Most recently she embraced the challenge to educate Missourians across the state about stem cell research. Many people have benefited from her hundreds of presentations all around the state.

Sandra remains active with the Harvest Ball which she co-founded 21 years ago. The Ball has raised millions of dollars for charitable efforts in the Northland.

She recently finished serving as President of the Kansas City, Missouri Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. Despite enormous budget cuts for the Park Board, Sandra managed to continue to provide great services to the Kansas City Community by forging new partnerships and attracting outside financial support to help make up for lack of City funding.

Sandra currently is involved in promoting the Liberty Memorial, serves on the City of Fountains Foundation, and is active in Friends of Line Creek, among a host of other organizations all aimed at making Kansas City a better place.

Mike is committed to volunteerism, children and youth and environmental issues. Under Mike’s leadership, KCP&L’s environmental philosophy is to minimize the impact of operations on the environment, give careful consideration to using renewable resources, promote recycling wherever possible and provide timely and accurate information about environmental impacts to stakeholders.

His leadership has transformed KCP&L’s employee volunteer program. In 2006 the company launched a powerful new strategy which leverages financial support, corporate thought, employee leadership and volunteerism throughout all levels of Kansas City Power & Light to improve the communities in which the company operates.

He is especially passionate about early child care and education, understanding that high quality early learning programs are keys to a child’s long-term success. He also knows that vulnerable youth need encouragement and support from birth through college or career. With this in mind, Mike has set up an infrastructure within KCP&L that embeds mentoring, tutoring and scholarship programs throughout the company. Hoping to hire young people in these programs, Mike has expanded the company’s collaborations with Full Employment Council, INROADS, YouthFriends, Junior Achievement and local schools and colleges.

Charron Townsend, President of Partnership For Children, says of Mike, “Many people are passionate about children’s issues but don’t have the power or the resources to create change. Others have influence but lack the passion or understanding of the issues. Mike Chesser is one of the few individuals who not only “gets it,” but also has the passion, influence and commitment to really make a difference.”

She has been a member of the Union Cultural Mexicana Ladies Auxiliary since 1968 and served as its Chairwoman since 1991. She has served as a full-time volunteer at the Casa Felix Senior Center since 1990. She also served for six years on the Public Improvement Advisory Committee. In 1996 the Mayor appointed her to both the Guadalajara Sister City Commission and the Port Authority Board of Commissioners. She was a founding member and has served as President of the la Raza Political Club since 1989. She has served on the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast Committee since 1987.

Her lengthy list of awards is a testament to her commitment to the Latino community. She has been the recipient of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian of the year award, the Pat Rios award, which was given to her by the Guadalupe Center, The MANA Community Service Award and has been listed in Ingram's magazine as one of KC's Local Heroes. In 2004 Governor Holden appointed her to the Academy of Missouri Squires, an organization formed in 1960 to honor 10 Missourians a year for their accomplishments.
Rafaela “Lali” Garcia encourages young people to get involved in the community to make it a better place for all of us. Her friends admire her common sense and her fiery spirit.

She became a midwife 36 years ago after encountering young women who were scared and alone and needed someone to care about them and their babies. She has assisted in the birth of over 100 babies and continues to work with young mothers-to-be.

Believing that “the journey out of this world can be just as meaningful as the journey to enter this world,” she has provided direct bedside care to terminally ill patients for over 35 years and has been a member of Hospice for the past 10 years. She provides support, encouragement and comfort to families that are dealing with the loss of a loved one and direct hands-on care to the terminally ill.

Retia has a catering trailer that she has named “Heavenly Hot Dogs.” She has given many young people their first job, mentoring them and setting an inspiring example. She takes “Heavenly Hot Dogs” to fairs, rodeos and the Louisburg Cider Mill. During the summer she serves food at the Christian Youth Rodeo and donates her proceeds to the Christian Rodeo Group.

Retia and her husband have been foster parents and have homeschooled two children and have also taken in numerous stray animals that need food and love. A friend of 17 years says of Retia, “Everybody that comes in touch with her smile and energy leaves rejuvenated and happy. She is the most loving, caring person I know.”

He’s served on the boards of Children’ Mercy Hospital, the Harry S. Truman Library Institute, the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. He’s President of the Learning Exchange Endowment Fund, a trustee and life member of the State Historical Society of Missouri and a Member of the Missouri Arts Council. He has played and active role in Gordon Parks School, Habitat for Humanity, the Rehabilitation and remodel of the Nutter-Ivanhoe Neighborhood Center as well as the Scarritt House, the building of the James B. Nutter Family Information Commons at the University of Missouri in Columbia and the construction of new facilities for Wayside Waifs.

While the list of his many contributions is impressive, it does not begin to define James’ impressive spirit. One friend describes him as “a walking history book that is always willing to share his knowledge, expertise and sound advice. The best advice he gives is ‘Be honest, work hard and the cream will rise to the top.’”

He has generously helped the Center for Breast Care at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute, SAVE, Inc. and Habitat for Humanity. He has raised millions of dollars for the Harry S. Truman Library Institute and he quietly provided a million dollars to fund the state of the art Sybil Silkwood Nutter playground at Children’s Mercy Hospital. He also was a member of Children Mercy’s Governing Board for many years, serving on the executive, compensation and public affairs committees. He has been an active advocate with state and local elected and government officials on topics relative to children’s health issues.

James B. Nutter is known as a giant of a man with a heart to go with his stature.