Join us December 11th for our annual informal holiday gathering! This year we will meet at Kansas City's oldest building, Kelly's Westport Inn. We will begin slightly earlier than usual, 4:30pm, and will get a chance to learn more about this property and its history from a representative later in the evening.
We'd appreciate an RSVP so we can let the bar know how many people to expect, but registration is not required and food and drink are your own responsibility.
We lost our cofounder last month so please join us to celebrate Marion Wheeler's Life & Legacy of the Urban Core Group.
This is an impromptu celebration of life for Marion Wheeler. If you have any photos of Marion, we’d love for you to share them.
Please help us spread the word to those who were part of the Urban Core Group in its early days. Thank you!
Here’s the Marion we knew and loved in 2008!
RIP Marion Wheeler, :( your legacy continues on. :)
FACE, January 2003
Thank you to Susan Scott (another member early on and was on the board for quite a while as well) for these photos.
Dick Berkley was our original photographer (he passed away last year). Camilo Estremadoiro was also a former photographer for our group and ran FACE which highlighted event photos of people back in the day.
Dick Berkley Photo from July 27, 1996
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Susan Scott, sponsor of the Urban Core Group, was thoughtful to write a heartfelt obituary about Marion Wheeler. Susan took a moment to share with us Marion's amazing life she lived.
"Marion Wheeler was a force of nature, a true champion of Kansas City, and the heart behind the Urban Core Group. She envisioned a grassroots group with no boards, no agenda—just people who love Kansas City.
Marion had a way of making everyone feel seen and welcome. Her smile could light up a room, and her handwritten notes—always paired with a glass of wine, never beer—were filled with warmth and care. She believed in personal touches, from mailed invitations to heartfelt greetings, and she made every gathering feel special. Marion didn’t just stir the pot; she stirred hearts. She provoked thought, inspired action, and challenged us to see the beauty in our urban core.
It’s incredibly heartbreaking to think that someone as vibrant and impactful as Marion might have faced such struggles later in life. I hope she knew how deeply she touched the lives of so many and connections she created will live on in all of us who were lucky enough to know her. The Urban Core Group is the best group I’ve ever been affiliated with and for those of us lucky enough to know Marion, her impact will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace, my friend."
<(Written by Susan Scott) & (Photo credit is from the other lovely lady in this picture, but didn't get a name yet.)>
