Leawood April 2015

Leawood

APRIL 2015

LeawoodLifestyle.com

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Editor's Letter

I inherited her hands, but not her green thumbs.

M

y mother was a passionate and talented gardener.

And while I see quite clearly every time I look down at my hands that I inherited her long fingers, her deep nail beds and her strong nails, I most certainly did not inherit her green thumbs.

But it was not for lack of trying on her part.

I know the names of an impressive number of annuals and perennials, and I even know the difference between annuals and perennials, so clearly I was paying attention when she talked me through dozens of garden tours and walks through the Chicago Botanical Gardens. She taught me how to garden share to save money. The daylilies and hosta that grew too thick to flourish in her garden where thinned out and shared with the church garden, my grandma and aunt, or neighbors.

I remember the summer she discovered an invasion of grubs in her daylilies. She spoke with the urgency of a 9-1-1 call as she thrust shovels into the hands of my brother and me and instructed us to dig, dig, DIG(!!) until her beautiful daylilies were out of the ground and lying on newspapers spread in the yard so she could save them with some kind of botanical haz-mat decontamination.

Year after year, more compost (what we called manure at our house) or peat was added to her flower beds and the back lawn shrank as the garden’s edges were expanded to include an area for lettuce and herbs one year and roses another. As one of two lawn mowers in the family, this was fine with me!

And while I appreciate a lovely garden as much as the next person, I just don’t have the passion (or the tolerance for worms) to give the activity the weekly attention needed for a stunning, blooming garden. I’ve learned that half a dozen pots out front, a border of hostas in the back, and a ring of daylilies around the flagpole are the extent of my gardening talents, so long as all are hit with strategically positioned sprinkler heads. I let a bed of 25-year-thick English ivy give passers by the illusion of a lush green garden.

We all have our gifts, as they say!

Enjoy the blooms and blossoms that come with the spring, and I’ll see you around town.

APRIL 2015 editor-in-chief Lisa Harrison | Lisa@LifestylePubs.com assistant editor Kendra Mathewson | KMathewson@LifestylePubs.com sales director Michael Arel | MArel@LifestylePubs.com advertising sales Mary Beth Stauch | MStauch@LifestylePubs.com Tim Carr | TCarr@LifestylePubs.com Carolyn Braverman | CBraverman@LifestylePubs.com. contributing writers Lisa Allen, Katherine Bontrager, Ann Butenas, Chris Clark, Lisa Gartland, Debra Laizure, Kendra Mathewson, Rebecca Murphy, Anne Rohling, Anne Potter Russ, Tom Strongman contributing photographers Alan Branhagen, Alexis Cook, McKenna Mathewson, Tom Strongman, Bethany Wears

corporate team chief executive officer | Steven Schowengerdt chief sales officer | Matthew Perry chief financial officer | DeLand Shore production director | Christina Sandberg director of marketing | Brad Broockerd art director | Sara Minor ad coordinators | Cyndi Vreeland, Samantha Engel copy editor | Kendra Mathewson executive assistant | Lori Cunningham application architect | Michael O’Connell it director | Randy Aufderheide

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

Lisa Harrison, Editor Lisa@LifestylePubs.com

by Community ™

Proverbs 3:5-6 Contact us at:

ON THE COVER The pond near 87th and Mission is an oasis

of waterfront beauty in the sea of housing developments that make up our suburban life. See more on page 30.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM STRONGMAN

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7373 West 107th Street Overland Park, KS 66212 913.599.4300 | LeawoodLifestyle.com Leawood Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Leawood’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 Leawood Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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April 2015

34 30 Departments

30 At the Water’s Edge

Small area lake makes for a spectacular walk around the

neighborhood.

34 Adding a Vintage Flair to Your Home

Repurposed and antique items are adding a new layer to

home decorating.

38 Here a Club, There a Club, Everywhere a

Book Club

Find your niche, page by page.

10

Good Times

16

Around Town

20 Family Feature 22

Locally Owned

24

Open House

26

Field Trip

40 Locals Only 42 Home Matters

40 46

44 Star Students 46 Now Open 50 Driver's Notebook 53

Sold Properties

54 Lifestyle Calendar 58

Parting Thoughts

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Good Times

American Heart Association’s 28th Heart & Stroke Ball

An unforgettable evening included fine dining, auctions and dancing to the Michael Beers Band, and appearances by opera student Micah Welch, heart transplant survivor John Muetter, Kansas City Ballet II, Bach Aria Trio and the Joe Cartwright Trio.

Mary Lynn & Kamal Mikhail, 2015 Heart & Stroke Ball Chairs

Volunteer Paola Rivera, shows Great Plains SPCA puppy to guests.

John Nobles, Micah Welch, Ginger Frost High School Honors Artist Program, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; and John Meutert, Pianist and Heart Transplant Recipient

Honorary chairs, Dr. Michael and Ginger Frost host their family and friends.

Emcees Len Jennings and Lara Moritz

The Reynolds were the honored survivor family.

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

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Leawood Rotary 20th Birthday Gala

Participants celebrated in high style with dinner, live entertainment and an awards ceremony held at The Venue in Leawood.

The club celebrated its 2014 achievements, and anticipates another year of "Service Above Self" in 2015.

Ken Selzer, John Meier, Margie Valentine

Kathy Dull, Mary Reed, Arlene Ladegaard, John Reed

Denise & Paul Rueschhoff, Brad Moore, Carol D'Attoma

Terry & Peggy Dunn, Alice & Mel Hawk

Dennis & Kathy Dull, Mary Reed, Susan Sauri, Roger Newth, John Reed

Rick Robinson, Jake Schloegel, Brian Brown, Paul Rueschhoff, Gary Bussing, Mary Reed, Brad Moore, Jim Rawlings, Ken Selzer, Anton Rees

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

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Good Times

Loving & Longing Art Show for Operation Breakthrough The benefit hosted by local artists included works that reflect thankful contentment for loving relationships and finding beauty and hope within one another and our journeys. Artists included Jenny Meyer-McCall, Kari Hebrock, Kristin Goering, Debbie Barrett-Jones, Mara Procter and Cora Jones.

St. Baldrick’s Foundation Fundraiser

Participants raised more than $17,000 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation funds and awareness for childhood cancer research through the head-shaving event at KC’s premier Irish pub, The Dubliner.

Jessica Troester has shaved her head five times for St. Baldrick's. Tricia Lashley

Vicki Mori

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

Dana & Tammy Mengel, in memory of their daughter, Gloria.

Dubliner waitress Amy Lorenz

Dallas Wamsley

Children International Housewarming Party

Eve and Mike Krahn and Whitney and Ian Davidson hosted a housewarming party at the Krahn’s home in Leawood.

The event was also an opportunity for guests to learn more about Children International and how they can get involved.

Andrew Marquardt, Eve & Mike Krahn, Robin & Jordan Ayers

Hannah Markiewicz & Sommer Howard

Tim & Beth Parker

Paetra & Gino Serra

Christy & Sommer Howard, Whitney Davidson

Art Kent & Lydia Butler

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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Around Town KC MARATHON CERTIFIED GOLD FOR SUSTAINABILITY The Council for Responsible Sport has certified the Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon as a Gold Level green event. This is the first time the marathon has filed for certification and the first time the event has received certification. Only 20 events in the world have received gold level certification their first year filing since The Council was founded in 2008. Of those 20, only 13 were marathons and half marathons.

“Our staff and volunteers work hard to reduce our environmental footprint,” says Sarah Dee, director of events. “We are so proud that the marathon has been a zero-waste event the past two years.”

In 2014, the marathon collected more than 10,445 pounds of waste. From that, 10,265 pounds were either recycled or composted. There were 132 pounds of heat sheets recycled, and more than 245 pounds of discarded clothing and 4,468 pounds of food donated to a local homeless shelter.

DEANNA ROSE CHILDREN’S FARMSTEAD CELEBRATES EARTH DAY Deanne Rose Farmstead is celebrating Earth Day. Educational programming about recycling, composting, gardening and Kansas nature and wildlife will provide not only education but also entertainment for the entire family. The event is Saturday, April 18, and includes activities such as crafts, flower planting, Planting of the Three Sisters - A Traditional Native American Ceremony, chalk walk and educational programming.

Visit the Friends of the Farmstead for more information on Earth Day and the other special events at the Farmstead. ArtsAndRec-OP.org

The vendors offer customers a wide variety of products from farm, fresh produce, local foods and unique specialty items. The market is a way to help you eat locally, support your community and learn how to eat in season.

No dogs, or any pets, are allowed at the Farmers Market, excluding service pets, per health code regulations.

LEAWOOD ADVISOR TOPS BARRON’S LIST Peter Mallouk, president of Creative Planning in Leawood, has been named No. 1 in the 2015 Top Advisor Rankings: Kansas by Barron’s magazine. This is his second consecutive year atop the list for the state of Kansas and in 2014, he was listed the No. 1 Independent Financial Advisor in America.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by a prestigious magazine like Barron’s,” says Mallouk. “This recognition is a reflection of how hard our talented team of advisors work to provide the highest quality service to our clients.”

The Barron’s list ranks the nation’s top advisors based on several criteria including assets under management and revenue generated for the firm, quality of performance and philanthropic work.

Over the last year, Creative Planning’s assets have grown by more than 20 percent to $12 billion in assets under his management.

SAFE DRUG DISPOSAL SITE Leawood residents or those who work in the city of Leawood can now drop off expired or unused drugs at the Leawood Justice Center (4201 Town Center Dr.) at the police entrance. Items accepted at this disposal site include prescriptions, prescription patches, overthe-counter medications, prescription ointments, vitamins and even medications for pets. Please do not bring aerosol cans, needles, inhalers or non-prescriptions ointments and creams.

GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION

FARMERS MARKET REOPENS IN APRIL The Overland Park Farmers Market has been closed for the season and will reopen Saturday, April 18, and remains open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. until September 26. From Oct. 3-Nov. 21 it is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Market creates a vibrant public gathering place that builds community pride and spirit by bringing together residents of all ages and interests. For more than 30 years, vendors have been providing farm-to-table food at the Downtown Overland Park Farmers Market.

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

Join our advertising partners at Hot Spot Pools, Hot Tubs & BBQ (7305 W. 151st St.) as they celebrate the grand opening of their second store on April 4. After almost 10 years in Liberty, they are excited to expand into Johnson County and bring you the highest quality hot tubs, barbecue grills, smokers, accessories, rubs, sauces and so much more. You’ll find top brands including Jacuzzi Brand Hot Tubs, Big Green Egg, Good-One Smokers, Weber Grills, Saber Infra Red grills, and Traeger pellet smokers. Their highest quality merchandise will help you create the backyard oasis of your dreams.

Stop by, say hello and meet Chris Marks of Three Little Pigs BBQ and Good-One Smokers and Grills. Chris will have a Good One Pit Boss fired up so you can sample delicious barbecue fresh off the smoker.

PARK UNIVERSITY OFFERS TUITION FREEZE Park University has announced that it will offer its current students a one-year “tuition freeze” throughout the upcoming 2015-16 academic year, despite tuition rate increases for new students. Students enrolled at Park at any time during the 2014-15 academic year will be

eligible for the existing rate, including any new student who enrolls between now and the summer semester.

“At Park University we provide education without boundaries, and customer satisfaction and student success are top priority,” says Rita Weighill, executive director of student marketing. “This tuition freeze is our way to give back and thank the students who have already chosen Park as their educational partner. We are honored to be a part of helping them shape their successful future by providing them with an affordable and excellent education.” For details about the tuition freeze or to view tuition and fees for the 2015-16 academic year, visit Park’s tuition webpage.

INTERACTIVE EXHIBITION CREATES NEW DYNAMIC Jump In! Architecture Workshop, the first self-generated architecture exhibition organized by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, converts the Project Space in the Bloch Building into an interactive studio. Visitors can experience an overview of architectural concepts through five interactive modules highlighting landscape, community, building type, style and material. Provocative questions, project examples and activities help develop and expand an understanding of how architecture impacts almost all aspects of everyday life.

Visitors can expect an active and dynamic experience that includes more than 2,000 building blocks, touch-screen maps, and tactile walls. An original card game, 5 Card Design!, gives players a set of unusual features and instructs them to design their own structure using the provided prompts.

Jump In! Architecture Workshop will be open through July 19.

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FOOD FROM THE BAR What do you call hundreds of our area’s most prominent lawyers helping our local food pantries? Food from the Bar! Join the legal community to fight hunger April 1-30. “Food from the Bar” raises donations for Cross-lines food pantry. Uniting to fight against hunger are: Berson Law Group LLP, Foulston Siefkin, LLP, Beam-Ward, Kruse, Wilson, Wright & Fletes, LLC, Walden & Pfannenstiel LLC, the Kansas and Missouri Federal courthouses, and Kansas Women Attorneys Association. Help guarantee full

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Around Town stomachs for our children and elderly. To donate, contact Susan Berson at sberson@ banktaxlaw.com.

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

LIFESTYLE PUBLICATIONS PARTNERS WITH ANGEL HOUSE At Lifestyle Publications, we are inspired by our communities and we want to build up communities around the world. To that end, Lifestyle Publications, the parent company of Leawood Lifestyle, recently made a significant donation to Angel House in India so that an orphanage in the village of Medchal, could be opened and a clean water pump installed. The mission of the Angel House organization is to bring abandoned children from the slums to safety and into the loving arms of caretakers that will educate, love and raise them to become future leaders in their generation. The home in Medchal will house a dozen children. To learn more, visit AngelHouse.me.

SIGN UP NOW FOR CUB SCOUT CAMP What do boys like more than fishing, archery, tromping through the woods and

playing field games? Not a lot, except maybe pretending to be a knight.

All those boyhood dreams are coming together June 8-12 at the Knights in Training day camp for current Cub Scouts and boys who want to join for the new scouting year. The fun at Camp Timberlake, near the Overland Park Arboretum, is perfect for working families who are looking for wholesome, exciting and safe adventures to fill part of their children’s summer while school’s out.

Adults have been planning the camp for months already with an emphasis on fun that their children will savor for a lifetime.

And it’s all built around the scouting ideals of guiding boys into responsible manhood -- working well in teams, being resourceful, showing respect, building confidence and relishing the joy in life.

Visit Hoac-bsa.org/Trailhead-Day-Camp to learn more.

TOUR GERMANY WITH THE TRUMAN Join friends of the Truman Library on a World War II History Tour of Germany, September 3-12, 2015. Begin in historic Munich, visit Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, and hear the tragic story of the holocaust at Dachau Concentration Camp. Nuremberg boasts key Nazi landmarks. Motor through picturesque East Germany to Dresden, home of treasures such as the Frauenkirche and Zwinger Palace. The coach continues to Torgau, on the Elbe, where the American and Russian forces met.

Leipzig features the St. Nicholas Church, Art Nouveau architecture and Stasi museum. In Berlin, explore Kaiser Wilhem Church, Berlin Wall remnants, Checkpoint Charlie, monument to the famous airlift and bunkers used during allied bombing.

The trip concludes in Potsdam with a tour of Cecilienhof, site of the conference between Stalin, Churchill and Truman. Land travel, including breakfasts and dinners, $2395-2695, based on number of travelers, air estimate $1250-1500. For details, contact Donna, 816.268.8239.

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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Family Feature

Anchored in Leawood THOUGH HOLT FAMILY NEWS ORIGINATES OUTSIDE KANSAS THESE DAYS, TOO ARTICLE ANNE ROHLING | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

I

n 1994, as a long-held NBC television affiliate in Kansas City (WDAF-TV) began its transition to a new Fox station, John Holt, television reporter and anchor in Wichita began a significant transition of his own. “I signed off at 10 p.m. on Thursday in Wichita, packed, kissed my wife and babies goodbye on Friday morning and dropped my bags at a hotel near the station later that day,” recalls Holt. “I went on air the next morning in Kansas City.”

Twenty-one years later, Holt co-anchors “Fox 4 News” at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. and has won Regional Emmys and numerous other honors for reporting and anchoring. Media Mix named John “TV Personality of the Year” three times since 2000 and WDAF-TV has remained among the most-watched evening news broadcasts in the KC marketplace.

John graduated from the University of Kansas Schools of Journalism and Law. While in Lawrence, he met fellow law student, Suzy Adams, a Topeka native. “Thirty years ago, a Topeka girl married a boy from Great Bend,” says Suzy Holt. “And two kids later, with a grand baby on the way, here we are!”

And where they are isn’t all that far from the first KC home John found for his young family. While Suzy and kids remained in Wichita, John lived in an apartment, working crazy hours during the O.J. Simpson trial while looking for a perfect new house. One evening, his childhood friend from Great Bend, fellow law student and KU fraternity brother, Matt Keenan, invited John over for dinner in Leawood.

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

Keenan lived in the Greenbrier neighborhood, across the street from another fraternity brother, Rob Merrill. That evening, they pointed out that a house next door to the Keenan’s, was for sale.

“Shortly after, three DU’s from KU lived on the same cul-de-sac,” says Holt. The trio hasn’t lived far from each other since.

The Holts felt blessed raising their kids in Leawood. Excellent schools, parks, trails, a neighborhood pool. “It’s such a safe, wellplanned community,” says John. “We would hit balls at Ironhorse or walk along Tomahawk Creek with the dog and the kids on their scooters.” Leawood helped make family nights on Sunday an idyllic tradition they all could count on.

Now that the kids are grown, the Holts aren’t always in Kansas anymore and good news is breaking everywhere. Their son, 1st LT Jack Holt (United States Army), attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and married fellow Blue Valley North grad, Emily Boresow in 2013, before Jack was deployed to the Middle East. They are now stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, where he continues military training and she teaches high school English.

The couple is expecting their first child in August and will transfer to Ft. Benning, Georgia in June as Jack enters the U.S. Army Captain’s Career Course.

Meanwhile, daughter Katie is a nursing school graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, working as a pediatric nurse and obtaining a doctorate as a nurse practitioner. She and her fiancé, Chad Moes, M.D. of Nebraska, are planning a June 2015 wedding at

Bethany Wears Photography

Leawood’s Church of the Nativity, where her brother also married.

“Katie and her mom are finding all the best wedding deals between here and Omaha,” says John. “And I’m staying out of their way.”

Meanwhile, he lends that distinctive broadcasting voice to emcee events for metro area charities, including The University of Kansas Hospital, where he was a patient in 2010 and is now an out-spoken prostate cancer survivor. “A quick blood test can save your life,” he reminds us. He serves on boards of the Head for the Cure Foundation, the KU Medical Center Hospital Advancement Board and is a member of the Kansas Bar Association Media-Bar Committee, among other volunteer work. John is pleased that, now that they’re empty nesters, Suzy can accompany him on more emcee engagements. “They’re kind of like date nights,” he smiles. And it sounds like Suzy is happy to join him as long as those dates include lunch at Room 39 now and then.

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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Locally Owned

How One Local Businessman Turned an Empty Bottle into a Bright Idea

ARTICLE ANN E. BUTENAS | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

D

id you know that recycling one glass bottle saves enough electricity to power a 100-watt light bulb for four hours?

Hunt Magee, owner of KC Curbside Glass, understands this and is now shedding a lot of light on the glass recycling industry.

When he relocated to the Kansas City area from North Carolina three years ago, Magee soon came to realize that he could not simply toss his empty glass bottles, jars and other glass items directly into his recycling bin. A recycler by nature, he learned that, while one can drop off glass for recycling at any of the Ripple Glass locations in town, there was no pick up service available. As a simple gesture for the neighbors on his street, he initially began collecting their empty glass jars and bottles and offered to take them to the recycling compound himself. It wasn’t long before this neighborly act of kindness evolved into a full-blown business concept and now Magee oversees a business that to date has collected roughly 200,000 pounds of glass for recycling purposes…more than enough to give power to that proverbial light bulb of an idea.

He soon went from collecting the empty glass containers of his neighbors and created a glass recycling pickup business that snowballed from 50 homes in his own neighborhood to multiple places throughout Johnson County, including both residential and commercial pick up services. When he opened for business in January, 2013, he never imagined that his recycling habits could lead to a business that was truly a win-win for both the environment and the community.

Every other week, KC Curbside Glass will pick up empty glass bottles, jars and other glass items, which customers can toss into the beautiful blue bins, provided by Magee. When customers are finished with that beer bottle or pickle jar, they just toss it into the bin – label and all – and KC Curbside Glass will pick it up on a 22

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

designated pick-up day for just $10 a month. It’s that easy. Even if there is just one glass bottle in the bin, Magee stands at the ready.

“We empty the bin and then deliver the contents to Ripple Glass, where they process the glass to reuse in fiberglass insulation and new bottles,” explains Magee, who also noted that glass, along with aluminum products, can be recycled endlessly.

“In the Kansas City metro area, only about 20 percent of the glass is currently being recycled,” he notes. “Before Ripple Glass started in 2009, only six percent was being recycled.”

Magee wants to see those numbers improve.

“I want to double that 20 percent figure,” he emphasizes.

Now serving Gardner, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe, Overland Park, Stilwell, Shawnee and Spring Hill, Magee intends to expand his operations within the next year, with the anticipation of offering pickup services on the Missouri side.

A go-giver at heart, Magee has not only found a way to give back to the environment, but also to the community. Ten percent of his annual revenue goes directly to charity, including Harvesters, Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County and Interfaith Hospitality Network. KC Curbside also participates with numerous church and school fundraisers.

Even though Magee seems to possess the unwavering physical prowess of Superman, often hauling 6,000 pounds of glass each week, he is energized and revitalized through the knowledge that he is helping others.

“If I stopped what I was doing, I’d let people down,” he says with a smile. “This really makes me feel good.”

For more information or to sign up for service, visit KCCurbsideGlass.com or call 913.617.6401.

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23

Open House

What’s Fresh for Spring?

SEASONAL CONCEPTS SHARES SOME OF THEIR FAVORITE NEW PRODUCTS

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ur friends at Seasonal Concepts are the experts when it comes to outdoor furnishings and accessories. Whether you are ready to add a fire pit, new furniture or an outdoor kitchen, start at the impressive showroom at Seasonal Concepts (103rd and Metcalf) to be inspired. It goes without saying that many of these items would make great gifts for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

BREEZESTA ADIRONDACK CHAIRS

Breezesta is part of the environmental solution. They offer 20 vibrant colors and every single one is green because Breezesta is made of plastic milk jugs and water bottles that would otherwise end up in a landfill. And if you are so inclined, you can show your team support with collegiate colored chairs.

PINK “FOR THE GIRLS” WIND CHIMES

Pink wind chimes are the perfect gift for anyone facing or remembering the challenges of breast cancer. Show your support and a portion of all “for the girls” wind chime sales will be donated to breast cancer charities.

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Made in Missouri of eco-friendly materials, these uniquely designed art poles showcase some of Missouri’s talented local artists. They make great gift for Mother’s Day because every garden needs a little bit of whimsy.

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

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Field Trip

Champion Yulan Magnolia seedling from the parent tree at Linda Hall Library at UMKC.

This young ginkgo is a descendant of a tree that survived the bombing of Hiroshima, and is being nurtured by Powell Gardens for planting at the Truman Library.

Tree Stories POWELL GARDENS’ LEGACY TREE PROJECT PRESERVES HISTORY AND LIFE ARTICLE KENDRA MATHEWSON | PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN BRANHAGEN AND POWELL GARDENS

S

hel Silverstein’s famous book, The Giving Tree, tells the story of an old apple tree who gives and gives of herself for a little boy throughout his life--shade for the young boy, apples to earn money, branches a home, her trunk a boat for escape, and finally her stump provides a seat for him in old age.

The ultimate example of unconditional love, the Giving Tree also represents the significant place trees can have in our lives.

Many of these quiet giants who serve our world in countless ways—for generations—are at risk. Our hearts are already tender for animals on the endangered species lists, but they are not the only living things that can become extinct. The historic trees that are part of Kansas City’s legacy can, and are too.

Thankfully, there is a group of experts at Powell Gardens working to save these legacy trees, and to capture their amazing stories as well.

Director of Horticulture Alan Branhagen and Senior Gardener Jessie StaufferBaum comprise the team responsible for the care and feeding of the seedlings (think babies) of numerous regional tree species

26

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

(think parents). Their short-term aim is to find, collect and cultivate; their long-term goal is to perpetuate these time-tested, hardy legacies for future generations. They hope nurseries will see the vision, and that people who already care about eating locally-grown food will connect with the value of planting local-sourced trees, too. They are pioneering this endeavor; Powell Gardens is one of the first to attempt a project of this kind.

“This is about preserving and protecting the unique resources of our region,” explains Branhagen. “These trees are a national treasure. We selected them because they are time-tested, proven performers for this particular region.”

The great variety of these legacy trees in place today is one of the things that makes Kansas City special. Branhagen emphasizes how lucky we are that the city’s forefathers planted such a great variety of wonderful trees (not giving in to the temptation to strictly plant for instant gratification).

“Our hope is that this program will help people carry that on for future generations,”

says Branhagen. His vision for the program was sparked by an interesting request from Truman Library, who had a compelling tree story.

“Truman’s grandson, Clifton Daniel, visited Hiroshima and learned about Green Legacy Hiroshima, an initiative to safeguard and spread the seeds and saplings of Hiroshima’s A-Bomb survivor trees,” he recalls. Daniel wanted one of those seedlings to be planted at his grandfather’s library. Powell Gardens took the job of cultivating the ginkgos until they are strong enough to plant permanently as a symbol of peace.

With the care of a family genealogist, these pseudo-parents collect the stories of these trees for posterity. Branhagen says very few trees have been documented this way. One can’t help but draw inspiration from their histories. Like the story of an heirloom Indian peach tree: generations back this tree travelled the Silk Road from China to Spain. Spaniards brought it to Mexico; Native Americans to Tennessee and eventually the Kephart family brought it here to Kansas City.

Or, the story of perseverance from a monster hickory with a 2-foot long taproot from StaufferBaum’s aunt’s father’s old homestead.

There’s a slice of Kansas City history in seedlings of a Pink Bud Redbud at Linda Hall Library and of a Southern Magnolia, one of the Greater Kansas City Champion Trees, a program started by JC Nichols’ visionary landscape architect, Stanley McLane, in 1955.

A tale of potential loss: the last of the Concordia Oaks at a rest stop on I-70 are gone, but the team hasn’t given up hope and are tracking down more. Many of the trees are found in historic cemeteries like Elmwood and Mount Washington.

This historic work of national importance goes almost unnoticed in the humble circumstances of Powell Gardens’ greenhouses. Under the watchful care of their expert horticultural “nannies,” the baby seedlings from old parent trees receive daily attention.

One day, future generations will stand beneath these “giving trees,” and be thankful that their stories ended in a happily ever after. g lin ed s se nt he se f t p re t o s re re n e n pa rd al Ga ctu ell e a Pow like. th ot k at look h n oa ug d a l l y h o e re t u – T t u r ev e n re e m a w i l l ” t is nt , th ds a re d e e “ P t u re h e s pic at t wh DETAILS:

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Tree Tours – Led by Alan Branhagen every other month from April through October. The tours are $5 or free for members of Grow Native!, Powell Gardens or the Missouri Prairie Foundation. See the full schedule at PowellGardens.org/TreeTours.

Powell Gardens’ Earth Day Celebration

ak

April 22 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Includes Champion Yulan Magnolia seedlings giveaway (while supplies last)! Admission is FREE all day.

NATURE AWAITS AT POWELL GARDENS

Powell Gardens is one of the local treasures we may take for granted. It’s not a place to visit just once. When was the last time you visited? They’re constantly changing and offering worthwhile events. Here are a few ways we’ve thought of to enjoy this “green” gem.

PowellGardens.org WITH FAMILY - It’s a great place to take your family for any amount of time. With the variety of things to do, there is something for all ages. From May 2 through Sept. 7, the attractions will include 27 nature-related LEGO® brick sculptures by artist Sean Kenney.

FOR EDUCATION - The Harvest Garden is a sheer delight for beginner gardeners or experts. It’s a great resource for expanding knowledge about the farm-to-table movement. Their class offerings are always excellent on topics ranging from flowers to gardening to art.

TO DISCONNECT (FROM ELECTRONICS) - Turn off the devices and allow the beauty of nature to facilitate being fully present and engaged in the world around.

FOR SOLITUDE - The gardens provide a perfect place to find peace and quiet respite from the busyness of life. The paths and benches offer spaces to sit and be alone, surrounded by beautiful terrain.

FOR COMMUNITY - The gardens are also a great place to connect with others with shared interests, to enjoy group classes with friends or host meetings in one of their indoor meeting areas.

TO GIVE BACK - Volunteers are always needed in a variety of areas. The work of Powell Gardens is important to the planet.

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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At the Water’s Edge ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY TOM STRONGMAN

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Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

S

ometimes we are so busy that we don’t take time to notice the beauty in everyday things. One example is the private little lake tucked away near 87th Street and Mission Road. The fact that it is nearly hidden by houses with spacious back yards only heightens its sense of mystery.

On many days I pass by this lake during my daily walk without giving it a second look but during the fall and winter green gives way to brown and gold and the lake takes on a different character every day. I have several friends who live on the lake and don’t mind when I turn away from the street and trek to the water’s edge. It’s hard to resist making a few pictures with my iPhone.

Crisp fall mornings are most alluring. Mist hangs lazily over the water for a few minutes, shimmering warmly as the sun comes up. But in no time at all, the mist is burned away by the sun and the magic is gone until another day.

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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Adding a Vintage Flair to Your Home Adding Repurposed or Antique Items to Your Home in a Move that is Both Distinctively You and Friendly to the Environment

hether you call it “junking” or “antiquing,” there is a definite sense of adventure when you embark to find that perfect piece. Part of the fun is in the hunt: After all, there’s no way to know what you’ll discover when you venture out. But it’s just this excitement that draws thousands of Kansas Citians to vintage stores across the state.

The draw to vintage items is threefold: Not only are you likely to find unique, oneof-a-kind pieces—a welcome relief from recreating overdone catalog spreads—but the items are typically made of higher quality wood and craftsmanship, the likes of which you don’t find in manufacturing today. Some of these cleverly repurposed items are conversation pieces unto themselves. And the best part? You’re also being effortlessly green—giving new life to items that would otherwise fill space in a landfill, all while not incurring any more environmental costs by purchasing something new.

ARTICLE KATHERINE BONTRAGER | PHOTOGRAPHY MCKENNA MATHEWSON

W

to search yet some more. And do take a moment to apIf you’re new to vintage preciate the architecture of the buildings you’re in, as shopping, a great place to these antique structures are beauties themselves. start is by traveling to the Once you’ve tackled the West Bottoms, make your way West Bottoms on the first to Urban Mining, off of 39th Street in the historic Meyer weekend of the month.

Building in Midtown. There you can find vintage furniture, Come early, as parking art décor pieces, antiques, and mid-century and industrispaces quickly fill and desal-era items. And don’t forget Blackwell’s Thrift Store & perate shoppers create their Collectibles on 63rd Street, which is filled with gently used own parking spots under the china, glassware and vintage kitchen décor. If you have the 12th Street Bridge and beneed for any retro dining wares, Blackwell’s is a must. yond. There, amongst what Those in Lee’s Summit also have a fine vintage shop was once the sole home to at their fingertips. Our own Kendra Mathewson stumfall’s haunted houses, is a bled upon Razzberry Wimzy in downtown Lee’s Summit, burgeoning shopping exwhere she discovered a repurposed coral-colored 1970s travaganza, with more than chest of drawers. a dozen shops popping up in “It’s one of the happiest pieces I own,” says Mathewthe old warehouses. son with a laugh. “Who buys a coral-colored giant piece One early February morning I visited Good Ju Ju, Bella Patina, Bottom’s of furniture?! I just love it, and her work is absolute perfection. The surface is so smooth and Up, Restoration Emporium and countless beautiful, even in all the detailing on the drawer faces.”

Such is the joy of finding the perfect piece. It makes you pause, brings a smile to your face, other unique venues nestled in the highbeamed brick warehouses of a bygone era. and helps bring out your personality in your home.

So whether you call it junking, antiquing or vintage shopping, and whether you’re interI was pleasantly surprised to find myself in good company, with hundreds of other ear- ested in quality craftsmanship, one-of-a-kind items, or a bit of environmental kindness, consider giving your home some vintage style. Check ly-morning shopout our starter list of shops, take some time, wanpers out to find der about and see what grabs you! CONTINUED > one-of-a-kind discoveries.

I eyed some beautiful steamer trunks, an antique printer’s drawer, and 19th Century French cane chairs, which, my husband informed me, were far too rich for my blood.

I’ve found that such shopping can often be hit-andmiss. This is part of the frustration—and fun—of junking.

There have been weekends when I’ve come away empty handed, while other times, I’ve had to make return trips to haul home my finds. I’ve scored a gorgeous antique bed, unique French-style woman’s writing desk and pretty pottery pieces. My daughter’s bedroom is accented with the gentle lines of a 1930’s French-style dresser and side table repainted a vibrant white (found at Good Ju Ju). The excitement of the hunt is what keeps so many coming back for more, month after month.

I advise you arrive early and allow plenty of time for perusing. This is NOT a rushed shopping experience.

Thankfully, dozens of food trucks are on hand—along with a few brick-and-mortar spots—to provide you with a needed break and sustenance to galvanize you April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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Here a Club, There a Club, Everywhere a Book Club

Finding your niche, page by page.

ARTICLE BY LISA ALLEN | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

T

his is a tale of four book clubs. It started because I’ve recently fallen back in love with reading for fun. After years of reading to my children and for school, I’d started to regard books as merely utilitarian. As I challenged myself to read more just for the sake of reading, I remembered the joy of getting lost in worlds other than my own.

I also longed to talk to others about what I was reading. So I took to Google and started looking for a book club. With a little digging I found that there are countless opportunities to connect with other bibliophiles. In fact, between March 1 and May 31, there are more than one hundred public library-sponsored book club meetings in the Greater Kansas City area. More than a half-dozen groups organize through Meetup.com. There are also online book clubs--some tiny and others with hundreds of members--scattered across the globe.

Clubs exist for just about every interest: the classics, stories about vampires, romance novels, mysteries, biographies and memoir, business topics and more. In the Kansas City area, there are groups that meet during lunch and after hours; a group that incorporates a love of quilting with a love of books; groups that focus only on books written by authors of color.

This is a glimpse into four groups: two in-person and two online. The beautiful thing is this: as diverse as each club is in terms of personality and structure, every club is unified by a love of reading and a deep respect for community.

THE 4TH TUESDAY BOOK CLUB

Caitlin Taggart, Information Specialist with Johnson County Library, runs two clubs at the Corinth Library location: one traditional, the other called An Edible Discussion.

Taggart’s traditional club follows the typical book club blueprint: each attendee reads the monthly selection prior to the meeting. Discussion starts with observations about the book.

Taggart shares information about the author and researches backup questions and discussion topics in case conversation stalls.

Taggart opts for a mix of genres to include contemporary fiction, non-fiction, young adult and biographies.

“I had many people comment they weren’t initially excited to read a young adult title when I chose OK for Now,” she says. “But after reading it, many said they were surprised at how much they enjoyed the book. It prompted them to think about their own youth, and pushed them out of their reading comfort zone.”

AN EDIBLE DISCUSSION

“This is a book club in the loosest sense,” says Taggart.

“Instead of choosing a cookbook each month, we feature a certain cuisine, technique or theme. Attendees bring a potluck dish to share, and we have a featured speaker. Sometimes that expert is a chef, sometimes it’s a cookbook author. We’ve 38

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

even had dieticians and managers of local restaurants.”

The theme for March was cheese and the scheduled expert was Lincoln Broadbooks with The Better Cheddar. In April, Heather McFeely, author of Metas 1942 Meal Blog, will talk about family favorites. After food, introductions, and the presentation, Taggart opens the floor to questions.

Attendance at An Edible Discussion is greater than the typical book club, says Taggart. While there are some people who attend each month, the membership ebbs and flows depending on the topic.

The group started with an off-hand remark at a meeting, says Taggart. She loves to cook, and jokingly suggested that a cooking club-cum-book club would be fun. To her surprise, her manager agreed, and Taggart set out to find interesting experts in a wide range of topics. She works with the public relations department and creative services team to plan the events, and actively seeks out presenters.

“This group is so much fun, and interesting, because it is always different," says Taggart. "We always learn something; we’ve even been privy to a trade secret for perfect hamburgers.”

PATTI DIGH’S 37 DAYS BOOK CLUB

Patti Digh, author of Life is a Verb, hosted book clubs in Asheville, North Carolina, for seven years before starting an online book club four years ago.

“In person book clubs are fabulous,” she says, “but the logistics of meeting in person can be challenging. Being online allows people from all over the world to gather together, and opens discussions that we likely wouldn’t have otherwise.”

At first, Digh contemplated using the club as an extension of her business by focusing on practical and self-help books.

She settled on fiction because it’s what she loves to read.

“I like to hear what others have to say, and it’s fascinating how diverse the

opinions can be on one subject. We have members from Europe, Australia and the United States, all sharing a unique point of view. It’s my job to give them a safe, respectful place to share those opinions,” says Digh.

She does that by having a monthly call, and by encouraging members to interact in a private Facebook group. Sometimes the discussions are very personal and involved, and members will suggest resources to each other. Sometimes the author of the selection participates in the monthly call.

TRAVELING BOOK CLUB

Freelance writer and photographer Kristen Doyle runs the popular blog Dine and Dish. Through the years, she’s shared favorite books with readers both in blog posts and through Goodreads.com. One day she offered—via Facebook—to mail anyone interested a copy of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. So many people responded, she said, that she thought of creating a traveling book club.

“I would love nothing more than to get together in person with readers all over and talk about books every month,” she says. “But that isn’t realistic. This seemed like the next best thing: a discussion from afar, but still a way to connect.”

Doyle posts information on her blog, then picks four respondents at random to participate. She mails them each a book and requires that they commit to reading within a short time span—usually a week or two—and then be ready to discuss.

Doyle chose her first book club selection It Was Me All Along because she could personally relate to the story, and she thought that the subject matter would prompt honest conversations. She plans to pick books from a different genre each month.

For more information visit JoCoLibrary.com/ Events, KCLibrary.org/book-clubs, LifeIsAVerbStore.com, DineAndDish.net.

Locals Only

Home, Naturally LOCAL WOMAN TURNS “A-HA!” MOMENT INTO ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS

ARTICLE CHRISTOPHER CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY MCKENNA MATHEWSON & PROVIDED

T

o most moms, the moment might have seemed pretty ordinary. Misty Terrell had just finished mopping the floors. The surface wasn’t quite dry when her then-8-month-old daughter crawled across the shiny surface, took a seat at Mom’s feet and started sucking on her hand.

“Something went off in my head,” Terrell recalls, “something very alarming.” After all, her daughter’s hands had moved across the damp floor, swiping up the remnants of the traditional cleaning fluid Terrell had used on the floor.

“I had no idea why the alarms went off because at that point I had never sat down to study what ingredients were in mainstream household cleaners.”

Terrell’s quick study morphed into a “long journey” of research that led her to conclude that too many ingredients that make up our daily lives – from the items we use to clean the floors to the food we put in our bodies – fall far short of natural.

A business was born: Happy Heart Home Products, Terrell’s line of all-natural home cleaning, body and pet care products. In place of perfumes and polysyllabic preservatives, Terrell employs purified water, natural oils and soaps and other organic materials to handle everything from floors and facial moisturizers to dog shampoos and sanitizing sprays.

“My kitchen became my lab and before I knew it I had a great product that I felt was good enough to share with others,” she says.

Terrell and husband Jim, who played professional baseball for eight years, run the business from a 14-acre spread outside Pleasant Hill, where the family grows its own food, raises its own meat and gets eggs from 18 chickens roaming free-range on the land. A small orchard erupts in large wild blackberries each July.

“We are especially excited about our garden this year as it will be 100 percent non-GMO and organic,” says Terrell. “My

40

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

husband has the green thumb between the two of us and has already started our garden from seeds in our basement. We can hardly wait for spring to transplant it all!”

Terrell graduated from UMKC’s music conservatory with a degree in music education. She taught eight years in Pleasant Hill and Lee’s Summit before deciding to stay home after her oldest child was born. She began taking courses in naturopathy and recently completed her certification as a natural health practitioner.

“I’ve been able to use that certification to guide others toward healing their bodies naturally,” she says. “One of the first steps in cleansing the body and eliminating toxins is getting rid of mainstream household cleaners. I’m so thankful that I can now provide an affordable option in that area for others while educating them on how important and beneficial it is.”

Business has exceeded Terrell’s initially modest expectations.

When she launched Happy Heart Home Products in 2013, she figured a simple website would ease her into the rigors of owning and growing a company. Then one day that month, she got a call to substitute teach in Lee’s Summit. By the time she arrived at the school, the job was cancelled.

“I had product in the back seat of my car, so I thought I might as well make good use of my time by stopping at HyVee and learning what the process was to get product on the shelves.

“I tossed my one-minute pitch and the manager said, ‘We’d love to carry your entire line.’ I think my jaw hit the floor and I had a blank stare across my face as I processed what I just heard. I walked out to my car, shut the door and bawled my eyes out. It was unreal.”

Since then, even more doors have opened. Happy Heart Home Products can now be found in Natural Grocers, a national chain. She expects bigger things in 2015. She also expects to keep surprising those who may think only liberal hippies promote all-natural products.

“I often chuckle at the stereotype that implies if I love all things organic then I am a left-wing activist with a personal agenda to push,” Terrell says. “I could sum up my philosophy very easily: God’s ways heal. We are called to be good stewards of all He has given us, including our bodies, our homes and our land.”

Learn more at HappyHeartHome.com.

Home Matters

Small Steps in the Right Direction BE GREEN, SAVE MONEY, SAVE ENERGY ARTICLE LISA GARTLAND | PHOTOGRAPHY ALEXIS COOK

T

he road to any goal begins with a single step. Mary English began her career in marketing; however, her passionate about the environment fueled a desire to obtain “green collar” employment and inspired her to take a big leap. She left her job and attended trade school to earn her credentials in building science.

She then worked as an apprentice for two years to learn as much as she could about the building science industry. After those preliminary steps, English founded and opened the doors of her own company, Small Step Energy Solutions, in September 2009.

The company’s primary focus is housing. Small Step Energy Solutions strives to be a valuable advisor to homebuilders by acting as a design partner for the best possible energy efficiency, providing insight into green building products and practices. English is an expert in various certification levels, such as Leed, Energy Star and Hers, and works with builders to ensure construction of new homes meets desired certifications.

Current homeowners also seek English’s services. The company provides home energy audits on existing homes. One method used is thermal imaging, which can immediately determine if there are gaps in insulation that can be addressed quickly to improve efficiency and comfort. Another tool is a Blower Door machine to test for air leakage in a house. While testing for leaks, they also test for safety. Tightening a home is counterproductive if it means that poisonous gases, such as carbon monoxide, remain inside.

English says, “We want to make sure homes are sealed and as energy efficient as possible, but we do not want to trap dangerous gases inside.”

Additionally, during a home audit, they look for other potentially unsafe issues. If there is a leak in ductwork in the attic, for example, there is a possibility of high particulate air that is redistributed throughout the entire house creating potential health problems. Many companies can find mold in a home, but Small Step Energy Solutions goes beyond to help pinpoint the reason mold is present, and work to solve the actual source of the trouble to prevent recurrence.

Homeowners also look to English for advice on remodeling projects. English is happy to consult before the client commits to particular materials for use. She offers advice on everything from plumbing to flooring to insulation choices.

English is president of the company and is truly in the trenches of her business. She, along with two employees, Leah Darlington, an energy rater intern, and Danielle Wells, the office manager,

42

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

keep very busy. Many clients are repeat customers, and new clients hear of them through word of mouth recommendations. English works to ensure that clients can consider Small Step Energy Solutions the leading expert in the region for building professionals and homeowners to tap for accurate and up-to-date information. Her goal is to help clients live comfortably and save money in efficient homes that are sustainable over time.

English explains that local codes have been slow to catch up with the rest of the country. Kansas and Missouri are among the few states that do not yet require universal building codes. English sees this as an opportunity to problem solve and to support local legislation to bring both states in line with much of the rest of the United States.

Major changes in education have evolved within the industry, even in just the past five years. Johnson County Community College has a building science certification program, and some specific bachelor degree programs have begun to emerge at four-year institutions around the nation. This means that more people are becoming aware and taking small steps to make their homes just a little more green. More information about Small Step Energy Solutions can be found at SmallStepEnergy.com.

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Gram & Dun Harrah’s 37 Steak Hiland Dairy Co. Hilton Kansas City Airport/Asado Hy-Vee Catering Ingredient True Eatery Jazz—A Louisiana Kitchen Jess & Jim’s Steakhouse Kaldi’s Coffee/Latteland Lakeview Village Les Bourgeois Vineyards Lew’s Louisburg Cider Mill Magnolia’s Contemporary Southern Bistro MeMa’s Old-Fashioned Bakery

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43

Star Students

Nativity Troop 396 Honors Five Eagles ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

B

oy Scout Troop 396, sponsored by Nativity Parish Catholic Church, recently celebrated the advancement of five young men to the rank of Eagle Scout. The celebration included a mass officiated by Fr. Al Rockers, keynote address by Ed Embree, and presentation of rank advancement by adult leaders Bob Vedder, Bruce Gehring and Scoutmaster Tim Bachta. Each young man shared thoughts and experiences regarding their journey to Eagle.

ALEXANDER REYNOLDS, a senior at Rockhurst High School, is the son of Jack and Eva Reynolds of Leawood. For his Eagle project, Alex organized a neighborhood food drive with all collections going to Harvesters. He and his twin brother, Stanley, are currently president and vice-president of their school. His favorite scouting memories include long talks by the campfires, late nights with the fellow scouts, and finding himself through various nature walks.

ROBERT WILLIAM GEHRING, son of Patti and Bruce Gehring is a freshman at Blue Valley North where he is an honor student.

Robbie is a member of Nativity Parish and remains an active member of Troop 396. For his project, Robbie restored a dilapidated wishing well and planted a garden in the courtyard of Villa St. Joseph, a nursing home in Overland Park. As a scout, Robbie earned 38 merit badges and a silver palm. He served as Den Chief to three dens, Troop Guide, and Totin’ Chip Instructor. He is a Mic-O-Say Brave and has received the following religious awards: Ad Altare Dei, Parvuli Dei, Arrow of Light, and Light of Christ.

A favorite scouting memory was a Boundary Waters canoe trip.

STANLEY REYNOLDS, student body president of Rockhurst High School, is the son of Jack and Eva Reynolds. For his Eagle Project, 44

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

he organized a supply drive within his neighborhood to benefit Boy’s Hope, a foster home for boys. He is warrior “Happy Turtle” in the tribe of Mic-O-Say. His favorite memories are hiking at Philmont reservation and weekend campouts.

TIMOTHY BRYAN WILKERSON, son of Bryan and Joane Wilkerson, is a junior at Rockhurst High School. For his project, Timmy designed, coordinated construction and installed cubicles for the computer lab at Visitation Catholic School in Kansas City, Missouri. Tim is a Rockhurst honor student, member of the Saint Regis Service Club and a goalie for the soccer team. He is a member of Nativity Catholic Church and has been involved with several service projects thru the church. His favorite scouting memory was his time spent at Philmont with his dad. Tim is interested in pursuing degrees in engineering and architecture.

WILL TAMPKE, a freshman at Rockhurst High School, is the son of Marilyn and Scott Tampke of Leawood. For his Eagle Scout, he lead the restoration of aging headstones from the early 20th century at the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City. In addition to achieving the rank of Eagle Will has been awarded a Bronze Palm, is a Brave in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, and serves as the Junior Assistant Scout Master for the troop. At Rockhurst he participates in the cross country and debate teams. A favorite scouting memory is canoeing the Boundary Waters.

Do you know a group of area students we should consider for a spotlight?

Email Lisa@LifestylePubs.com for details.

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Now Open

Contain Yourself

COLOR AND CREATIVITY FILL CONTAINERS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES ARTICLE ANNE POTTER RUSS PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

W

hether you are the sharpest tool in the garden shed or not (like this author), you deserve colorful and creative floral creations gracing your home and patio. What’s even better is that it’s so easy to do. Donna Sagen at Container Creations is the go-to gal for beautifying any outdoor space your home has to offer. Think patios, decks, front porches, pool surroundings, fire-pit seating… the possibilities are endless.

This particular Midwestern author is one of the few percentage of people in the 48 contiguous states who doesn’t like to garden, so the opportunity to have Sagen and her team do the dirty work for me is almost too good to be true. Every summer, my family pots my plants for me, and then I forget to water them in the 170-degree heat of Kansas City, and voila – no more potted plants.

Sagen’s roots and support system are in Johnson County, and her husband and three grown children have helped provide inspiration along the way. Sagen actually credits her husband, Ken, with sparking her interest in gardening initially. In their tenth year, Donna and her staff have formed the leading business in container gardening services in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Their portfolio includes more than 2,500 planters and covers all four seasons. Make no mistake about Sagen’s credentials – she is a Johnson County Master Gardener, and she was trained by the late Jim Wilson, a nationally recognized Master Gardener and former co-host of the PBS show “The Victory Garden.”

After becoming an empty-nester in 2012, Sagen expanded the basic container gardening business she had been building for the last decade. She now employs five other people and provides a full array of services for every kind of customer. With Sagen’s growing business plan, there are four options for gardeners and non-gardeners, alike.

• Full service – (my dream choice) includes complete container gardening services with container design, shopping and planting, and scheduled maintenance.

• Design ‘N Drop – includes seasonal changes for high-visibility pots, beautification for special occasions, and heightening your curb appeal.

CONTINUED >

46

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

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7947 Santa Fe Dr, Overland Park, KS Container Creations is Mon–Wed, Fri 10–6, Thu 10–8, Sat 9–5, Sun 12–4 set to make 2015 their biggest year yet. Sagen has some very exciting plans for her Use this logo for reductions only, do not print magenta. Do not reduce this logo more than 35%. Magenta indicates the clear area, nothing should print in this space.

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49

Driver's Notebook

TOYOTA PRIUS

THE GRANDDADDY OF HYBRIDS ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY TOM STRONGMAN

W

henever I drive a hybrid such as the 2015 Toyota Prius I’m initially tempted to tiptoe on the throttle and creep away from stop signs in an effort to squeeze the most miles out of a gallon of gas. While it’s fun to see how little fuel I can use, driving slowly gets old and I soon resume normal driving. That resulted in an average of 41 miles per gallon during a week of cold weather. Even with gasoline at record lows, that’s still enticing.

In 14 years, with sales of more than 1.5 million, the Toyota Prius hybrid has been so successful that it is almost a brand unto itself. Today, there are four models: Prius, Prius C, Prius V and a plug-in Prius.

50

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

The uniquely shaped Prius connotes thrift, efficiency and innovation. It is available in five trim levels, with prices starting at $24,200 and topping out at $30,005 for the Prius Five. That is the model I drove from Toyota’s press fleet, and it was equipped with dynamic radar cruise control, a pre-collision system that can apply the brakes in certain situations, lane-keeping assist, head-up display, navigation, safety connect, and a JBL audio system. Safety connect includes automatic crash notification and an emergency assistance call button.

The Prius is powered by a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder, Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine that has 98 horsepower. Combined with a 60kW CONTINUED >

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Driver's Notebook

(CONTINUED)

electric motor, the total output is 134 horsepower. The car can run on the engine alone or battery alone, but it generally uses a combination of the two. There are four drive modes: Normal, Power, Eco and EV. The car can be driven on electricity alone for a mile in EV mode. Eco adjusts throttle input and climate control for maximum mileage. Power is as the name suggests. I used Normal.

The use of an electric water pump and electric power steering help save fuel, and exhaust heat is used to warm the engine coolant during cold starts. Regenerative braking recaptures electrical energy during braking.

The Prius Three and Four models can be equipped with a moonroof that has solar panels over the rear seat area. The solar panels power a ventilation system that lowers the car’s interior temperature when parked.

Because of low-rolling-resistance tires, and perhaps the weight of the batteries, I note that the Prius ride feels firm and often seems to lack compliance, as if the tires are over inflated. It is not objectionable, but noticeable.

The Prius is 14 inches shorter than a Camry but, its interior volume is just 3 cubic-feet less. Rear-seat headroom is actually greater than that of a Toyota Corolla, and the rear seat folds down to expand the cargo space.

A high center console splits the front seats and contains a small, electronic gear selector. The speedometer is situated at the top center of the instrument panel.

In a nod to reducing driver distraction, the steering wheel switches are equipped with

2015 TOYOTA PRIUS FIVE ENGINE: 1.8-liter, 98-horsepower four-cylinder gasoline engine, with a 60kW electric motor TRANSMISSION: Continuously

Variable Transmission, front-wheel drive inches CURB WEIGHT: 3,072 pounds BASE PRICE: $30,005 AS DRIVEN: $35,150 MPG RATING: 51 in the city, 48 on the highway WHEELBASE: 106.3

touch sensors. When touched, they show a duplicate image of the control on the instrument panel in the driver’s line of sight.

PRICE The base price of the test vehicle was $30,005. The optional advanced technology package included dynamic radar cruise control, a pre-collision system that can apply the brakes in certain situations, lane-keeping assist, head-up display, navigation, safety connect, and the JBL audio system. The sticker price was $35,150.

WARRANTY Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.

POINT: The Prius has a small footprint with room for four. The hybrid system operates seamlessly and sips fuel.

COUNTERPOINT: The high center console feels a bit intrusive, the ride lacks compliance and well-equipped models cost almost as much as an Avalon XLE.

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Sold Properties

Recently SOLD Leawood Properties NEIGHBORHOOD

ORIGINAL LIST

SOLD $$

%SOLD/ORIG

DOM*

BDRMS

BATHS

HAZELWOOD

$1,149,000

$1,114,000

96%

8

5

4

LEAWOOD

$1,065,000

$1,066,065

100%

NA

4

3

PAVILIONS

$925,000

$860,000

95%

137

4

5

CAMDEN WOODS

$575,000

$550,000

95%

131

5

4

LEAWOOD HERITAGE

$625,000

$536,500

93%

186

5

4

LEAWOOD

$575,000

$525,000

91%

5

5

3

VILLAGE AT IRON HORSE

$524,950

$514,000

97%

3

4

4

LEAWOOD

$525,000

$502,500

95%

59

3

2

CAMDEN WOODS

$519,000

$500,000

98%

99

4

4

PAVILIONS

$550,000

$487,000

97%

120

4

4

LEAWOOD COUNTRY MANOR

$499,500

$487,000

97%

2

5

3

WILSHIRE PLACE

$495,950

$457,500

98%

116

5

4

WATERFORD

$494,900

$453,000

96%

89

4

3

PAVILIONS

$575,000

$450,000

94%

178

5

5

PAVILIONS

$500,000

$450,000

100%

186

4

4

Compiled by SUZY GOLDSTEIN, BETTER HOMES & GARDENS/KANSAS CITY, MLS Stats from 02-01-15 through 02-28-15. *DOM=Days on Market.

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

53

Lifestyle Calendar

April

APRIL 5, 12, 19 & 26

APRIL 11

APRIL 15

KITE FEST

STREAM CLEAN DAY

SOARING INTO THE FUTURE LUNCHEON

OVERLAND PARK ARBORETUM

OVERLAND PARK

KANSAS CITY

Purchase a kite, fly a kite and enjoy watching kites in the air. The KC Kite Club will be at the Arboretum demonstrating their specialized kites on April 12. General admission applies. 12-5 p.m.

Pick up trash and debris in parks throughout the city and the areas up to the banks of the streams that run through them. To donate two or more hours call Jim Twigg, environmental programs coordinator, at 913.895.6273.

The Women’s Committee for the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance is presenting a scholarship benefit at Kansas City Country Club, starting at 10:30 a.m. Features luncheon, a silent auction and musical performances by past and present students. $75. Reservations

by April 10, contact Linda at 913.677.4389.

APRIL 11

APRIL 10-12

SLOW ART DAY

APRIL 17

NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM

A NIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE & NONSENSE

One day each year, people all over the world visit local museums and galleries to look at art slowly. View five works in the museum’s collection for 10 minutes each and then join other Slow Art Day-goers in Rozzelle Court for lunch and conversation. Optional lunch sold separately. 10 a.m.noon. Reservation required.

LEAWOOD CITY HALL

SCREENLAND AT THE SYMPHONY:

APRIL 11

“SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN”

DOWNTOWN DOG DAY

KAUFFMAN CENTER

DOWNTOWN OVERLAND PARK

Celebrate the month of April showers with this presentation of the legendary Hollywood musical starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds. Your Symphony performs the soundtrack live on stage as the entire film is shown on a huge screen. Tickets start at $20. KauffmanCenter.org

Last year’s inaugural event supporting the Great Plains SPCA was a huge success, and so they’re bringing it back. Plan to accompany your well-behaved pooch for some socialization and a walk around Downtown OP.

APRIL 15

PROMISES, PROMISES LEAWOOD CITY HALL

Don’t miss this production from the Leawood Stage Company. The show takes place in the Oak Room of Leawood City Hall.

Free. LeawoodStageCo.org

APRIL 19 SPRING TOMAHAWK TRAIL CLEAN UP LEAWOOD

COFFEE

Help clean up our city’s park. The city will provided trash bags, gloves, snacks and drinks for this volunteer effort. Meet at Tomahawk Park at 119th and Mission, on the south side of 119th Street. You will be assigned a starting time from 2-4 p.m. and an area for your group to pick up.

This is a great activity for scout groups and students in need of volunteer service hours. Rain date is April 26. 913.68.0902 x10

Members sharing their collectibles, hobbies or travels.

10 a.m. Please call for private home location, Joyce Murphy at 913.897.3844.

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

APRIL 17-19

LEAWOOD WELCOMERS LEAWOOD

54

The Delta Gamma Alumnae of KC present an interactive game night open to the public.

The night incorporates photos and videos to ensure a fun evening of light-hearted trivia.

Event includes a casual dinner, silent auction, 50/50 split-the-pot raffle, and a blind wine auction. Proceeds benefit Alphapointe, Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired, and the Delta Gamma Foundation. 6-10 p.m.

Tickets-$35/person or $260 for a table of 8.

KnowledgeAndNonsense@kcdg.org

APRIL 19 INTENTIONS, UNCERTAINTY & THE ORIGINS OF WW I KANSAS CITY

As a part of the Notre Dame Club of KC’s Hesburgh Lecture Series, Professor Sebastian Rosato will question established explanations and develop new arguments about the causes of the Great War and its importance to the U.S. and the world today. Free. The National World War 1 Museum, Liberty Memorial. 1 p.m. TheWorldWar.org

APRIL 22 6TH ANNUAL TASTING EVENT BLOCH CANCER CENTER PAVILION

The University of Kansas Cancer Center Head and Neck Cancer Support Group invites you to sample area chefs’ specialties at this fundraiser for research. Culinary creations from local chefs will take place from 6-8 p.m. at 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway.

APRIL 22 LEAWOOD CHAMBER AT THE TEE IRONHORSE GOLF CLUB

At The Tee is back and even better this year. Teams of four will travel around a nine-hole course, being welcomed by sponsored and participating in games to win fantastic prizes. $35/golfer, $140/team of four. LeawoodChamber.org

APRIL 23 WILD ABOUT HARRY MARRIOT MUELHBACH HOTEL

The 16th annual fundraiser dinner benefits the presidential library and legacy of Harry S. Truman. Enjoy a sparkling social hour, elegant dinner, and USO-style entertainment commemorating the 70th anniversary of Truman’s presidency and the end of WWII. TrumanLibraryInstitute.org.

APRIL 24 & 25 THYME FOR KIDS ANNUAL PLANT SALE SOUTH KANSAS CITY

The plant sale provides children in Ozanam’s program an opportunity to showcase their horticultural knowledge to the general public, and they will be on hand to answer questions and provide help. Additional volunteer support will be provided by the Kansas City Young Matrons. 421 E. 137th Street; KC, MO 64145 Free and open to the public.

Plants typically cost $2-$4. OZANAM.org

APRIL 25 RUN FOR 1 5K SHAWNEE MISSION PARK

Antioch Church will be hosting its second annual Run For 1 5K at Theater in the Park to support the KC-based organization, Exodus Cry. For the past six years, Exodus Cry has been focusing on the abo-

lition of human trafficking. All funds raised will go to fund their efforts in rescuing, protecting and counseling women who have been trafficked both locally and internationally. RunFor1.com

APRIL 25 KC CULINARY BAKE SALE FOR NO KID HUNGRY KANSAS CITY

Collaborative fundraiser featuring culinary professionals and talented independent bakers. Funds will help connect hungry kids to free or reduced price breakfast, lunch & summertime meals. At Commerce Bank, 6220 Brookside Plaza. Info on Facebook.

APRIL 25 2015 ROCK CHALK BALL BARTLE HALL

Join us for a very special 20th Rock Chalk Ball. Enjoy an evening of wonderful food, dancing to the sounds of Atlantic Express, and bidding on one-of-a-kind KU inspired auction items. With surprises in store, you don’t want to miss this year’s Rock Chalk Ball. 913.897.8445.

APRIL 26 VILLAGE IN THE CITY KAUFFMAN CENTER

For the third consecutive year, the Village Church Chamber Choir and Orchestra will perform a spring concert at Helzberg Hall. The Village Choir will collaborate with the choirs of Baker University and Benedictine College. 7 p.m.

APRIL 28 LEAWOOD GARDEN CLUB LEAWOOD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Join us at 10:30 for lunch, social time and a presentation by Chris Veach about de-bugging your garden. Bring a sack lunch – beverages and desserts are provided. LeawoodGardenClub.org

APRIL 30 WINE TASTING ON THE TERRACE OVERLAND PARK ARBORETUM

Join us from 6-8 p.m. for the first wine tasting of 2015. Registration required. $25 for FOTA members, $28 for nonmembers. OPABG.org

MAY 7 FASHION FORWARD FOR FLU EVENT MUSEUM AT PRAIRIE FIRE

Our mission is to provide education and build awareness of the dangers of influenza, to provide vaccinations to the underserved and to help grieving parents who have lost a child. Enjoy a style show by Standard Style, silent and live auctions and a short educational presentation. Complimentary appetizers and beverages. $40/ person. KendrasLegacyFoundation.org.

April 2015 | Leawood Lifestyle

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business directory ANIMALS & ANIMAL CARE Puppy’s Playpen (913) 648-3647 puppysplaypen.com

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY Paper Planes Photography (816) 519-0928 redcouchphotos@gmail.com

CHARITIES & FUNDRAISERS

Heartland Habitat For Humanity (RESTORE) (913) 648-6001 heartlandhabitat.org/restore

DRY CLEANERS

Natures Touch (816) 942-3240 greenearthcleaning.com Tide Dry Cleaners (913) 534-4569 tidedrycleaners.com

EDUCATION

The Barstow School (816) 277-0413 barstowschool.org/summer

ENTERTAINMENT & RECREATION

RBC Wealth Management (913) 451-3503 rbcwm-usa.com Twin Financial (816) 333-2334 twinfinancial.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS Emergent Care Plus (855) 598-1481 emergentcareplus.com Healthy Meals Inc (816) 587-6325 healthymealsinc.com Reflections Body Solutions Body Contouring and Medical Spa (913) 322-3433 reflectionsbodysolutions.com

HOME BUILDERS & REMODELERS

Bledsoe Construction and Landscape (816) 517-5596 thekingofbackyardbling.com Koenig Building (816) 457-9445 koenigbuilding.com

Kansas City Zoo (816) 595-1234 kansascityzoo.org

Larson Building Company (913) 221-0880 larsonbc.com

Reno’s Power Sports KC (816) 942-8900 renoscanam.com

River Ridge Communities (816) 898-5477 lettiann.com

FASHION & ACCESSORIES

HOME DESIGN & FURNISHINGS

Tivol (816) 531-5800 tivol.com

A&M Home Furnishings (913) 438-3868 amhomefinishings.com

VanBrock (913) 341-7273 vanbrock.com

Container Creations Plus (913) 302-7646 containerscreationplus.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES & PLANNING

Design Connection Inc (913) 851-8776 designconnectioninc.com

ETF Portfolio Partners, Inc. (913) 851-1100 etfpp.com 56

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

Budget Blinds Of Overland Park (913) 402-1600 budgetblinds.com/overlandpark Seasonal Concepts (913) 642-4999 seasonalconceptsonline.com Ten Thousand Villages (913) 642-8368 overlandpark.tenthousandvillages.com

HOME SERVICES

Granite Garage Floors (913) 752-9906 granitegaragefloors.com Legacy Flooring Gallery (913) 780-6060 legacyflooring1.com LuLu & Mimi’s Cleaning (913) 649-6022 luluandmimis.com Midwest Lifetime Roof Systems (913) 393-3008 lifetimeroofsystems.com

OTHER

Divorce Settlement Professionals LLC (913) 522-4859 divorcesettlementpros.com

PROPERTY & REAL ESTATE

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Kansas City (913) 345-8877 goldsteinteam.com Gail G. Dicus Keller Williams Realty (913) 709-1060 gaildicus.com The Kim Yuille Team (913) 558-9533 kimskeytokc.com

RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE EBT Restaurant (816) 942-8870 ebtrestaurant.com Gaslight Grill (913) 897-3540 gaslightgrill.com

Snowbird Maintenance (816) 723-7439 snowbirdmaintenance.com

Red Door Grill (913) 222-4959 reddoorgrill.com

Summit Flooring and Turf (816) 886-2747 summitflooringandturf.com

SALONS & SPAS

MEDICAL CLINICS & FACILITIES

Kansas Medical Clinic, PA (913) 451-5934 kmcpa.com Midwest Anti-Aging (913) 244-4771 midwestanti-agingkc.com Saint Luke’s Health Systems (913) 317-3200 saintlukeskc.org/south University of Kansas Hospital (913) 588-1227 kumed.com

Sunlight Day Spa (913) 754-0831 sunlightdayspa.com

SENIOR LIVING & SERVICES

CF Lane Management LLC (Villa Medici) (913) 649-5050

SPECIALTY SHOPS Quilters Station (816) 525-8955 quiltersstation.com

Container Creations

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816-525-8955 or 866-649-8024 www.quiltersstation.com

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Parting Thoughts

The $70 Tomato WORDS DEBRA LAIZURE

I

come from a long line of green-thumbed people. Both sets of my grandparents had large vegetable gardens. My paternal grandmother always had multiple varieties of African Violets decorating her living room and even grew rare Lady’s-slipper orchids outside her front door. Gosh, I wish I could be like them. Unlike my talented relatives, my knack for growing things is limited to sweet potato vine and daylilies.

Regardless, I revel in this time of year. April is the month that farmers markets start sprouting up all over town, and herb festivals and home and garden shows fill our weekends. The flats of colorful flowers call to me and I simply can’t resist. In turn, my husband gets equally excited and starts sharpening the lawn mower blades and buying extra line for the grass trimmer.

One of my favorite things to do is “pretend” that I can grow things. Usually this involves throwing on a Vegan-approved cotton shirt, Birkenstocks and floppy hat, and casually walking through the streets of the afore mentioned herb festival and conversing with the farmers about their leafy goodies. I know some gardening lingo and have the most wonderful time delving into subjects on composting and natural fertilizers.

58

Leawood Lifestyle | April 2015

The farmers then pack up an assortment of their young, nurtured seedlings and hand them over to me, not realizing their green babies are on their way to death row. Once home, the exhaustion from the day sets in and the plants stay on my patio table rather than in the rich, f luffy potting soil resting in bags, also on the patio table. Sadly, the “I’ll plant tomorrow” thoughts run through my head as I run off to another herb festival.

If for some reason the plants make it into the soil and I actually remember to water them, I watch with anticipation for the strawberries, tomatoes and cantaloupes to emerge. Typically, the plants bloom but bear no fruit or the birds gobble up the one-and-only miniature melon.

Over the years I have learned to keep things simple and have achieved a respectable looking flower bed containing mostly perennials. But I still can’t hold myself back when it comes to buying a garden full of tomato plants and herbs. I expect to harvest a $70 tomato and $30 bunch of dill, but I am forever optimistic. My daylilies are already pushing up through the ground to give me hope that this year will be different.

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