The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFPKC) will celebrate National Philanthropy Day on November 10th, a day to recognize those who embody the spirit of philanthropy in our community. In partnership with the Mid-America Charitable Gift Planners Association, AFPKC will present the 2022 Excellence in Legacy Giving Award to Dr. Linda Mitchell.
Linda was nominated by Kansas City Ballet, the UMKC Foundation, the Gay and Lesbian Archives of Mid-America (GLAMA), Classical KC, and Bank of America. One of her noted achievements was starting the Marie Taglioni Pointe Shoe Fund, an endowment for KCB.
When Linda first learned that the Ballet would be launching a campaign to support the organization in perpetuity through the creation of endowments, she immediately thought of pointe shoes. “People don’t really understand how important, expensive, and fragile pointe shoes are,” Linda said.
As a former ballet dancer, Linda has a special appreciation for pointe technique. “The thing that appealed to me about pointe work is that it really strengthens the feet, helps with balance, and most importantly makes it possible to achieve a unique aesthetic experience,” she shared.
Why Pointe Shoes?
Kansas City Ballet purchases nearly 1,000 pairs of shoes each season to make that pointe work happen. Each dancer goes through as many as 60 pairs of pointe shoes yearly, and one pair might last only one performance.
Linda wanted to ensure that the Ballet would have a regular revenue stream every year for these critical instruments. Thus, the Marie Taglioni Pointe Shoe Fund was formed. Now if you don’t know who Marie is, that’s okay – Linda wants you to look her up and learn more! Marie Taglioni was the first ballerina to dance a complete ballet on pointe in the 1830s, so it is befitting to name the fund in her honor. Almost two hundred years later, KCB’s dancers are following in Marie’s footsteps.
As Company Artist Whitney Huell notes, “Pointe shoes are essential to a ballerina. They are tools that make it possible to fully execute our art form.” Linda’s generosity is keeping Whitney on her toes, and will do the same for future dancers in the generations to come.
We are honored to support Linda as she receives the AFPKC Excellence in Legacy Giving Award for her generosity to our community.
What are you passionate about?
To make a gift that is meaningful to you and makes a lasting impact for Kansas City Ballet, please contact Director of Gift Planning Rebecca Zandarski at 816.216.5597 or rzandarski@kcballet.org.
