Join the 5:31 Club for our monthly social gathering on Wednesday, March 11, at the Rathskeller!
Who: Rotarians, friends, and guests looking to enjoy a fun filled Wednesday evening.
What: No agenda – just a relaxed evening of fellowship, conversation and connection
Location: Rathskeller in the Bar, 401 E. Michigan Street, Indianapolis.
Date: Wednesday, March 11 at 5:31 pm to 7:00 pm (or whenever you can drop by!)
Come enjoy great company, good food and the spirit of Rotary in a casual setting.
The 4-Way Test Program is a fantastic opportunity for Rotarians to engage with students, offering valuable tools, techniques, and strategies for making thoughtful, ethical decisions that will serve them throughout their lives. By participating, you’ll help instill essential skills in young people while providing them with insights that will shape their future.
This initiative is not only impactful for the students, but also incredibly rewarding for the volunteers. It’s a chance to witness firsthand the growth and development of the next generation and be part of their educational journey. We promise the experience will be eye-opening, fun, and a fulfilling way to give back to the community!
For our newer members, this is an excellent way to get involved with Rotary and experience our mission in action. We welcome everyone to be part of this meaningful program!
Our next 4-Way Test will be on Thursday, February 19 at 9:00 am at Indiana Math and Science Academy – North, 7435 N. Keystone Ave., Indianapolis (old Junior Achievement building).
Interested in volunteering? Please email Mike Crowley or call him directly at 317-627-9030.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to make a difference in students’ lives and be part of Rotary’s impactful work!
Join us on Wednesday, February 11 for the next Rotary Corporate Membership Series, designed for corporate and board members seeking meaningful connection and practical insight.
We will welcome Jason Beutler, Founder and CEO of Robo Source, for a timely discussion on AI, business growth, and meaningful work. Jason will share how AI and automation can strengthen organizations without replacing people, offering practical, human-centered insights leaders can apply right away.
Key takeaways include:
Event Details
Registration
Corporate Members received a registration email on January 22 from Rotarian Zack Conner. To learn more about Corporate Membership, contact info@indyrotary.org.
Several updates to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis By-Laws are being proposed to modernize the document, improve clarity, and better reflect how the club operates today.
Key proposed updates include:
• Officer title changes to reduce confusion: the current President-Elect would become Vice President, and the current Vice President would become Second Vice President.
• Reduction in the number of directors to eleven.
• Election of directors by voice vote rather than written ballot.
• Updating language to reference a “regular scheduled meeting” instead of a “weekly meeting.”
• Board of Directors vacancies to be filled by a vote of the Board.
• Clarifying that Board meetings are “regular” rather than “monthly.”
• Reduction in the number of standing committees.
• Removal of references to classification.
• Removal of gender-specific language.
• Elimination of member voting on termination matters.
• Addition of a provision outlining budget preparation and approval.
• Various grammar and clarity edits throughout the document.
View the current by-laws with proposed changes.
Rotarians are encouraged to review the proposed changes. Please reach out to a board member if you have questions or would like additional information.
Join us for this year’s 5:31 Club Wine Tasting, graciously hosted by Rotarian Matt Burnett and his wife, Jill!
When:
Tuesday, February 4
5:31–7:00 pm
Where:
The home of Rotarian Matt Burnett.
How it works:
The rules are simple!
This is a wine tasting, but just in case, rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft are encouraged. Please drink responsibly.
February 26, 1947 – January 2, 2026
Jerry Thomas Clifford, passed away peacefully leaving a legacy of leadership, community service, devotion to family and love for flight.
Born February 26, 1947 in Denver, Colorado, he never tired of visits to the Rockies throughout the years. He was raised in Indianapolis proud of large paper routes managed from an early age that provided the foundation for a career in sales.
Jerry attended the Latin School of Indianapolis where he built a faithful brotherhood in the Class of 1965 that lasted his lifetime. He attended Saint Meinrad Seminary from 1965-1966 and the institution was a sacred place his entire life.
In 1967, he married Mary Ellen Martin in Indianapolis. Their marriage was the foundation of his life and he cherished her deeply in the everyday moments they spent together and in the strength in her presence.
He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1967-1973. He began his work career at Graybar Electric in 1967. He then devoted 30 years to Indiana Bell/AT&T consistently achieving top sales awards in service to customers. In 1979, Governor Otis Bowen presented him with the Sagamore of the Wabash for his dedication to the telecommunication needs of the State of Indiana. He was most proud of his volunteer service to others in the community during retirement including: Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), AARP Foundation Tax Aide IRS-certified volunteer, Fort Harrison Reuse Authority Commissioner, City of Lawrence Redevelopment Commission Commissioner, and The Fort Golf Resort Volunteer Starter. Equally, he enjoyed the best of friends through hobbies including the Experimental Aircraft Association at Mt. Comfort Airport, the Rotary Club of Indianapolis for 38 years, the Indianapolis Athletic Club for 30 years, and a certain early Friday morning coffee club.
He was preceded in death by his parents Jeremiah Francis Clifford and Mary Elizabeth Clifford. He is survived by his wife Mary Ellen and his three children: Christopher T. Clifford (Stephanie) of Zionsville, Suzanne M. Taylor (Dana) of Fort Thomas, KY & Colleen M. Starkey (Nickolas) of Colorado Springs, CO. His beloved grandchildren include Katherine Clifford, Benjamin Clifford, Nicholas Clifford, Matthew Clifford, Evan Taylor, Andrew Taylor, Anna Starkey, and Steel Starkey. He also relished and was blessed by extended family and friends beyond measure.
Visitation for Jerry will be held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 from 4 – 7 p.m. at Oakley-Hammond Funeral Home, 5342 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46219. Mass of Christian Burial will 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 5333 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46219. Interment will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens.
The Community Service Committee is excited to announce a service opportunity with Gleaners Food Bank. They are looking for 20 volunteers to help serve on Saturday, January 31, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. Friends and family ages 13+ are welcome to attend. To sign up to volunteer, please complete the online form.
What to expect during your shift:
• Want a sneak peek of our volunteer project? Check out this video.
• Volunteers will be loading cars, directing traffic, and bagging bulk food items for the food pantry drive-thru distribution
• The majority of this project does take place outdoors.
• Why is this important? During the shift, we will help to provide up to 25,000 meals.
This project does require repetitive light lifting (think loading your groceries in the car) and bending, but some accommodations can be made. Please let Gleaners know prior to signing up or when you arrive if you need light-duty accommodations.
Questions? Contact Community Service Committee Co-Chairs Autumn Bryant and Paul Sammons.
The Rotary Club of Indianapolis Foundation has awarded $140,000 in Community Grants to eight Indiana nonprofit organizations for the 2025–2026 funding cycle. The grants support programs addressing youth wellbeing, foster care, housing stability, cultural preservation, and workforce development across Central Indiana.
The Community Grants program is part of more than $260,000 in annual charitable support funded by the Foundation’s nearly $9.5 million endowment, one of the largest Rotary club foundations in the United States. Established in 1947 and supported by more than a century of Rotary leadership in Indianapolis, the Foundation provides stable, long-term investment in the region’s most critical community needs.
2025–2026 Community Grant Recipients
$10,000 Grants
• Indiana Historical Society – Supporting a major exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
• Jameson Camp – Funding summer programming for youth ages 7–17, emphasizing confidence, belonging, and outdoor experiences.
• KIC-IT – Furnishing transitional homes for youth and young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Johnson County.
• The Milk Bank – Launching a volunteer initiative to expand awareness and support for milk donation across Indiana.
$25,000 Grants
• Foster Success – Supporting LEAD, a civic engagement program empowering young adults with foster care experience to develop and present policy recommendations to Indiana lawmakers.
• Happy Hollow Children’s Camp [happyhollowcamp.org] – Providing scholarships for summer camp and leadership programs for families facing economic hardship.
• Isaiah 117 House – Restocking essential clothing, hygiene items, and care supplies for children entering foster care in Marion County.
• Latinas Welding Guild – Expanding advanced welding courses to increase access to skilled-trades training for Latina women and other underrepresented groups.
These grants reflect the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening multiple community sectors, including youth development, food access, cultural preservation, foster care, housing stability, environmental initiatives, and the arts.
The Indianapolis Rotary Foundation is a private, stand-alone corporation that serves as the community charitable arm of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis. Each year, the Foundation generously donates over $260,000 annually to projects and organizations in the Central Indiana Area that promote the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”
Want to contribute to the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation? Donate here.
The Rotary Club of Indianapolis is one of the largest and most active Rotary Clubs in the world. Founded in 1913, the club has compiled an extensive record as one the leading supporters and contributors to the quality of life in Indianapolis. For further information about the Rotary Club of Indianapolis, visit indyrotary.org
Join us Wednesday, December 10 from 4:00 to 5:30 pm at Elevate Ventures for an exclusive session with Toph Day, CEO of Elevate Ventures and Chief Visionary Officer of Rally, the world’s largest cross-sector innovation conference. Toph leads the most active seed and early-stage investment firm in the Great Lakes Region and has co-founded eight companies across industries from AI to real estate, with multiple exits to Fortune 500 companies.
In this session, Toph will explore:
✅ How AI is transforming business leadership
✅ Practical AI applications across industries
✅ The entrepreneurial mindset driving innovation in Indiana
✅ Insights from his 30-year journey as an innovator and community builder
Agenda:
4:00 pm – Arrival & Check-In
4:15 pm – Icebreaker: Rose, Bud, Thorn
4:30 pm – Conversation with Toph Day
5:30 pm – Closing & Networking
Event Details:
Location: Elevate Ventures, downtown Indianapolis (overlooking Gainbridge Fieldhouse)
Parking: Street parking available
Registration: Corporate Members received a registration link via email on November 5. To learn about Corporate Membership, email info@indyrotary.org.
Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow Corporate Members and gain insights from one of Indiana’s leading innovators.