By John Sharp
Distinguished Alumni Awards were presented to Mark Garrett, Center High School class of 1985, and Joe Carr, class of 2000, at “A Center Celebration” the evening of April 9 at the Regnier Family Wonderscope Children’s Museum that netted about $60,000 for the Center Education Foundation.
The foundation funds grants to classroom teachers in the district to enhance the learning experiences of their students.
Garrett is vice president and chief human resources officer of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City and is chair-elect of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
He also serves as vice chair of Phoenix Family Housing, a nonprofit organization that helps people in low-income communities attain self-sufficiency, and as a board member of Rose Brooks Center, a Kansas City nonprofit that provides emergency shelter and other services to domestic violence victims.
Carr and his wife, Serenity, are founders of Serenity Kids Baby Food, one of the country’s top-selling baby food brands that creates food for babies made from pasture raised meat and organic vegetables that is low in sugar and high in healthy fats that has won numerous industry awards for its beneficial effect on children’s health.
Being autistic, but undiagnosed as a child, has led Carr to be an outspoken advocate for autistic acceptance.