Tom and Marjorie Rhone find a personal way to connect with the Kauffman Center

Date: December 17, 2008

Author: Kauffman Center

When Tom Rhone heard about plans for the Children’s Wall at the Kauffman Center he immediately talked to his wife, Marjorie, about getting involved.  They decided to put their granddaughter’s handprint on the wall, feeling that they had found the perfect way to support the Kauffman family’s vision for Kansas City.

“Having worked for Mr. Kauffman  and his foundation since 1984 in a variety of capacities, I know how much he and his wife valued education and loved children,” Rhone said.  The couple decided to involve their daughter, Susan, and granddaughter, Aileen,  (pictured to the right) through the Children's Wall project at the Kauffman Center.

Tom Rhone began working for Ewing Kauffman at Marion Laboratories as a corporate recruiter in 1984.  When Kauffman decided to form the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation four years later, he turned to Mike Herman to head the foundation and asked Rhone and two other Marion executives to plot the foundation’s future.  They went on a three-day retreat to write a mission, vision and the concept for some programs. “Mr. K. said not to come back until there was a plan in place,” Rhone remembers. 

During his many years working with Mr. K. (as associates referred to him), Tom saw first hand how much young people meant to the philanthropist and Mrs. Kauffman.  Later, when the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation began to share office space with Mr. K’s foundation, Rhone became even more familiar with Muriel and her vision, which focused on children but reached out to the arts community as well.

“Marjorie and I both see the Children’s Wall as a great way to honor our association with the Kauffman family, who have meant so much to us over the years,” Rhone said.  “It was also a way for our daughter and granddaughter, Susan and Aileen who live in Atlanta, to continue this relationship.” 

The Children's Wall is a unique donor recognition project that allows individuals to leave a lasting impression on a landmark building.  For a $1,000 donation per handprint, a child, grandchild or youngster who deserves some special recognition can be honored.   Colorful reproductions of the handprints will be artistically arranged near the escalator that rises to the majestic glass lobby of the Kauffman Center.

Rhone says that it was easy to contribute to the Children’s Wall, even though his granddaughter lives in Atlanta.  The Kauffman Center provides details about how to capture and submit a child's handprint.  “We sent the information and details to Susan in Georgia.  She said it was easy to make several handprints of Ailey,” Rhone said.  The finished handprints were mailed to the Kauffman Center who will select one to be diplayed on the Children's Wall, along with the child's name and year the handprint was made.

“Through the Children’s Wall, our daughter and two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter will have a lasting connection with the Kauffmans,” Rhone sums it up. “It will be a different sort of relationship from mine, but Marjorie and I want this connection to continue.”

For more details about how to create and submit a handprint for someone 18 years old or younger contact Kristin Smithson at 816-994-7239 or ksmithson@kauffmancenter.org.