Author: Rotary Club of Indianapolis

  • October 14: District Fall Forum

    October 14: District Fall Forum

    The District Business Meeting and the Governor’s State of the District Address will be held at the Zionsville Public Library on Saturday, October 14th.  Join us for the 2023 Fall Forum to hear about all we’ve accomplished together last year and how we will continue to grow in 2024 and beyond. The 2022-23 You are Appreciated Awards will be presented by Immediate Past District Governor Mekey McAllen.

    Our Membership Summit will be led by Katie Tocci, a co-presenter at Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, who will share with us some real world practical tips and research specific to membership. 

    Doors open at 9:00 a.m., parking is free, and seating is limited to the first 120 registrants in the main room. Registration cost is $35 per person. Register on DACdb.

  • October 3: Brandi Davis-Handy

    October 3: Brandi Davis-Handy

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Brandi Davis-Handy the Chief Customer Officer for AES US Utilities. 

    Brandi has more than 20 years of customer and stakeholder engagement, communications, and marketing experience. As Chief Customer Officer for AES’ utilities in Indiana and Ohio she leads a team focused on providing an exceptional customer experience and accelerating efforts on new solutions to help customers achieve their most important objectives of reliability, affordability and sustainability. Prior to AES, she served as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Project Lead The Way and has also led communications teams at OneAmerica Financial Partners and the American Cancer Society. 

    Brandi is an active community leader in Central Indiana serving as Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, Board President of GangGang Culture, and board member for the Indiana Sports Corporation, Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, and Lynx Capital Corporation. 

    She is a graduate of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series and Leadership Dayton. Brandi is also a founding member of the African American Legacy Fund of Indianapolis which is focused on raising awareness and advocating on issues affecting the African American community.

    Brandi has been recognized as a 2022 Woman of Influence by the Indianapolis Business Journal, Center for Leadership Development Minority Achiever in Media and Communications in 2018 and was the recipient of the Breakthrough Woman in Leadership Development Award for 2018 from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

    Brandi received her B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University.  All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. If registering on site we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. We plan to transition to a cashless registration later this fall. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Upcoming Programs:
    October 10: Jefferson Shreve, Indianapolis Mayoral Candidate
    October 17: Joe Hogsett, Mayor of Indianapolis
    October 24: Autumn Bryant, Attorney & Counsellor at Law, Randall & Bryant
    October 31: Fifth Tuesday Service Project with Pack Away Hunger
  • September 26: Dr. David Geeslin

    September 26: Dr. David Geeslin

    Join us Tuesday for a presentation from Dr. David Geeslin the CEO/Superintendent for the Indiana School for the Deaf. Dr. Geeslin will share about the Indiana School for the Deaf and the plans for building and moving to a new campus as part of a $225 million upgrade.

    Dr. Geeslin graduated from the Indiana School for the Deaf in 1983. He attended Gallaudet University for two years, then transferred to Purdue University, where he received his B.A. in Linguistics in 1989. He received his M.A. in Deaf Education from Boston University in 1991. After working in education for seven years, Dr. Geeslin returned to night school at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis to earn his principal’s license. Having rediscovered the power of education, he decided to pursue a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Indiana University while still working full-time. He completed his Ed.D. degree in August of 2006. Dr. Geeslin was the first Deaf person to receive a doctoral degree from an Indiana college or university. He was selected as a 2008 Distinguished Alumnus from Purdue University.

    Dr. Geeslin has been active in many policy committees, has served as an expert legal witness, and has been an active participant and volunteer in several professional and non-profit community organizations. Dr. Geeslin is also a founding board member of Indiana Deaf Heritage and Indiana Deaf Children Foundation. In 1994, Dr. Geeslin worked with other Deaf Community leaders to write and successfully pass a statute recognizing American Sign Language in the state of Indiana. In 2008, Dr. Geeslin worked with other disabled groups on rewriting the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for Indiana with 511 IAC Article 7 known as Indiana’s Special Education rules.

    In his role as Superintendent, he served on the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) Board and was in the position of CEASD President for two terms.

    He has worked as a visiting lecturer for Indiana University, Vincennes University, Western Maryland College, Boston University and Purdue University. Dr. Geeslin has also served as a consultant for several Deaf schools across the country. Over the past thirty-two years, Dr. Geeslin has held different roles at the Indiana School for the Deaf, including Third Grade Teacher, American Sign Language Assessment Specialist, Interim Director of Outreach, Elementary Principal, Outreach Educational Consultant, and CEO/Superintendent. All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. If registering on site we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. We plan to transition to a cashless registration later this fall. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Upcoming Programs:
    October 3: Brandi David-Handy, Chief Customer Officer, US Utilities, AES
    October 10: Jefferson Shreve, Indianapolis Mayoral Candidate
    October 17: Joe Hogsett, Mayor of Indianapolis
    October 24: Autumn Bryant, Attorney & Counsellor at Law, Randall & Bryant
    October 31: Fifth Tuesday Service Project with Pack Away Hunger
     
  • 10th Annual Chili Cook-Off Call for Entries

    10th Annual Chili Cook-Off Call for Entries

    If your chili is the best anyone’s ever tasted, PROVE IT! Enter your chili in Rotary’s 10th Annual Chili Cook-off by contacting Norm Melzer. The first ten entries will be accepted. 

    This year’s event will take place at the Murat Shrine Oasis Room on Thursday, October 5th. Check out photos from last year’s event on Facebook. 

  • September 19: Bekah Wickham

    September 19: Bekah Wickham

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Bekah Wickham the Manager of Training and Resources at the Immigrant Welcome Center. The Immigrant Welcome Center is an organization dedicated to empowering Indy’s immigrants by connecting them to the people, places, and resources they need in order to thrive.

    Bekah is a community advocate with a drive for justice and equity. With an educational background in community development, she is passionate about contributing her knowledge and skills to her community in hopes to advocate and care for those within it. Bekah has experience working with Cuban, Haitian, and Dominican migrants through work with International Organization for Migration under the UN, and out of this experience has developed a passion for the immigrants in Indianapolis.

    Bekah will share with us about the Immigrant Welcome Center’s work with immigrants and refugees in the Central Indiana area, the services they offer and how to get involved. All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. If registering on site we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. We plan to transition to a cashless registration later this fall. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Upcoming Programs:
    September 26: Dr. David Geeslin, Superintendent/CEO, Indiana School for the Deaf
    October 3: Brandi David-Handy, Chief Customer Officer, US Utilities, AES Indiana
    October 10: Jefferson Shreve, Indianapolis Mayoral Candidate
    October 17: Joe Hogsett, Mayor of Indianapolis
    October 24: Autumn Bryant, Attorney & Counsellor at Law, Randall & Bryant
    October 31: Fifth Tuesday Service Project with Pack Away Hunger
     

  • September 12: Dennis Trinkle

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Dennis Trinkle the Senior Vice President of Talent, Strategy and Partnerships at TechPoint, Indiana’s digital economy accelerator.

    Dr. Trinkle served as the system chief executive, provost and chief academic officer for Harrison College. Dr. Trinkle has served leading institutions across the higher education, corporate, and government sectors, including serving as the chief executive officer of IHETS, chief information officer, associate vice president for academic affairs, and Tenzer Professor of Information Technology for DePauw University, and Director of the Center for Information and Communication Sciences at Ball State University, and the president, chief executive officer, and board chair for many companies and non-profit organizations. He is the author and editor of 18 books and more than 75 articles on entrepreneurship, technology, leadership, teaching and learning. Together with Kevin Allen, CEO of EiGames, he developed the award-wining videogame on the entrepreneurial process—Fireworks: The Entrepreneurship Experience (2018). His latest books: Recipes for Success: How to Start a Business and The Future Disruptors: Coming Transformations in Business, Technology, and Leadership were published in 2021. All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Upcoming Programs:
    September 19: Bekah Wickham, Manager of Training & Resources, Immigrant Welcome Center
    September 26: Dr. David Geeslin, Superintendent/CEO, Indiana School for the Deaf
     

  • Bowlers Wanted

    The 2023-24 Rotary Bowling League starts Tuesday, September 19. There’s still a few openings. If you have three bowlers, we can make space for your team. If it’s just you, we will fit you on to an existing team.

    Details:
    -Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. until about 8:30 p.m. at Woodland Bowl (96th & Keystone)
    -24 Weeks with the league ending in early April.
    -$20/week (3 games) but $18/week with pre-payment.
    -Our league is about fun! Proof: Our averages range from 90 to 190, and we even root for our opponents. Some bowlers even leave the lanes to reconvene at a nearby restaurant for appetizers and beverages, Fun!

    Interested in learning more? Attend the Rotary Bowling Open House on Tuesday, September 19 at 5:30 p.m. at Woodland Bowl. 

    To join, contact Norm Melzer.
  • September 5: Dr. Aleesia Johnon

    September 5: Dr. Aleesia Johnon

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Dr. Aleesia Johnson. Dr. Johnson serves as Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), the largest district in Indiana serving more than 30,000 students. Named Superintendent in 2019, Dr. Johnson has entered her second decade of service as an educator, achieving success as a teacher, school leader and administrator in both public charter and traditional district schools. She is the first Black woman to serve as superintendent in Indianapolis Public Schools.

    A native of Evansville, Indiana, Dr. Johnson comes from a family of educators, including her mother, who is an elementary school principal, her grandfather, who was one of few African American administrators in the Evansville area during the 1970s and 80s, and her grandmother, who worked as a high school classroom assistant. Growing up in her mother’s middle school classroom, Dr. Johnson began her career as a 6th grade Science and Social Studies teacher. Dr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and African American Studies from Agnes Scott College, a Master of Social Work in Children and Youth and Community Organizing from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Secondary Education and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, both from Oakland City University.  

    Dr. Johnson believes deeply in service not only to the students and families of IPS but also to the broader Indianapolis community. She demonstrates this belief through her membership on several local organizational boards, including The Arts Council of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis 500 Festival, the IUPUI Board of Advisors, and the Board of Trustees for Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis Campus. She serves on the advisory board at Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research and is also a member of the Aspen Superintendents Network as well as Chiefs For Change, a national advocacy organization of state and district education leaders. Dr. Johnson is privileged to also be an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Upcoming Programs:
    September 12: Dennis Trinkle, Senior VP, Talent, Strategy & Partnerships, TechPoint
    September 19: Bekah Wickham, Manager of Training & Resources, Immigrant Welcome Center
    September 26: Dr. David Geeslin, Superintendent/CEO, Indiana School for the Deaf
     
  • Environment & Beautification Service Blitz – Volunteers Needed

    Environment & Beautification Service Blitz – Volunteers Needed

    Join the Environment and Beautification Committee at their upcoming service projects. Sign up online to participate. All are welcome at these family friendly events!

    Saturday, September 16: Mass Ave Cultural Arts District from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 
    Saturday, September 23: Mass Ave Cultural Arts District from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
    Saturday, September 30: Fletcher Place Community Center, 1627 Prospect St., Indianapolis, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
    Saturday, October 7: RecycleForce, 816 N. Sherman Drive, Indianapolis, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Older youth and adults only due to construction.)

    Special thanks to the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation for funding these projects.

  • September 13: 5:31 Club

    Who: Rotarians, friends, guests, and anyone wanting to learn more about Rotary.

    What: No agenda, just the regular monthly social get-together.

    When: Wednesday, September 13 at 5:31 p.m.

    Where: Broad Ripple Brewpub, 842 E 65th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220
    Guests can enjoy the Brewpub’s exquisite cuisine and beverages which includes British, American and Vegetarian/Vegan cuisine and fresh handcrafted beers brewed on the premises!

    In addition to 5:31 Club – the Tails and Ales event by Pet Friendly Services of Indiana will be at Broad Ripple Brewpub from 5:30 – 8 p.m.! This event provides small animal rescues the opportunity to introduce themselves and some of their adoptable animals.