morning from 9 to 10 a.m. in locales around the country. Yet the premise remains the same: Two presenters prepare a 6-minute presentation and then engage in 20 minutes of feedback and questions. Through this candid back-and-forth scenario, entrepreneurs gain insight into how they can improve their business plans, gather helpful feedback, and also connect with important contacts within the business community. But it’s not just presenters who benefit.

“The program is educational in nature,” Kurtz says. “It’s educational for the presenters as they go through our Kauffman Founders School video series on Powerful Presentations. It’s educational for the audience as they listen to and interact with the presenters. It’s also educational for the presenters since the volunteer organizers, also entrepreneurs, are helping to build their entrepreneurial ecosystem, give specific grading feedback to the presenters on aspects of their presentation.” The criteria to present are fairly simple, Kurtz says. “We have guidelines that the business be 3 years old or less, at least have a website and a specific customer/problem/solution set, and have a scalable growth model. It isn’t just tech companies, though: 1 Million Cups is industry-agnostic. Entrepreneurs of all types attend and present.” The forum is free and open to the public and occurs weekly at the Kauffman Foundation. “We invite any entrepreneurs, innovators and civic-minded individuals who want to hear the presentations to attend,” Kurtz says. “We do ask that the presenters watch the Founders School videos and answer the subsequent questions, because it is educational, and we know that better presentations yield better content, better engagement with the audience and better on-going support.” The average presenter is in the early part of building his or her business and is struggling to find more customers and build a team around the company. While every story is unique, Kurtz says, the presentations always end with the same question, “What can we, as a community, do to help you?” The community truly ministers to the entrepreneurs. “We have a lot of organic traffic of people who’ve heard about 1 Million Cups or attended 1 Million Cups, and then go online to apply to present,” Kurtz adds. “We’re also beginning the see the national network come together. Once a presenter has presented in, say, St. Louis or Denver or Des Moines or Tulsa, they then have the opportunity to go to other cities in the 1 Million Cups network and present there as well. It’s a powerful tool for the entrepreneurs to continue to learn and for the audience to see local and regional companies.” Each local chapter—in cities including Denver, Chicago, Chapel Hill, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and more—is community led, funded and operated. The individual chapters find local sponsors to provide meeting space, coffee and video recording services. What began as a way to help Kansas City entrepreneurs has since blossomed into a nationwide network of businesspeople helping business-minded people. The ingenious program truly is working to ‘caffeinate’ the local business community and is creating some serious national buzz, helping new businesses grow and succeed. That’s something surely everyone can lift their mugs to and toast with appreciation. For more information, visit 1MillionCups.com.

August 2014 | Johnson County Lifestyle

Giving Back

Taking the Clinic to the Community The Outreach Efforts of Health Partnership of Johnson County Article Lisa Allen | Photography Alexis Cook

uality dental care is about more than just teeth. Dentists can be the first to notice signs of diabetes or heart disease, and research shows that more than 90 percent of systemic diseases have oral manifestations such as swollen gums and mouth ulcers. Still, dental care is all too often a privilege that some—especially the uninsured and underinsured—often go without. Even in Johnson County, a place not typically synonymous with the word ‘need,’ there are more than 97,000 low-income individuals who likely face barriers to accessing dental care. Health Partnership Clinic is trying to fill that gap. Established in 1992 to provide medical care to low-income, uninsured Johnson County residents, the clinic became a federally qualified community health center in 2012. Led by President and Chief Executive Officer Jason Wesco, Health Partnership Clinic (HPC) works with community hospitals and local health and social service organizations to continually increase the quantity and quality of services offered to the underserved residents of Johnson County. Ellen Berry, DDS, serves as Chief Dental Officer. After graduating from UMKC School of Dentistry, Berry completed the Navy Advanced Education in General Residency Program in Norfolk, Va., and served for five years as a Navy dentist. She spent two years aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk and two years at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Guam. She began working at HPC in 2008 and says it’s exactly where she wants to be. “HPC is unique in that we level the playing ground for access to dental care. Patients here are seen by qualified dentists and hy38

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

gienists who are held to the highest of standards of care. We don’t cut corners on the care we offer to our patients,” says Berry. Berry was the only dentist at HPC for the first four years of her tenure and now leads a team of three dentists and three full time hygienists. She credits Wesco with keeping an equal focus between dental and medical care at HPC and the expansion of staff for the opportunity engage in more community outreach. HPC’s central theme in its outreach activities is meeting patients where they are, rather than waiting for them to make an appointment at the clinic. Every month, Berry goes to Evergreen Community of Johnson County, which serves the elderly population, to treat residents on-site, and a hygienist works at Evergreen two days every month for cleanings. HPC also focuses on children’s health by providing dental care—both preventive and treatment—at Johnson County elementary schools. The state of Kansas mandates that all elementary school students have dental screenings, and findings and recommendations are sent home to parents. Berry says those who fall into the under- and uninsured gap often don’t know how to follow up on those recommendations. During the school year, HPC dentist Dr. Mollie Day fills spends her weeks in local schools, providing full exams, X-rays, cleanings, extractions and fillings at the school. If the work is too much to conduct on-site, students are sent to the clinic for care. During summer and holiday breaks, Day works alongside Berry and Dr. Melissa Kusiak in the clinic. She is also expanding HPC’s outreach efforts by caring for patients in local mental health facilities. “Jason has been so instrumental in partnering with other organizations so that we can offer a safety net,” says Berry. Part of that strategy is having both sides of HPC—dental and medical—work together to encourage preventative health care and to offer education to parents of young children. Not only does Dr. Kelly Kreisler, Chief Medical Officer, talk with parents about preventive dental care and hygiene during office visits, but a new part-time hygienist has been hired specifically to visit with parents during each well child visit. “All too often, a family’s mindset is that dentist appointments are only necessary when there’s a problem,” says Berry. “We’re trying to change that, and we’re making a small dent in the overall needs of our underserved population.” Wesco agrees, and says that HPC patients may receive two or even three of the services HPC offers during one office visit. This comprehensive, holistic and coordinated approach to patient care is unusual, even in the most specialized of care facilities. “It’s an honor for us to serve these patients in our community,” says Berry. “We’re always looking for ways to do more.” To learn more, visit HPCJC.org

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Featured Restaurants: BoLing’s Chinese Restaurant Boyer’s Artisan Meatball Catering Burnt End BBQ Corner Bakery Cafe DoubleTree by Hilton Overland Park Em Chamas Brazilian Grill Firebug BBQ Frida’s Contemporary Mexican Cuisine Granite City Food & Brewery

Save the date June 27, 2015!

Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse Le Peep Longhorn Steakhouse McLain’s Bakery Midnight Espresso & The Roasterie Mio An Italian Trattoria Nick and Jake’s Nothing Bundt Cakes

op 1906 at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel Pinstripes Plan B Event Style Catering Ritz Charles Sunset Grill Sweet Tomatoes

Healthy Lifestyle

Dispelling the Myths of Midwifery Certified Nurse Midwifes take a Natural Approach to Caring for Women at all Stages of Life Article Michelle Manuel Photography Dean Shepard

hen Diane Utz shares with people that she is a certified nurse midwife, the inevitable question comes next: “So you help women give birth in their living rooms?” Utz, who has a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Kansas, spends a great deal of time dispelling the myths of midwifery. As the first full-time certified nurse midwife on staff with Saint Luke’s Medical Group–Southridge, Utz provides primary care and well-woman care for patients of all ages. She also assists with low-intervention births at Saint Luke’s South Hospital’s Maternity Center in Overland Park. Utz explains to expecting moms that she is not a labor nurse, although she began her career as one, nor a doula, a non-medical person who assists with labor. She is specially trained to provide care before, during, and after birth and offers expectant moms a more natural experience by providing as much or as little support as the patient desires. Utz has been known to spend long hours in the hospital during a patient’s labor. “There is a common misconception that midwives only deliver babies in the home, but only a small percentage of midwife-attended births happen at home,” says Utz. “I help women and families experience a low-intervention birth in an environment where additional resources are available. We can provide the best of both worlds, when needed.” Meeting Women’s Birthing Needs

Low-intervention birth means that labor begins and progresses naturally. Instead of pain medication, laboring moms might use touch, music, water, aromatherapy, and other methods to minimize discomfort. If the patient wants an epidural or pain medication at any point during labor, that is available in a hospital setting. At Saint Luke’s South Hospital, mothers labor, deliver, and remain in the same room throughout their stay, ensuring a less disruptive experience for the family. Should a woman or baby need medical intervention at any time, the hospital offers advanced medical care, including a Level IIIa NICU. “More women are looking for low-intervention birthing options than ever before,” says Jani Johnson, Saint Luke’s South Hospital 40

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

Certified nurse midwife Diane Utz now provides low-intervention birthing options at Saint Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park.

president and CEO. “By adding Diane and midwifery care, we can offer different experiences and more options to expectant moms.” Care for a Lifetime

Utz also provides primary care and well woman care for all life stages—from teenagers beginning menstruation to women in their childbearing years to those experiencing menopause and beyond. “It can be daunting for young women who turn 18 and suddenly must leave their pediatrician to begin well-woman care,” says Utz. “I help make the transition comfortable, and I help them understand how to make good choices about their health.” No matter the age of her patient, Utz provides a natural approach to health care with a focus on wellness. Her goal is to build long-term relationships so she can provide care throughout a woman’s lifetime and always meet her changing needs. “I love helping women understand how to focus on wellness, wherever in their life they might be,” says Utz. For more information about the Maternity Center at Saint Luke’s South Hospital, visit SaintLukesHealthSystem.org/SouthBaby or call 913.317.7795. To schedule an appointment with Diane Utz, A.P.R.N., CNM, call Saint Luke’s Medical Group–Southridge at 913.317.3200.

12631 Metcalf â&#x20AC;˘ Overland Park, KS 66213 913-649-6900 houseofdenmarkfurniture.com

House of Denmark, the leading retailer of Contemporary, Scandinavian and European furniture in the Midwest, has been owned and operated by Danes since its opening in 1977. We specialize in furnishings for home and office with a large in-stock program. In addition to our furniture selections for every room, we also feature area rugs, lamps and accessories. Surround Yourself with Style.

Home Matters before

after

Space Planning A Brilliant Way to Update Your Home’s Interior Appeal Article Ann E. Butenas | Photography Provided

iving your home a fresh, new look does not have to be a huge undertaking, especially when you involve award-winning interior design experts. You can give new style and appeal to that outdated kitchen or add space, functionality and inviting ambiance to an outdated great room or hearth room. And if you think you have to spend a fortune, think again. To kick start your next home redesign project and maximize your investment in it, all you have to do is incorporate a bit of planning initially to ensure a breath-taking result in the end. Arlene Ladegaard, owner and principal interior designer of Design Connection, Inc., brings to her clients her signature service: Space Planning, which is essentially a way to analyze a room and all of the elements within that space, including ceiling height, windows, furnishings and accessories, and then taking that information and creating a space that seamlessly blends with your existing home design and lifestyle. Space planning essentially provides an “after” picture before you even begin the room transformation process. “We use space planning to get right sizing and to make sure the furniture fits in the space,” says Ladegaard. “We can take a very small room and through our unique way of planning out the space, we can fit the furnishings perfectly and give it a new look. We still maintain the integrity of the home by tailoring the updated look to match the style of the home. It is important to allow the

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

updated room to still blend in with the style of the home and to the tastes of the client.” These photos of a great room in an Overland Park home reveal what the concept of space planning can amazingly do for a room. “This was actually a very small room, but through our unique process of space planning, we were able to open it up with new furniture, such as the leather ottoman and a large colorful wool area rug,” says Ladegaard. “The outdated old tile was replaced with new textured tile and the mantel was darkened to a beautiful Java color along with new lighting fixtures and end tables. The older white wood blinds were updated with new dark woven woods and a soft, warm gray color to the walls was added while still maintaining the existing style of the home.” Updating your home has never been easier, especially when you partner with Design Connection, Inc. “We can take an older home and update it to match its original design while still making it current,” Ladegaard emphasizes. Design Tip: Hiring

a professional Interior Design Expert can sound expensive, but it actually saves homeowners time and expense by helping them make the best choices the very first time and avoiding mistakes. The right designer gets it right the first time!

For more information visit DesignConnectionInc.com or call 913.851.8776.

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Financial Fitness

The Financially Savvy Family M

any of the important decisions we make regarding our finances are made with family in mind, yet the duties for managing the finances often seem to fall on one primary family member. Perhaps it is a wife who has more patience or a husband who has more financial savvy, and seldom are the kids part of financial discussions. In fact, according to the 2013 Parent Kids And Money Survey, only 19 percent of kids say their parents strongly encourage them to talk about money. However, segregating the management of finances could leave loved ones in a precarious position and leave children lacking important financial education and foundational values to use when they begin making their own financial decisions. For a financial plan to truly support an entire family’s dreams and goals, getting buy-in and tackling decisions as a family unit is essential. The team mentality starts with both partners in a relationship. They are often the leaders of the financial decisions and can

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

motivate other members of their family to participate and learn. When both adults agree to take an active role in the management of finances, it may protect one from being left in the dark and it can also minimize arguments. In the 2012 study, Examining The Relationship Between Financial Issues And Divorce, fights about money were listed as the single biggest contributor to divorce. Parents can also work together to give their children a solid foundation for money management. Sure, there are different strategies for discussing money with young children, teenagers, and adult children, but it’s never too late to start. Super affluent families have found that to help their children be successful, they need to set them up early and teach them strategies along the way, often with the help of their professional financial advisory team. But, what about the rest of us? Often a third party can get through to children better than a parent, but it can’t be just any third party messenger. In fact, many wealth management firms who advise parents often agree to waive minimum investment thresholds for their adult children so they have access to the same advice and money management as the parents. Yet, if that advisor looks like a parent and acts like a parent, will the children feel any differently about what they’re hearing? Probably not. Families could benefit from working with an advisor, but it has to be the right advisor. Firms that focus on multi-generational planning (without the hefty price tag of a traditional family office) can help bridge this gap from one generation to the next. Relating to and understanding both generations, and using the technology and communication strategies that each generation desires, as well as focusing on their immediate goals (these are different at different stages of life) are keys to success. When you involve your whole family in financial planning, you expose them to valuable information they can use in their own lives. Jessica Maldonado, AIFA, GFS, C(k)P, PPC, is vice president of Searcy Financial Services Inc., a registered investment advisory and financial planning firm in Overland Park. For additional information, visit SearcyFinancial.com.

Driver’s Notebook

BMW’s Spirited M235i Puts a Smile on Your Face Article and Photography Tom Strongman

MW’s M235i is the spiritual cousin to the 1600/2002 from the late 1960s and early 1970s. I bought a white 1600 in 1969 because I couldn’t afford the more powerful 2002 and I loved it. It was small on the outside yet roomy inside, had incredible visibility thanks to the tall windows and it handled like a sports car. The strategy behind the 2 Series is similar to that used for the 1600/2002: Make a compact coupe with sporty handling and, in the case of the M235i, blistering performance and incredible fuel economy for such a powerful car. The M235i has 320 twin-turbo horsepower from a 3.0-liter six-cylinder and either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. The car from BMW’s press fleet had the eightspeed automatic with manual shift paddles, and it was delightful. Hard-core enthusiasts may choose the manual but 46

Johnson County Lifestyle | August 2014

frankly, the automatic is so good, and can be shifted manually when desired, that it would be my choice. Base price for the M235i is $44,025. The 240-horsepower 228i has a four-cylinder engine and its base price is $33,025. My 1600 had several recurring issues that eventually caused me to sell it after a couple of years but I still remember how much fun it was to drive. Those memories came flooding back when I took an M235i on a weekend trip because it was a blast. I missed a few things on my trip, namely a navigation system, satellite radio and heated seats. Those items would bump the price by $4,450, pushing the sticker price to more than $48,000. The M235i is fun every time you slip into the deeply

contoured sport seat that fits as if it were made for you. The chassis is tuned to deliver a taut, well-controlled ride and it loves to be tossed into a turn. Still, the ride is compliant enough to be pleasant for everyday driving. The adaptable suspension, M Sport brakes and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires are perfectly matched. continued >

Being able to select Sport Plus, Sport, Comfort or Eco Pro drive settings with a button on the console lets the driver tailor the car to suit his or her mood. Sport mode is the most fun, of course, because each gear is held a little longer, each shift of the eightspeed automatic is a little firmer and the exhaust sounds throatier. Comfort is a good everyday setting, and Eco Pro is perfect for long stretches of highway travel. Eco Pro softens the throttle response, lets the car coast with the engine at idle when the throttle is released and cycles the air conditioning on and off to reduce the drag on the engine. The driver can select which of those functions is active. I selected the coasting feature and disabled the others. Rolling to St. Louis with Interstate 70 traffic that was moving well past the speed limit, I averaged 29.1 miles per gallon. The return trip was interrupted with several rainstorms, but my average was 28.6 for nearly 500 miles of fast driving. The M235iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cabin is businesslike. The instrument panel has easyto-read analog gauges. The sport seats have a wide range of adjustability that makes them a great place to be for hours at a time. Whereas the 1600/2002 had a surprisingly spacious back seat, due mainly to a tall, upright roof, the one in the M235i coupe would be cramped for most adults. The trunk has decent space, and folddown rear seats give some flexibility for carrying large objects. Price The test carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s base price was $44,025. Options included keyless entry and leather seats.

KANSAS CITY

At a glance Point: The M235i is a ball of fun rolled into a fairly sedate twodoor coupe. The 320-horsepower engine is a delight, sports seats fit like a glove and fuel economy is amazing given the power output of the engine. Counterpoint: The boy-racer front fascia is a bit overstated, the back seat is small and the price is substantial.

2014 BMW M235i engine:

3.0-liter, 320-horsepower twin-turbocharged six-cyl-

inder Eight-speed automatic Rear-wheel drive Wheelbase: 105.9 inches Curb weight: 3,535 pounds base price: $44,025 As driven: $45,475 MPG rating: 22 in the city, 32 on the highway Transmission:

Warranty Four years or 50,000 miles. All recommended service

is free for four years or 50,000 miles. Contact Tom Strongman at Tom@TomStrongman.com.

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