February - March 2012 www.kcmbca.org In this issue:
President’s Message By Jeff Klepac
Saturday, January 28th Columns Presidents Message 1 turned out to be a splendid evening for the Kansas City Section’s Winter Gala. An Feature Articles annual event, normally held January First-Sunday Drive 2 in venues of fine restaurants Winter Gala 2-9 and country clubs, this year Good Vision in Downpour 4 was different. We chose a American Sign Language fitting location, gathering in the in Ukraine 9 Porsche showroom at Aristocrat Ohio Back Roads Tour 9 Motors. Flanked by the presence of a ’06 MercedesMiscellaneous Benz SLR McLaren, this proved Rants, Raves and to be a great choice! What a Ramblings photo op! Guests first enjoyed a Loyalty Awards Program 4 Logo Shop 3 fun social hour having drinks How to Join MBCA 5 and scrumptious appetizers Section President, Jeff Klepac stands proudly Officers and Board 5 while visiting with old friends, KC followed by a delicious buffet with a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. This car can Club Store Discount 7 dinner. be yours for about one-half million, give or take a Uplift 7 Photo by Morgan Klepac After our feast, we hundred grand. NTB Discount 7 celebrated the 125th anniversary Tire Rack Rebate 7 of the automobile one last time and guests followed along as I reviewed KC Section Advance Auto Rebate 7 highlights from the past year. Request from NBO 7 We were honored to have Steve and Barbara Dierks with us from Colorado New Members 9 Springs. Steve is the current National President of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and has selected Kansas City as his second section. Steve gave an informative update Coming Up on current happenings within the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Throughout the night, door prizes were presented and membership milestones February - June announced, giving honor to those who have been in our section for many years. John St. Patricks Party 3 and Donna Ryan received a First Place trophy for successfully navigating and winning DD/AX April 2012 3 the Smith Rallye last year. Yours truly only wished he would have finished – oh well, StarFest 2012 3 maybe next time?? Spaßnacht Dates 5 Towards the end of the evening, First and Second place winners of the Oktoberfest A Day At The Races 9 Concours ‘d Elegance were announced and each presented with a beautifully engraved Calendar 12 plaque. Bill Denton, our Regional Director, presented the well-deserved ‘Officer of the Year’ award to Dudley Smith and congratulated him for going ‘above and beyond’ in his 20 years of membership with MBCA. Dudley has set a great example for us to follow. MBCA Director at Large, Terry Kiwala (also a KC Second Section member) shared some important thoughts and encouraged the KC Section to continue offering a variety of events for our members. I was pleased to announce Mark Moody as our 2011 ‘Member of the Year’ and Kansas City Section presented him with a nice plaque and service pin as a token of our appreciation for his www.kcmbca.org efforts last year. Mark is currently the Vice-President of the KC Section. At the end of the day, it was a great evening and everyone enjoyed their time together. 2012 plans to be another busy year, filled with fun events, so consider getting together with us. You’ll be glad you did! See A Wonderful Winter Gala! Pg. 2
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Beautiful Day for the January First-Sunday Drive by Jeff Klepac
Photo by Mark Moody
January 1st was a beautiful day for a First-Sunday Drive in the Kansas City area. We were fortunate to enjoy bright sunshine and temperatures in the mid 40’s - hardly the norm for this time of year. Usually it’s much colder with snow. This month’s drive this took us to the Country Club Plaza, one of Kansas City’s most popular areas, full of upscale shopping opportunities and dining establishments to satisfy anyone’s appetite. To put it simply, the Plaza is an outdoor museum of romantic Spanish architecture and European art where people actually live and work every day amid its beauty. It was designed in 1922 as the nation’s first suburban shopping district. Since then, its open-air public art gallery has continuously added to its collection, with fountains, sculptures and murals that bring to the heart of Kansas City the very best of the Old World and the new. As we made our way toward the Plaza, we drove past lovely older homes along Ward Parkway. Many of these well-preserved homes are in themselves, a work of art. After a short drive through the Plaza area, our next stop was the Nelson – Atkins Museum for a photo op. On
Photo by Jeff Klepac
New Year’s Day, the Museum is closed, so that made it perfect for us to line up and photograph our Mercedes-Benz vehicles. After photos, we drove a short distance back to the Plaza for a wonderful lunch of Italian cuisine at Buca di Beppo. A great day to begin the New Year. P.S. The miles of Plaza Christmas lights are beautiful at evening time!
A Wonderful Winter Gala! by Jeff Klepac continued from pg. 1
Bob Poduch was the winner of the Dana Forrester print “Wings of Eagles.”
Mark Moody accepts the Member-of-the-Year award.
Terry Kiwala, MBCA Director at large (and a KC Section Member) expressed his belief that the KC Section is the very best of them all.
Steve Dierks, MBCA National President, and KC Section Member, talked about the M-B EXPERIENCE Photos by Bob Smith that makes the organization what it is. Dudley Smith accepts the Officer-of-the-Year Award from MBCA Regional Director, Bill Denton.
Time of Service awards were given to several members: Kevin Arburn - 5 years Gary Vogel - 15 years Rich Carlson - 10 years Dudley Smith - 20 years Kent Bevin - 15 years Harold Schmidt - 30 years Lin Burney - 15 years Chuck Meisch - 35 years See Page 7 for complete listing of members having service of 5 year increments.
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St. Pats Party, March 12th
MBCA|KC Logo Shop Now Open!
Back by popular demand, the third annual St. Patrick’s party of the Mercedes-Benz Club of Kansas City will be held by John Ryan March 12, 2012. The dinner will be at O’Neill’s Irish Pub located at 95th and Mission Road. The buffet will include At the encouragement of its Board of Directors, tossed salad, corned beef and cabbage, grilled chicken, boiled potatoes, mixed vegetables, rolls and butter, cobbler MBCA|Kansas City has opened its own online Logo and Apparel Shop. Working with The Queensboro Shirt and bread pudding. A cash bar will be available. Company of Wilmington, North Carolina our section can now offer the Club Logo and special events graphics to be All this for $28 per person. embroidered onto hundreds of different items ranging from T-Shirts to Polos, Jackets to Jerseys, and everything in Reservations are necessary as space is limited. between. No longer does the club have to predict, purchase Please mail a check to and inventory numerous styles and sizes of logo apparel. Joyce Smith, Our new store will allow a much wider variety of items 4344 W. 124th Terr., with no “up front” costs to the club. There’s no minimum Leawood, KS 66209. purchase requirement, and the item(s) will be delivered to your mailbox or doorstep. And, every item purchased provides additional revenue to the section’s treasury, to help fund the great events where you’ll be wearing your new “duds”. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to our website, www.kcmbca.org and click on the graphic/link for our new Logo Shop. And, if you want to know what to get me, there’s a nice NIKE polo with the section logo on it. Size The Kansas City Section will once again hold a medium, please.
Defensive Driving / AutoCross Coming in 2011 Midwest Regional Defensive Driving and AutoCross event.
Come improve your driving skills and learn how your vehicle will handle in an emergency situation. All in a controlled area with the guidance of an experienced instructor. Here’s the tentative schedule;
Friday, April 20th * Tours of the Kansas City area * Friday evening welcome reception Saturday, April 21st * Defensive Driving & AutoCross at Metropolitan Community College see the facility here http://www.kcrscca.org/new/content/mcc-blue-riverprecision-drivng-center Saturday evening * banquet with Awards Sunday, April 22nd * Breakfast and ‘Funcours’
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2012 Loyalty Rewards Program (U.S.) Get $1,000 off the price of your next Mercedes-Benz. Being and staying a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America has its privileges. Members of the Club who have enjoyed 12 consecutive months of membership or longer without lapse, and who are current members today, qualify for the NEW Loyalty Rewards Program offered by Mercedes-Benz USA to Mercedes-Benz Club of America members only. The U.S. Program entitles you to $1,000 off the price of any 2011, 2012 or 2013 Mercedes-Benz vehicle (excluding Sprinter Vans, SLS Coupe and SLS Roadster) that you purchase or lease from an authorized U.S. Mercedes-Benz Dealership. To receive your $1,000 discount: 1. Go to your favorite authorized U.S. Mercedes-Benz Dealership and negotiate the best price for a new Mercedes-Benz vehicle. Present an Official Loyalty Rewards Program “Member in Good Standing” Certificate to the Dealer (carefully read #2 below). The Dealer will take $1,000 off the price of your purchase or lease instantly. 2. To print your Official Loyalty Rewards Program “Member in Good Standing” Certificate, please read these instructions carefully. a. You will have 60 days from the day you print your Certificate to bring the Certificate to your Dealer for a $1,000 discount. Certificates will not be accepted any time after 60 calendar days past the date it was printed (the expiration date will automatically print on your Certificate). b. Once you print a Certificate, you will be unable to print another one. c. Primary Club members may redeem one $1,000 Reward Certificate during calendar year 2012. The vehicle must be purchased in the Primary member’s name. d. Associate Club members (any member, 18 years of age or older, residing in the Primary member’s residence and identified as the Associate member in National Business Office records) may also redeem one $1,000 Reward Certificate during calendar year 2012. The vehicle must be purchased in the Associate member’s name. e. Copied, forged, reprinted or otherwise altered Certificates are prohibited. Certificates may not be redeemed toward vehicles purchased prior to January 1, 2012. f. Discount is not valid on Mercedes-Benz European Delivery Program, Master Lease Program and may not be combined with any other Mercedes-Benz Certificate Program (ask your Dealer for details) g. Questions? Please call the National Business Office at 1.800.637.2360 weekdays from 8am-5pm Mountain Time h. If you have not already done so, please log-in to this site to see if you’re a member in good standing (a “Member in Good Standing” seal will automatically appear on your log-in Profile page). Terms and Conditions Offer subject to change without notice. Only those vehicles purchased or leased from authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships or licensed independent dealerships in the U.S. qualify for this offer. $1,000 discount is non-transferable and can only be redeemed by a qualified Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA) member. Sales documents and vehicle title must be in the MBCA member’s name or the name of his/her business. If an MBCA member co-signs for a vehicle with a non-MBCA member, both persons must reside in the same household. This offer is available in conjunction with other special purchase programs offered by MercedesBenz USA (MBUSA), including Mercedes-Benz Financial special finance/lease programs unless otherwise restricted by the terms of those programs.
Good Vision in a Downpour Editors note: I do not know the source of this information, or Or the “kickup” if you are following a semi or car in the rain. whether it is factual. However it was of interest to me to try They ought to teach that little tip in driver’s training. It really it. More comments are at the end of this article. does work. How to achieve good vision while driving during a heavy downpour. You could try this method when it rains heavily. Some police officers have experienced this idea and confirmed it to be useful, even at night.
Other tips from Police Officers are to never drive in the rain with your cruise control on. This also goes for snow and icy conditions too. This is because if your car begins to hydroplane and your tires lose contact with the pavement, your car will ACCELERATE to a higher rate of speed.
Most motorists would turn their wipers on HIGH or FASTEST SPEED during a heavy downpour. Yet the visibility in front of More editor’s comments: I tried using sunglasses during a the windshield is still bad. downpour. Mine are polarized to reduce glare. I thought that there was less blockage of the view as glare from raindrops In the event you face such a situation, just put on your SUN was reduced. However during rain it is always cloudy so the GLASSES (any model will do), and miracle! view is darkened, even more so with the sunglasses. Also, visibility out the side-windows was also very much darkened, All of a sudden, your visibility in front of your windshield is especially in my car, which has after-market tinted side perfectly clear, as if there is no rain. Make sure you always windows. Perhaps there are polarized glasses which are not have a pair of SUNGLASSES in your car, as you are not only darkened available somewhere. helping yourself to drive safely with good vision, but it also might save your friend’s life by giving him this idea. As for the cruise control and hydroplaning. Mercedes-Benz cars are rear-wheel drive. The drive-wheels follow the “wipe” Try it yourself and share it with your friends! Amazing, you of the front wheels. So the rears will not be as likely to still see the drops on the windshield, but not the sheet of rain hydroplane. I learned in a training class many years ago that falling. it is good to “follow the wipe” of the vehicle ahead of you as long as it is moving in a safe direction. This trick will greatly You can see where the rain bounces off the road. It works to reduce hydroplaning. But, we all agree that cruise control eliminate the “blindness” from passing semi’s spraying you should be turned off while driving in these conditions. too.
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Spaßnacht Find out more: www.kcmbca.org Click on “Club Info”
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Join Mercedes-Benz Club of America Kansas City Section • Bi-monthly issues of our award-winning, full-color national magazine, The Star, and bi-monthly issues of our awardwinning section newsletter, der Benz! • Owner Loyalty Program with a $1,000.00 Discount Certificate good on the purchase of certain M-B vehicles.
_______________
• 15% discount on parts, labor and accessories at Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City.
February 20, 7:00 PM
Johnny’s Tavern 95th & Antioch Overland Park, KS. __________________ March 12, 7:00 PM
Oneill’s
Restaurant & Bar 9417 Mission Rd. Leawood, KS _________________ April 16, 7:00 PM
The Blue Moose 4160 W 71st St. Prairie Village, KS _________________ May 21, 7:00 PM
Joe’s Crab Shack
11965 S. Strang Line Rd. Olathe, Ks. _________________
• National events with a wide variety of driving and social events, technical information and active discussion forums. • Local events: Monthly breakfast meetings and pub nights, tech sessions, dining events, historic and driving tours, autocross and driver education events, rallyes, track events, picnics, annual holiday party, charitable events, concours, and more.
JOIN NOW! www.mbca.org or call 1-800-637-2360 Your membership includes an associate membership for another person in your household in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and the Kansas City Section. Ownership of a Mercedes-Benz not a prerequisite. 1 year $49, 2 years $95, 3 years $139.
2011 MBCA Kansas City Section
Officers and Board Members Officers Phone E-mail Jeff Klepac, president Mark Moody, vice president Kevin Arburn, secretary Joyce Smith, treasurer John Ryan, past president
Board of Directors
Bob Del Popolo Melvin Price Donna Ryan Bob Poduch Rich Carlson Bob Smith Larry Ebner Dudley Smith Ian Harns John Ryan
Newsletter Editor Bob Smith
(913) 782-5865 (913) 685-8573 (913) 648-7675 (913) 338-0766 (913) 268-1252
jeff@kcmbca.org mark@kcmbca.org kevin@kcmbca.org joyce@kcmbca.org grownup@kcmbca.org
(913) 888-2617 bob.d@kcmbca.org (816) 721-0640 melvin@kcmbca.org (913) 268-1252 donna@kcmbca.org (913) 327-1632 bob.p@kc.rr.com (913) 897-0260 rich@kcmbca.org (913) 268-8984 newsletter@kcmbca.org (913) 649-7596 larry@kcmbca.org (913) 338-0766 dudley@kcmbca.org (816) 812-9495 ian@kcmbca.org (913) 268-1252 grownup@kcmca.org
(913) 268-8984 newsletter@kcmbca.org (913) 268-1252 grownup@kcmbca.org
Webmeister-Administrator John Ryan
Membership Director Bob Del Popolo
(913) 888-2617 membership@kcmbca.org Midwest Regional Director Bill Denton (Oak Brook, IL) (603) 734-3200 regional.director@kcmbca.org
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Eveland Bros. Collision Repair
Certified Mercedes-Benz Collision Repair Center • Vehicles restored to pre-accident condition • Expert color matching • Foreign and domestic
• Factory trained technicians • State of-the-art equipment • Rental cars available
Call for an appointment
• Insurance claims assistance • Environmentally safe • Written limited lifetime warranty
913-262-6050
7200 W. Frontage Road, Shawnee Mission, KS 66203 www.evelandbros.com
Kansas City’s independent Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Lexus, Land Rover and Audi repair shop.
5400 Antioch Rd. Merriam, Kansas 66202 913-432-7800
Not just your average garage...
Bosch Authorized Service
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Membership Milestones KC-MBCA 2012 45 members celebrating 5 year increments of club membership in 2012 Five Years = 21 members Kevin Arburn, Philip Brooks, Nat Bulmash, Charles Carino, Jerry Clark, Joseph Davis, Lucian Deas, Bruce Duncan, Brent Frakes, Martha Gaug, C Ed Grasso, Brett Hatfield, Scott Lopez, Leslie Lynn, Carlos Monzon, Connie Mothersbaugh, Dean Oskvig, Gary Sailor, Bob Webster, Joe Weinert, John Wise Ten Years = 7 members Rich Carlson, Wallace Frazier, Michael Harris, Charles Morton, Ned Smith, Russ White, Robert Wollenman Fifteen Years = 10 members Kent Bevan, Ken Bisel, Lin Burney, Robert Cox, William Downham, Joseph Goodwin, Robert McBean, Kendall Meisner, David Nicol, Gary Vogel, Twenty Years = 2 members Charles Schwankl, Dudley Smith Twenty Five Years = 3 members David Cutting, John Herbin, Lin Myers,
Complete Garage
15209 W. 87th Street Lenexa, KS 66219 913-322-9175
For the best in Car Care
For all your detailing needs, visit us at the Complete Garage. We have Griot’s full line of car care products. Save the shipping and get it today.
www.Complete-Garage.com
Thirty Years = 1 member Harold Schmidt Thirty Five Years = 1 member Charles Meisch
Request from the NBO With every email and address update that we receive at the NBO, (either by website, phone, email or snail mail), we will send a 10 % Off Coupon for one item in the Club Store. One coupon per member will be sent electronically (so it must include a valid email address). Please send these updates to Geni at geni@mbca.org. Remember, incorrectly mailed items cost the club money!
Advance Auto Parts offers many online-only specials and rebates to our section with 8% of the sale being returned to the KC Section. You can have your order shipped to your home, or pick it up at your neighborhood Advance Auto Parts store. Just click on the Advance Auto Parts banner ad on our website, www.kcmbca.org, and you will be taken to their websites to shop.
NTB Offers Discount to KCMBCA Members NTB National Tire & Battery is offering a discount for KCMBCA members. Our friend, Brandon Ebert, the manager at the 119th & Metcalf store arranged for that generous discount for our members. Mention account #913-660-8439 and your club membership to the salesman/service writer.
Uplift Organization, Inc. accepts donations of goods and funds. See the Uplift website at www.uplift.org for a list of needed items and how to donate them.
There is a link to TireRack on the Kansas City Section’s website, www. kcmbca.org. Click the link, which is the logo shown above, to enter the TireRack website to buy their products. The K.C. Section receives a small rebate when you purchase their products through our website.
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The Ohio Backroads Adventure Tour August 5th throuth 9th 2012 The Ohio Backroads Adventure is a Great Lakes Regional event presented by the Western Reserve Section, Mercedes Benz Club of America. This is a four-day driving tour that will go through east-central and southeast Ohio featuring the “roads less traveled.” Our stops will be interesting and not always seen by the everyday tourist. A husband-wife team developed this tour for you. Don and Carol Velcio’s varied interests were used to balance the roads and the stops to satisfy everyone in your group. Spend as much time or as little time as you desire at the various stops along the way. The tour is not a rally, a race, or a speed contest of any kind. Everyone should observe all legal limits and their own personal limits as well. Readers of Car and Driver magazine have read about the editors well-loved but secret roads through Ohio’s Appalachian mountain foothills. On this tour, you’ll drive many of our well-loved roads. Be warned – some roads will seem like never-ending ups and downs curving right and left. These are drivers’ roads. This isn’t going to be a cruise control snore down the interstate. (You’ll love it). For further details and registration information, see the Western Reserve Section website: http://benzclub.org/info/ Questions: Call Don Velcio, work, 440-886-1660 or email Velcio@aol.com
A Day at the Races March 9th through 11th 2012 The Ozark Section is hosting a day at the races at Oaklawn Racetrack, Hot Springs, Arkansas. They have rooms at the Austin Hotel in Hot Springs. Call the hotel Group Sales Manager at 501 547 5025. Cost of room is $95.00 plus tax per night. Specify that you are with the Mercedes-Benz Ozark Section. Hotel lounge is reserved with breakfast passes. A spa is available. Oaklawn tickets will be passed out at the hotel. There is a shuttle to and from the track. Tables are reserved at the Carousel Terrace Room at the track. Cost per person is $40.50 including tax and gratuity including General admission, track program, group seating, buffet from 11 AM to 4 PM. Cash bar is separate charge. Call by February 11th Jim Deitz, 479-756-2149 email rhdjd@att.net or Kathy Menold 479-756-6798 email menold1@cox.net
Lisle Kauffman Brings American Sign Language to Ukraine
The January breakfast featured Lisle Kauffman who talked about his experience in Ukraine where last summer he taught American Sign Language in the Russian and Ukrainian languages. For our group, he presented photographs of the vehicles seen on the streets of Kiev and historical sites around the country. All of us were extremely interested in Lisle’s presentation. For more, go to his Blog at http://fulbright-scholarship-luhansk-ukraine.blogspot.com/
Thanks to Those Who Worked So Hard At The Winter Gala
We owe much appreciation to these folks for providing the many door prizes given away at the Gala. Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City, KH Automotive, Donna Kaelke, Christina Hogan of BeautiControl, Bob & Martha Poduch, John & Donna Ryan, Dudley & Joyce Smith, Jeff & Denise Klepac and KC Section Officers and Directors. And, we want to give special appreciation to Robert Hellweg and the folks at Aristocrat for providing an outstanding venue for the Gala in the Porsche showroom.
Willkommen New Members ! Margaret Anderson-Lee Bret Bisel Mark Burroughs Gary Cooper Edward Harper
Peter Moraitis Carlin Murphy Jason Popovits Greg Rector Michael Septer
We look forward to meeting you soon at one of our events.
Daniel Sight Jon Simonie Birju Solanki Bill Spellman Belinda Thompson
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Refinishing
Straightening
Remanufacturing
CoreFirst Bank & Trust was a major sponsor of the Mid-America Caravan in 2009
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What activities would you like to do with your Benz friends in 2012 ? Contact a board member and let them know.
February
Feb. 4 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM Photo Show of StarTrails 2011 Feb. 5 First Sunday Drive. CANCELLED. Enjoy the Super Bowl. Feb. 20 Spaßnacht, 7 PM. Johnny’s Tavern, 95th & Antioch, Overland Park, KS
March
Mar. 3 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM Chad Dearth, KC Trends. Mar. 4 First Sunday Drive US Bank, 119th & Roe, Leawood, KS. 12 NOON. Hollywood Casino, Kansas City, Ks. Mar. 12 Spaßnacht, 7 PM Celebrate St.Pats. O’Neills, 9417 Mission Rd. Leawood, KS.
For the latest list of events, visit our Web site at: www.kcmbca.org Smart Phone Users, click this QR Code and our website will magically appear on your phone.
April
Apr. 1 First Sunday Drive US Bank, 119th & Roe, Leawood, Ks. 12 NOON Apr. 7 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM. Program, Preview of Defensive Driving / Autocross event. Apr. 16 Spaßnacht, 7 PM. The Blue Moose, 4160 W 71st St. Prairie Village, Ks. Apr. 20 21 22 Defensive Driving/Autocross
May
Our calendar is continuously being reviewed and updated throughout the year. It’s never too late to suggest activities that you think would be of interest to our members.
May 5 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM. Speaker, Doyle Comfort, Historian, Kansas History. May 5 McPherson C.A.R.S. Getaway May 6 First Sunday Drive US Bank, 119th & Roe, Leawood, Ks. 12 NOON May 21 Spaßnacht, 7 PM. Joe’s Crab Shack, 11965 S. Strang Line Rd. Olathe, Ks.
Breakfast is at 9 AM the first Saturday of each month at the First Watch, Shawnee Mission Pkwy. at Nieman Rd., Shawnee, KS. Order your favorites from the menu. Individual checks.
15678 S. Lindenwood Dr. Olathe, Kansas 66062
First-Class Mail U.S. postage paid shawnee mission, ks permit no. 1131