It’s that time of year when Kansas City lights up the night sky with millions of Christmas lights! Obviously, the granddaddy of them all is the Plaza Lighting Ceremony. Sponsored by KCPL, this year marks the 79th year for the annual tradition. The switch will be “flipped” on at 6:30pm on Thanksgiving night (Thursday, Nov. 27) by none other than David Cook, American Idol winner and Blue Springs, MO native! The show, which runs from 6-7pm, features several local music acts and fireworks immediately following the flip of the switch.

Did you know that the Plaza lights started with a single string over a doorway in 1925? If you haven’t yet taken your kids to enjoy this Kansas City tradition…this might be a great year to start! For those who like to watch things from the comfort of their own homes…you can tune in to the lighting ceremony live on KCTV Channel 5.

Other lighting ceremonies around the Kansas City metro include:

• Mayor’s Tree Lighting in Downtown Overland Park - Thursday, November 20, 5pm to 8pm - Santa arrives at 5:30pm; tree lighting at 6:15pm; hayrack rides ($2) from 5pm to 7pm - carolers, bells and dancing!
• Downtown Lee’s Summit Lighting Ceremony - Friday, November 21, 6:30pm at Howard Station Park
• Zona Rosa Holiday Lighting Ceremony, Kansas City north, MO - Saturday, November 22 - and a Visit with the Kansas City Fairy Princess!
• The Legends Fourth Annual Lighting Ceremony, Kansas City, KS - Saturday, November 22
• Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting followed by the opening of the Hall of Trees at the Hall of Waters, Excelsior Springs, MO - Saturday, November 22 at 6pm
• Briarcliff Village Holiday Lighting Ceremony, KCMO - Sunday, November 23 at 7pm followed by fireworks
• Lawrence Christmas Tree Lighting - Lawrence, KS - Friday, November 28 at 5:30pm
• Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting at Crown Center - Friday, November 28 - performances by The School of Rock and more!
• Winterfest & Olathe’s Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting - Sunday, November 30 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm - Olathe City Hall - choirs, talent and SANTA!
• Christmas Around Town - downtown Shawnee, KS and Shawnee Town - Tuesday, December 2 from 4pm to 7pm - caroling, carriage rides, Christmas Tree lighting and Santa!
• Brookside Tree Lighting Ceremony (Kansas City, MO) - Thursday, December 4 at 6pm - 63rd & Brookside Blvd. - music, refreshments, prizes and more!
• Lighting Ceremony in Old Town Lenexa - lights, Santa, carols and hot chocolate! - Friday, December 5 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Other light displays not to miss:

• Christmas in the Park, Longview Park, Kansas City, MO - November 26 thru December 31 - over 300,00 lights and almost 200 animated figurines make this Christmas light display an event not to miss!
• “Christmas Place” in the Terrace Place subdivision, 131st Place and Antioch, Overland Park
• “Christmas Card Lane” in Olathe, KS, north of 151st St. and west of Ridgeview (Ridgeview and Frontier)
• Not sure if this one’s still going on…but I remember Mom and Dad driving us every year to a fantastically decorated, completely over-the-top house in Prairie Village, KS. It was located off of 75th Street and Falmouth, just east of Mission Road. You could peer into the attached garage-turned-Santa’s Workshop and also see hundreds of glass ornaments suspended from the ceilings of every room in the house. Readers, who remembers this? Is it still lit up?
• Another cool place to drive by is located off of 63rd Street, west of State Line Road. This is more of a modern light display–long lines of white lights, zig-zagging from treetop to ground and back up to rooftop.
• I recently drove by Vince & Associates, at 102nd and Metcalf in Overland Park. I can’t say that I’ve seen this display “turned on” yet, but it looks like it’s going to be bright. There’s not an inch of landscaping that hasn’t been covered by a light. Or lighted penguin, Santa or snowflake. Should be interesting!

If you know of another “don’t miss” neighborhood light display - please share it in the comments below!

It’s that time of year when thoughts naturally turn to helping others. Sometimes, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by requests for donations. I think that teaching our kids the importance of giving back to the community and helping those who are less fortunate should be an ongoing process–not just reserved for November and December. I’m reminded of a small piece of paper taped to my refrigerator; and it says this: “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.”

That being said, we thought we’d offer some suggestions for kid-friendly volunteering opportunities. Remember–it doesn’t have to be about money–it’s giving your TIME and ENERGY that matters! These are life lessons that your children will never forget, and volunteering can become something the whole family looks forward to doing together–all through the year!

• The Salvation Army Bell-Ringing is underway! The best part about this is that the money collected in the kettles stays right HERE in the KC metro. My 6-year-old son and I have manned the kettle for several 2-hour shifts at our neighborhood Hy-Vee for the past 3 years–and kids have a way of turning EVERY passer-by into a donor! Bundle up the kiddos and enjoy a great time together.

• Check out the Youth Volunteer Corps of Greater KC. YVC organizes youth and family helpers at Harvesters, the city’s largest food bank. Your help is needed sorting and boxing donated food! It’s no news that food banks are running dangerously low now…some are even forced to close their doors. You might consider a small neighborhood or classroom food drive…and then deliver the food to Harvesters on the day you choose to volunteer. Location: 3801 Topping Ave., KCMO 816.929.3000

• Adopt a family through Don Bosco Centers’ Holiday Friends! This is such a great project for a family or neighborhood to take on. Holiday Friends is a fundraising program which benefits the clients of the Don Bosco Centers. You might be familiar with local radio station Star-102’s annual marathon event (December 5 this year) which places hundreds of clients with “adoptive families.” You can get specific names, ages and sizes for a family in need and can even personally deliver your gifts. This really shows us the true meaning of the holiday season! Your kids will never forget it. For more information, call the Holiday Friends Hotline at 816-691-2906 or visit www.donbosco.org.

• Check out www.VolunteerMatch.org. The site features loads of volunteer opportunities, and you can organize your results by Distance, Event Date and even Date Posted. While not all are kid-specific opportunities, you might find something suitable for the whole family or just for you!

• Operation Breakthrough. Operation Breakthrough- St. Vincent’s Family Service Center is located at 30th and Troost in KCMO. According to their website, volunteers range from ages 8-80 and do everything from “rocking babies to tutoring parents for the GED exam.” They have an adopt-a-family Christmas program, similar to Don Bosco Center’s. The children who receive Christmas aid all come from low-income families. Some are homeless, many reside in foster care and most attend Operation Breakthrough’s day care program or are alumni. Please help!

• Brighten someone’s day with a little artistic cheer… you can do something as simple as having your child(ren) draw some holiday-themed pictures; use the glue, markers, construction paper, glitter, etc. Take your creations to a nearby nursing home or to Children’s Mercy Hospital near Crown Center. You’ll be glad you did!

• City Union Mission– You can go in with family, friends or coworkers to adopt a family for the holidays through City Union Mission, too. Please remember that families need our help year-round…not just at the holidays. Click here for a list of inexpensive, everyday items which you could collect and deliver to the Mission any day of the year.

Please feel free to submit any additional kid and family-friendly volunteer opportunities. We would be happy to post them!

Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? Better question: have you STARTED your holiday shopping yet? You’re certainly not alone if you haven’t even gotten a list together. Before you finalize that list, KC Kids Fun encourages you to take a look at the wonderful and unique items that fill Kansas City’s locally-owned toy stores.

C’mon - skip Toys R Us and Target this year. Check out the super-cool things you’ll find at Brookside Toy & Science or The Learning Tree or even Moon Marble. Your kids will never miss that new Bakugan or Barbie styling head when they open the awesome stuff you bought from one of our hometown stores.

Here are a few places you shouldn’t miss:

Brookside Toy and Science (Kansas City, MO) - This store has been around since 1964. It is filled from top to bottom with interesting things. Brio and Thomas the Tank Engine are here. Lincoln Logs and Erector sets too. And where else can you buy butterfly specimens, alligator heads and toad purses?!

HMS Beagle (Parkville, MO) - “The Ultimate Science Store” has TONS of fossils, dinosaur models, chemistry sets, rocket kits, telescopes, rocks, minerals and shells.

Moon Marble (Bonner Springs, KS) - Run out to Moon Marble, watch some marbles being made, buy some phenomenal handmade marbles and pick up some really great retro toys and stocking stuffers.

The Learning Tree (Prairie Village, KS and Leawood, KS) - Some of the coolest and most fun educational toys around! Great kids’ art supplies and pretend play items. (If you stop by the Leawood location, take a spin around the new ice rink at Park Place just down the block!)

US Toy (Leawood, KS) - Yep! US Toy is locally owned! I LOVE US Toy for Christmas shopping. Over the years, I’ve bought puppets, pretend food, puzzles, art supplies, musical instruments, Thomas the Train track and trains, books, dress-up items and games. One year, I started and finished my shopping at this one location. You just can’t beat it!

And don’t forget about these folks too:

Reading Reptile (Kansas City, MO - Brookside)

Rainy Day Books (Fairway, KS)

The Toy Store (Lawrence and Topeka)

Zoom at Crown Center (Kansas City, MO)

The Doll Cradle (Shawnee, KS)

Mini Temptations Dollhouse Store (Overland Park, KS - Ranchmart)

Oh, the weather outside is frightful. So, let’s go swimming! Right?

Right! Why not mix it up a little this fall and winter around the Kansas City metro? There are a lot of great indoor pools and community centers with public swimming hours. You’ll want to double check their websites for up-to-date hours and fees - but what a great change of pace for you and for the kids as the days get shorter and much, much COLDER! (Our list is just pools open to the public - many communities, schools and fitness centers also have indoor pools but no open swim availability. If we’ve missed a local indoor pool that is open to the public for recreational swimming, let us know!)

Kansas City, MO

Gregg/Klice Community Center (Kansas City, MO)

The New Southeast Community Center (Kansas City, MO) - opening December 2008

Tony Aguirre Community Center (Kansas City, MO)

Northland

Liberty Community Center (Liberty, MO)

Gladstone Community Center (Gladstone, MO)

North Kansas City Community Center (North Kansas City, MO) - closed until first part of December for repairs

Park Hill Aquatic Center (Kansas City north, MO)

Platte County Community Center North (Platte City, MO)

Platte County Community Center South (Parkville, MO)

Eastern Jackson County, MO

Legacy Park Community Center (Lee’s Summit, MO)

Centennial Pool Plex (Blue Springs, MO)

CoCoKey Resort (eastern Jackson County, MO–KCMO) - day passes are available to the public

Henley Aquatic Center (Independence, MO)

Johnson County, KS

Matt Ross Community Center (Overland Park, KS)

Roeland Park Aquatic Center (Roeland Park, KS)

Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center (Mission, KS)

Blue Valley Recreation Aquatic Center (south Overland Park, KS)

Cass County, MO

Belton Community Center (Belton, MO) - new indoor pool opening soon!

Harrisonville Community Center (Harrisonville, MO)

Blue Springs

Blue Springs Family YMCA Learning Center 1300 SE Adams Dairy Parkway (Blue Springs)

Jaguar Preschool at Blue Springs South High School 1200 SE Adams Dairy Parkway (Blue Springs)

Kindercare Learning Centers 821 N. Woods Chapel Rd and 1404 SW Hwy 7 (Blue Springs)

Learning Ladder 301 SW Woods Chapel Rd. (Blue Springs) 816-229-9949

Liggett Trail Education Center in Blue Springs School District 3575 SW Liggett (Blue Springs) - special ed or Title I services

Little Angels Learning Center 1405 W. Main (Blue Springs)

Little Einsteins Learning Center 2300 SW Hwy 7 (Blue Springs) 816-220-7070

Montessori Children’s House 950 SW 37th St. (Blue Springs)

Montessori Day School 1505 NW Mock Ave. (Blue Springs)

Plaza Heights Christian Academy 1505 SW Clark Rd. (Blue Springs)

Son-shine Kids 430 NE Duncan Rd. (Blue Springs)

St. John LaLande Early Childhood Center 700 NW Range (Blue Springs)

Timothy Lutheran 425 NW RD Mize Rd (Blue Springs)

Grain Valley

Building Blocks Childcare and Preschool 557 RD Mize Rd. and 1321 W. AA Hwy.

Faith United Methodist MDO 1950 Eagles Pkwy (Grain Valley)

Grain Valley School District Early Childhood Special Education at Prairie Branch Elementary 2100 Dillingham Rd. (Grain Valley)

Independence

Apple Tree Christian Child Care 11029 E. 23rd St. (Independence) 816-254-0081

Benton Early Childhood 429 S. Leslie (Independence)

Bethel Baptist Preschool 2406 S. M-291 Hwy (Independence)

Blackburn Child and Family Learning Center 17302 E. RD Mize Rd. (Independence)

Bryant Child and Family Learning Center 827 W. College (Independence)

Christ UMC 14506 E. 39th St.

Christian Ott Early Education Center 1525 N. Noland Rd. (Independence)

Creative World #20 2641 Hub Drive (Independence)

Englewood Day Care and Preschool 10628 E. Winner Rd. (Independence) 816-254-8313

First Baptist Church 500 W. Truman Rd. (Independence)

Ft. Osage School District Early Childhood Center 18109 E. 12th St. (Independence)

Great Beginnings Preschool 2020 S. M-291 Hwy (Independence)

Hope Christian School 2425 S. Crysler (Independence) 816-254-9785

Independence School District Head Start at Hanthorn 1511 S. Kingshighway (Independence)

Kids Kastle Preschool 1701 E. 24 Hwy. (Independence) 816-461-5275

Mill Creek Child and Family Center 2601 N. Liberty (Independence)

Nativity of Mary School 10017 E. 36th Ter (Independence)

Randall Early Childhood Center 509 Jennings Rd. (Independence)

Rockwood Baptist Church PDO & Pre-K 10035 E. Westport Rd. (Independence)

Santa Fe Child Development 1301 S. Windsor (Independence)

Spring Branch Child Development 20404 E. Truman Rd. (Independence)

St. Mark’s Small Wonder Preschool 3736 S. Lee’s Summit Rd. (Independence)

St. Paul Lutheran 17200 E. 39th St. (Independence)

Stone Church 1012 W. Lexington Ave. (Independence)

Sunshine Center 18400 E. Salisbury Rd. (Independence)

Sycamore Hills Baptist 15200 E. 39th St. (Independence)

Sycamore Hills Child & Family Learning Center 15208 E. 39th (Independence)

Tri-City Christian Schools 4500 Little Blue Parkway

William Southern Early Childhood Education Center 4300 Phelps Rd. (Independence)

Lee’s Summit

Aldersgate UMC 350 SW St. Rte 150 (Lee’s Summit)

Appletree Academy 800 SW 150 Highway (Lee’s Summit) - inside Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Boone Preschool 407 SE Douglas (Lee’s Summit)

Community Christian 1450 SW Jefferson St. (Lee’s Summit)

Diversity Language Preschool 2425 NE Scruggs Rd. (Lee’s Summit) 916-525-3737

Evelyn Bliss Lewis Children’s Center 1613 SE 5th Terrace (Lee’s Summit)

Genesis Montessori Preschool 114 SE Douglas (Lee’s Summit)

Grace UMC 2400 E US Hwy 50 (Lee’s Summit)

Great Beginnings Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Early Childhood Center 905 NE Bluestem Dr. (Lee’s Summit)

International Children’s Academy 905 SE Douglas (Lee’s Summit)

Ivy League Preschool 1905 E. Langsford (Lee’s Summit)

Kiddie Korral 650 SE Bayberry Lane (Lee’s Summit)

Lakewood Montessori 951 NE Wildwood Dr. (Lee’s Summit)

Lavonna Peterson Early Childhood Schools 812 SW Forest Park Lane (Lee’s Summit)

Lee’s Summit Baptist Temple 2616 NW Chipman (Lee’s Summit)

Lee’s Summit United Methodist Children’s Day Out Preschool 114 SE Douglas (Lee’s Summit)

Little Lambs Preschool at Summit Woods Baptist Church 2501 SE Shenandoah Dr. (Lee’s Summit)

Longview Baptist 1300 SW Longview Rd. (Lee’s Summit)

Longview Chapel Parents Day Out/Preschool 850 SW Longview Rd. (Lee’s Summit)

Morgan’s Academy of Learning 244 NE Chipman Rd (Lee’s Summit) 816-246-2686

My Friend’s Preschool 1405 SE 7th Ct. (Lee’s Summit) 816-516-9324

Our Lady of Presentation ECC 130 NW Murray Rd (Lee’s Summit)

Primrose School of Lakewood 5021 NE Lakewood Way (Lee’s Summit)

Russell C. Flake Child Development Center - the Children’s Village at John Knox Village (Lee’s Summit)

St. Matthew Preschool 700 NE Chipman Rd (Lee’s Summit)

Stepping Stones Preschool and Parents Day Out at Lee’s Summit Christian Church 800 NE Tudor Rd. (Lee’s Summit)

Oak Grove

Little Lambs Learning Center at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church 600 SE 12th St. (Oak Grove) 816-690-4020

Magic Kingdom 704 Salem St. (Oak Grove) 816-690-3933

Oak Grove School District Early Childhood Program 500 SE 17th St. (Oak Grove)

Oak Grove UMC 1501 Harding St. (Oak Grove)

Sunny Days Day Care and Preschool 508 E. 12th St. (Oak Grove) 816-690-3540

***Please let us know if there is a great preschool in Eastern Jackson County that we need to add to our listing! Submit it via our CONTACT FORM and we’ll get right on it! Thanks! ***

Basehor

Little Friends Preschool 1410 N. 155th St. (Basehor, KS)

Bonner Springs

Bonner Springs-Edwardsville USD 204 Preschool Program Delaware Ridge Elementary (Bonner Springs)

Language Lane Preschool (Bonner Springs, KS) - 15360 Kansas Ave., 913-721-2183

Miss Stephanie’s Academy (Bonner Springs, KS) - 600 N. 118th St., 913-721-3770

Kansas City, KS

Christ the King Catholic School 3027 N. 54th St. (KCK)

Frances Willard Early Childhood Center 2220 N. 59th St. (KCK)

Hillview Christian 701 N. 78th St. (KCK)

Holy Name School 1007 Southwest Blvd. (KCK)

Kansas City KS Public Schools Education Center 4601 State Ave. (KCK)

Kansas City KS Public Schools Lowell Preschool 1030 Orville (KCK)

Kansas City KS Public Schools Morse Preschool 912 S. Baltimore (KCK)

Mama Boot’s Preschool 3112 S. 51st St. (KCK) 913-262-8460

Muncie Christian School 67th & Leavenworth Rd. (KCK)

Our Lady’s Montessori 3020 S. 7th St. (KCK)

Our Saviour Lutheran Preschool 4153 Rainbow (KCK)

Resurrection Catholic School 422 N. 14th St. (KCK)

St. Benedict’s Special Children’s Center 220 S. 9th St. (KCK)

Tots & Tales Montessori 9000 State Ave. (KCK) 913-334-4570

Uncle Sam’s Academy - at the U.S. Courthouse/G.S.A. -500 State Ave. (KCK) 913-551-6690

Lansing

A Deere Place 1104 Industrial St. (Lansing)

Kindercare 100 E. Mary (Lansing)

Leavenworth

Children’s Montessori 3812 Clayton Dr. (Leavenworth) 913-651-6168

Fort Leavenworth Child Development Center (Ft. Leavenworth)

Guidance Preschool 2715 S. 15th (Leavenworth) 913-651-2672

Jack & Jill Preschool 130 N. Sixth (Leavenworth)

Leavenworth USD 453 Pre-Kindergarten Program (various locations in Leavenworth)

St. Paul Lutheran 320 N. 7th St. (Leavenworth)

Trinity Lutheran Preschool 2101 10th Ave. (Leavenworth)

Wallula Christian Preschool 23785 139th St. (Leavenworth)

Women’s Community Y 520 S. Broadway (Leavenworth) 913-682-6404

Xavier Catholic Elementary Preschool (Leavenworth)

Tonganoxie

Genesis Christian School Preschool 204 Washington (Tonganoxie)

Tonganoxie United Methodist PDO 328 E. 4th St. (Tonganoxie)

***Please let us know if there is a great preschool in Wyandotte or Leavenworth Counties that we need to add to our listing! Submit it via our CONTACT FORM and we’ll get right on it! Thanks! ***

Belton, MO

Belton Head Start 109 Congress (Belton)

Blue Ridge Christian School/ South Campus 16211 S. 71 Hwy (Belton)

Crossroads United Methodist - Kids First Daycare/Preschool 700 QuikTrip Way (Belton)

Grace Early Childhood & Education Center (Belton School District #124) 614 W. Mill (Belton)

Heartland Preschool 810 S. Cedar (Belton)

Little Folks Day Care 423 Pine (Belton) 816-322-5432

Smart Start Preschool A. Ives Reid Celebration Center 609 Minnie Ave. (Belton)

Harrisonville

EPI Center 1305 Sanders (Harrisonville)

Harrisonville Schools Early Childhood Center 500 Polar Lane (Harrisonville)

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Excelsior Springs

Treehouse Preschool 1650 Rainbow Blvd. (Excelsior Springs) 816-637-2138

Gladstone

St. Andrew the Apostle Parish School 6415 NE Antioch (Gladstone)

Children’s World Learning Center 7227 North Euclid (Gladstone, MO)

Creative Arts Academy 1904 NE Englewood (Gladstone, MO)

Faubion United Methodist Church Preschool 7113 N. Troost (Gladstone) 816-436-9378

North Kansas City School District Preschools (various locations)

Oak Hill Day School 7019 N. Cherry (Gladstone)

Holt

ABC Bear Child Care Center (Holt) 816-264-3681

Northern Hills Christian Academy 17211 NE 180th St. (Holt)

Kansas City North (Clay County)

Barry Christian Church Back to Basics Preschool 1500 NW Barry Rd. (KC, MO)

A Child’s Garden 300 NE 58th Terrace (KC, MO) 816-455-6450

Gashland Presbyterian Church 8029 North Oak Trfy (KC, MO)

Hillside Christian Preschool 900 NE Vivion Road (KC, MO)

Holy Cross Lutheran Early Childhood Center 2003 NE Englewood Road (KC, MO)

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Grandview

Coronation of Our Lady Little Lambs Program 13000 Bennington (Grandview)

Grandview Christian School 12340 Grandview Rd. (Grandview)

Holy Trinity Lutheran Preschool 5901 E. 135th St. (Grandview)

Life-a-New Preparatory Academy 12401 Byars Rd. (Grandview)

Second Missionary Baptist Church Learning Center 5111 Harry Truman Drive (Grandview)

Kansas City, MO - south of the Missouri River

(for Kansas City, MO preschools located north of the Missouri River, check the Northland listings)

Academy Montessori Internationale of KC 12501 State Line Road (KCMO) 816-942-3307

Adventure World 5011 E. 112th Terr. (KCMO) 816-761-0800

Alpha Montessori School 11430 Wornall Rd (KCMO)

Avila University 11901 Wornall Road (KCMO)

Bannister Complex Child Development Center 1500 E. Bannister Road Bldg 52 (KCMO) 816-926-1616

Barstow School 11511 State Line Rd. (KCMO)

Blue Ridge Christian School 8525 Blue Ridge Blvd. (KCMO) (also see Belton location)

Border Star Montessori 6321 Wornall (KCMO)

Bright Horizons 521 Carondelet Dr. (KCMO)

Brookside Day School 5220 Troost Ave. (KCMO)

Calvary Lutheran Early Childhood Education Center 12411 Wornall (KCMO)

Center School DIstrict Early Childhood Program 8817 Wornall Road (KCMO)

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Bucyrus

Holy Rosary - Wea 22705 Metcalf (Bucyrus)

DeSoto

DeSoto Unified School District #232 Countryside Learning Center 10120 Lexington (DeSoto)

Fairway

Old Mission United Methodist Church Child Center 5519 State Park Rd. (Fairway)

Gardner

The Lake Farm School for Waldorf Education 19545 Gardner Rd. (Gardner)

Little People’s Place Child Development Center 125 N. Moonlight (Gardner, KS)

Open Arms Lutheran Child Development Center 306 E. Madison (Gardner, KS)

Leawood

Awesome Kids Preschool 14200 Kenneth Rd. (Leawood)

Blue Valley Unified School District Early Childhood Services (Special Education and Peer Model Programs)

Church of the Resurrection 13720 Roe (Leawood)

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