It's (Variety) Showtime!

Can you feel the excitement? It was buzzing all around at our first big Variety Show planning meeting a few weeks ago – and so were we. More than 20 eager volunteers – including familiar faces and friendly new ones – came together at The Bean Hangar to share ingenious ideas for tasty food and drinks, fun décor and especially, laugh-out-loud entertainment (stay tuned for a big announcement about that next week.)

Our annual Variety Show typically raises an impressive 50% of the funds we use to provide special needs children with wheelchairs, adaptive bicycles, prosthetic limbs and the freedom of mobility. And, this year’s show promises to be even better. 

Help us help children with special needs by putting Friday March 28, 2014 on your calendar. Be sure to follow our blog so you’re one of the first to know when tickets go on sale, and if you or your business are interested in sponsoring a table, please contact Deb Wiebrecht at varietykc@gmail.com.  

  

Front Row: Nancy Pagel, Brenda Clevenger, Lee Ann Bloss, Mark Moberly, Joy Sedlacek and Deborah Wiebrecht; Back Row: Tamera Rheuport, Gayle Terry, Annie Hellweg, Shannon Oleen, Ashley Martin, Luke Wade, Julie Burdick, Tim McCoy, Karen Abramowitz, Bill Gentilesco, Lindsey Jamis, Devin Moberly and April Lethert; Not Pictured: Laura Palermo, Katie Isebrands, Todd Natenburg, Carey Crossley, Lauren Baranowski, Megan Gelmers, Beth Ott and Quint Hall

Do you have an idea for the 2014 Variety Show? We’d love to hear it. Please click on “comments” below to share your brilliance!

Variety Baseball Ground Breaking

Variety Scimeca Wiffle Ball Classic

Variety Children's Charity of Greater Kansas City - Mission Video

Variety Scimeca Wiffle Ball Classic

Variety Equestrian Therapy Movie

Variety Kansas City Celebrates!

Tent 8 enjoyed another year serving the children of the Kansas City area.  If we were to put a title on our activities this year, it would most likely be called “Think Big, Think Outside the Batter’s Box.” 

Being in the unique position of straddling the states of both Kansas and Missouri, this year Variety Kansas City was proud to announce groundbreaking ceremonies for two adaptive playing fields.  Straight from the headlines of local media, “Royals & Royals Charities Partner with Variety Kansas City & Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to Build Fields on Both Sides of the State Line.”

The Independence Ability Field at McCoy Park in Independence, Missouri and Olathe Miracle League Field in Olathe, Kansas, offer specialized equipment ensuring all children can participate regardless of limitations created by disabilities.

These parks have been little more than a dream for many years now, until Variety stepped in, involving the Kansas Royals and Royals Charities. Now, because of the proceeds from the 2012 Major League Baseball Gatorade All-Star Workout Day held at Kauffman Stadium in July 2012, the fields have come to fruition.

That’s the greatest benefits of being involved with Variety.  Tents are able to make one-on-one impact on an individual child’s or family’s life, and can also participate or spearhead larger scale projects that will benefit their community for decades to come.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e2vDc_UA24&feature=share&list=UUjEAPy1Ic5p7kuV_MWj_2sw