Welcome to the Hall of Fame, sisters

When they handed me the bouquet of flowers Monday night, I knew I’d ventured into uncharted territory.

I’ve won a few awards over the years and I’ve spoken in public a lot so I was not unfamiliar with being in front of a crowd. I’ve even received a round of applause a time or two so that wasn’t totally out of left field. And yes, once or twice someone has given me a single flower for my lapel.

But I’ve never been given a complete bouquet, one with roses and daises, wrapped in hot pink paper, tied with complementary ribbon. I felt special.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame.

Of course, it wasn’t really for me. I was representing Children’s Mercy, and more

Alice Berry Graham, DDS

specifically representing our founders, at the grand opening reception of the Starr Women’s Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Alice Berry Graham and Katharine Berry Richardson, the sisters and doctors who founded Children’s Mercy in 1897, are members of just the second class of this hall of fame. Their official induction will be sometime early in 2017. The reception the other night was to officially open the hall (which inducted its inaugural class in 2015) and announce next year’s group.

As they read the names of the 2017 inductees, the people representing them — or the honorees themselves if they are still living and were able to attend — came forward and had a seat next to the podium.

Katharine Berry Richardson, MD

And were given flowers.

I was first up since they announced the honorees in chronological order. I’m not sure the surprise registered on my face, but I recovered, took a chair and remarked, loud enough that at least the folks in the front of the crowd could hear, “Well, this doesn’t happen every day,” when I was given the flowers. A few laughs diffused the embarrassment.

All of the other honorees or their representatives (half of the class of 2017 is deceased) were women. I’m sure they’ve all received flowers before.

Way more impressive than the flowers, though, were the women I shared the front-row seats with. I’ve spent so much time researching Alice and Katharine and learning about their personalities and their dreams and their accomplishments that I was sincere when I filled out the nomination form and wrote something like “no Hall of Fame of Kansas City women could be complete without the founders of Children’s Mercy.”

It’s true.

But it is also true that there are lots of other women, too, deserving the honor and the thanks from generations of Kansas Citians who have been inspired and whose lives are better because of them. Some of the names may not be familiar, but their stories are incredible: Sarah Coates, Lucille Bluford, Mary Shaw “Shawsie” Branton, Sister Rosemary Flanagan, Mary Kay McPhee, Sen. Yvonne S. Wilson, SueEllen Fried. Women who fought prejudice, because of race and gender and social mores. Women who stood up for children and adults who could not stand on their own.  Amazing. Strong. Tough. Relentless. Giving. Caring. Passionate. Humble.

That last one is how I felt on Monday night. With a hundred or so people looking on, seated on a row with women of incredible accomplishments. Holding a bouquet. What an honor to represent the Berry sisters.

Oh, and full disclosure. Thank you, UMKC: my wife now thinks I’m pretty special since I came home with flowers. They look nice on our kitchen island.

The Class of 2017 was displayed on a video screen at the reception