DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT MAIN STREET HONORS VOLUNTEERS AND BUSINESSES AT 2024 ANNUAL AWARDS EVENT
Volunteers, community members, and local business owners were honored during the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, on July 17, 2024, in The Aspen Room at the Stanley.
The following individuals and businesses were recognized for their commitment to the revitalization and preservation of Downtown Lee’s Summit.
Matt Hittson- Volunteer of the Year
This is a special award that recognizes a volunteer whose commitment to the downtown revitalization efforts has generated value for downtown.
It’s a delight to recognize someone who is so generous with their time. Someone who serves others out of the goodness of their heart, and not for attention or praise. Our 2024 Volunteer of the Year has recruited over 100 volunteers to clean up trash at the Downtown Days festival. He spent every waking hour working in the summer heat, slinging trash bags, and keeping Downtown looking clean as a whistle. He handled what is arguably the most grueling job with humility, grace, and good humor. In the Commonwealth of Downtown Lee’s Summit, we hereby grant you an honorary knighthood for your most excellent service for maintaining order in the realm. Please join me in thanking Matt Hittson, our Volunteer of the Year.
Glenda Masters- Downtown Champion
This award recognizes someone who does not own a business or property in downtown LS, but is consistently supportive of the downtown revitalization efforts.
We are thrilled to recognize Glenda Masters, the Cultural Arts Manager for the City of Lee’s Summit. Over the past five years, Glenda has been a champion for arts programming in Downtown. She founded the Downtown Sculpture Walk in 2020, and has been called upon to integrate public art into the development project on Green Street. Her consistent support on our Cultural Arts Committee has helped grow the Fourth Fridays Art Walk year after year. It’s a privilege to have Glenda’s leadership in our community, and we are excited to see where she takes us next.
Team Cocktail- Best Exterior Signage
This award recognizes outstanding new signage for a Downtown business.
This year’s award goes to a “drinking company with a clothing problem.” After growing their brand to over 25,000 social media followers, Team Cocktail expanded their business and relocated from Lake Lotawanna to Downtown Lee’s Summit. Opening just in time for Downtown Days, Team Cocktail installed teal neon signage to guide shoppers to the comfiest summer apparel you will ever own. Team Cocktail partnered with Fossil Forge Design on the design, installation and fabrication.
Charlie Parker- Rookie of the Year
This award recognizes a young person who volunteers and serves in Downtown LS.
This year’s Rookie of the Year has been volunteering since he was old enough to carry a 10 foot long stick to mark vendor booth spaces. But his favorite job is working the Downtown Days Info Booth, alongside his parents, Nick & Stephanie Parker. This year we watched him become a man. Charlie Parker graduated to the big time: Downtown Days Vendor Check In. Charlie’s commanding presence on a radio showed that he was up to the task. He fearlessly guided vendors to their space, and, just like his father before him, showed them to the exit.
Bel Fiore Co.- Outstanding Window Display
This award goes to the downtown business which consistently re-designs and decorates their store window displays in creative, original, and eye-catching ways.
The window displays at Bel Fiore are so intricate, gorgeous, and over the top, you’d think they were designed for the Met Gala. Owner Angela Turner has honed her skills in designing jaw-dropping floral displays to fit any theme or season. For Ladies Night Out, she paid tribute to her Sicilian heritage with a blue and white display brimming with Sicilian lemons. She’s created ombre floral-wrapped trees, and archways layered with color, always inviting you to see what’s new in store. Thank you to Bel Fiore for making Downtown Lee’s Summit bellissima!
The Lee's Summit Jazz Festival- Top Special Event
Recognizes a successful event that attracted new visitors to downtown. In 2022 we recognized the Downtown Sculpture Walk.
The dynamic duo of Ben Rao and Collin Brich (BRICK) over at Bridge Space organized this year’s Top Special Event: The inaugural Lee’s Summit Jazz Festival. The community reception was overwhelming, as hundreds of people purchased tickets to see eight live bands, along with art vendors and food trucks. Nick Parker and Ronnie Dyer emceed the event, and all proceeds benefitted the Lee’s Summit Jazz Orchestra, Downtown Main Street, and The Alzheimer’s Association of Kansas City. Here to accept the award is Collin Brich, the Community Manager at Bridge Space.
Christal Weber- President’s Award
This award is given out each year solely at the discretion of the president of the DLSMS board of directors.
We want to recognize an honorary member of our squad. Her number is saved in all of our phones as our Emergency Contact Person. She’s so helpful, and whenever we are in crisis we can always count on Christal Weber to have our back. Christal is always ready to help at a moment's notice, to help make connections and most importantly the word “no” isn’t in her vocabulary. Thank you to Christal Weber for your years of advocacy and support for our organization.
Courtney Stoddard Laufketter- Dale Hartly Service Award
This award is given to a member of our community who demonstrates exemplary service and goes the extra mile.
Our award winner is someone who stands on the shoulders of giants. And not because she is only 5’ 1 ½” tall. She has been a driving force for this community, learning from and working alongside the powerhouse leaders who came before her. She founded the 12 Bars of Christmas pub crawl, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hope House. Her family has been instrumental in growing our Fourth Fridays Art Walk, and their generous financial support has kept Music in the Park going strong. In 2022, she was elected president to our Board of Directors. She’s volunteered for dozens of events, attended trainings, meetings and more. As her time on the board comes to a close, we want to thank Courtney Stoddard Laufketter for going above and beyond to make our community better. She’s truly one in a million.
Embers Candle Bar- Business of the Year
This award is presented to a business located in downtown LS that shows excellence in all areas of business, community involvement and volunteerism.
Our 2024 Business of the Year was founded in 2018 by a mother-daughter team of Vicki, Bailee, and Shara Derks. From the beginning, this family has gone full throttle to elevate any event or activity happening in Downtown. Shara founded the Shovel the Sidewalk Sale in 2019 to drive traffic to businesses in the snowiest month of the year. Shoppers braved the cold temps, and the event has been a hit ever since. They encouraged businesses to set up Live Window Displays for the Mayor’s Tree Lighting and took the lead in organizing Ladies' Night Out. Their friendship, energy, creativity, and zest for life are an inspiration to all, and we are proud to honor Embers Candle Bar as our 2024 Business of the Year.
2025 New Board Members
The investors joining the Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street Board of Directors for a three-year term are:
- Brent Kappler- Equity Bank
- Hilary Graves- A Better Choice Preschool
- Liesl Hays – Aligned Talent Consulting- 2nd 3-year term
- Barb Keller – All A’ Bloom Flower Design – 2nd 3-year term
Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of Downtown Lee’s Summit. For more information, visit https://downtownls.org/dlsms/
