Category: News

  • 2024 Celebration Event & Fundraiser

    2024 Celebration Event & Fundraiser

    It’s time to celebrate! Every year the Rotary Club of Indianapolis reflects on our impact over the prior year with a celebration! 

    What to expect:

    • Camaraderie
    • Fun
    • Food
    • Silent auction
    • Reflections on our community impact, community beautification, world community service over the last year
    • Installation and celebration of our new president and board
    • Celebration of President Patrick! 

    Event Info:
    June 25th, 2024
    Gainbridge Fieldhouse
    5:30 pm – cocktail hour
    6:30 pm – dinner & program


    Cost: Early Bird $65/per person, $75/per person starting June 1 – register at rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/

    Check out photos from last year!

    *Please note: all contributions to this event (ticket price, silent auction, and sponsorships) go to benefit the club. The club is not a 501(c)3 and thus gifts made are not tax deductible.

    Sponsorship Opportunities

    We hope you or your business will consider sponsoring the dinner. Multiple sponsorships are available if you’re interested in supporting your club in this way. 

    This fundraiser helps to support our club’s bottom line so we can provide better experiences for Rotarians as we learn about and support our community. Thank you for your consideration. 

    Contact the office at info@indyrotary.org if you’re interested in this opportunity or go to rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/ to reserve your sponsorship today.

  • Nominations Open for Rotary Outstanding Achievement Recognition Award (ROAR)

    Nominations Open for Rotary Outstanding Achievement Recognition Award (ROAR)

    The Rotary Club of Indianapolis is proud to announce that nominations for the Rotary Outstanding Achievement Recognition (ROAR) Award is open (formerly called Rotarian of the Year). Nominations for Rotarians in good standing who have demonstrated “Service Above Self” during his or her lifetime are being accepted. This award recognizes a life devoted to reflecting the Four Way Test, not just within the Club, but in their career and community life as well. This is considered a lifetime achievement award.

    Completed nominations should be submitted no later than May 15, 2024, to Jamie Hanan via email or by completing the online form below.

    Public announcement of the ROAR Award will occur on June 4, 2024, and the award will be presented at the 2024 Celebration Event scheduled for the evening of June 25, 2024.

    Past Recipients:
    2007: Marge Tarpley and Danny Danielson
    2008: Dr. Tim Dudley
    2009: Hugh Baker
    2010: Bill Batt
    2011: Bill Ervin
    2012: Gene Busche
    2013: Club celebrated 100th anniversary and named Rotarian of the Century: Senator Richard Lugar
    2014: Paul Raikes
    2015: Club celebrated retirement of Executive Director, Susie Harmless, and, therefore, no ROY named
    2016: Judge Tom Fisher
    2017: Elaine Bedel
    2018: Tom Lugar
    2019: Jeff Lake
    2020: Kathy Cookerly and Bill Bubenzer
    2021: Marie Koenig and Larry Brodnik
    2022: Peggy Blackard and Norm Melzer
    2023: David Leonards

    ROAR Award Nomination

    This is the nomination form for the ROAR Award (Rotary Outstanding Achievement Recognition)
    • All nominees must be a current member of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis
    • Why you think this person is deserving of being honored as Rotarian of the Year
    • You must be a member of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis to nominate a ROAR nominee. All submissions will remain confidential.

  • Rotary Golf League

    Rotary Golf will start on Monday, May 13 at River Glen. Save the date for our Outing at The Fort on August 7. You do not have to be a good golfer as all events are handicapped. For more information or to sign up to receive the weekly golf newsletter contact David Leonards at ieb@prodigy.net.

  • Rotarian Guille Harvey Passes Away

    Rotarian Guille Harvey Passes Away

    Guille was born on March 7, 1936 in Kenosha, Wisconsin and died on Thursday, February 29, 2024 at the age of 87 in Wayland, Massachusetts. He was the son of Tom and Gracia Harvey. Guille moved to Indianapolis in 1940 with his parents and sister Diana and attended School 84. Here, he developed a love of classical piano and choral music and expressed this with piano lessons and participation in choral groups. He had the pleasure of playing the Warsaw Concerto at the 8th Grade Piano Recital. At this time, he joined the Boy Scouts and enjoyed learning new skills, camping fun and making new friends. He became an Eagle Scout and then joined a Sea Scout Troop to learn how to sail which he did on several trips to Lake Michigan. He was always fascinated with sea stories, especially tales of foreign adventure. At Shortridge High School, he participated in numerous activities such as plays, talent shows, clubs related to government, school newspaper, and speech contests. When he learned about an opportunity to join the US Navy, he quickly applied for and was awarded an NROTC Scholarship to Miami University (Ohio) where he was a Business Major and member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. At graduation in 1958, he entered the Navy Supply Corps as Ensign, SC, USN and was assigned as Ships Stores Officer on the USS Bennington (CVS20) located in San Diego, CA and then Assistant Navy Exchange Office at Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL. After completing his active duty in 1961, he joined the Naval Reserve in 1962 and completed numerous training assignments in various aspects of Navy Supply afloat and ashore with his final assignment at OP04-Logistics at the Pentagon. He retired from the Naval Reserve in 1983 with the rank of CAPTAIN (06), SC, USNR.

    Guille was married to Ann Zieg in November 1972 and was blessed with son John (Heather) and grandchildren Katie, Cameron and James and daughter Susan (Mike Miceli) and grandchildren Cayden and Cole. He has had the great joy of living with a wonderful wife and happy healthy children and grandchildren.

    In his civilian career, Guille received his MBA from Northwestern University in 1962 and worked as a case writer for the Northwestern Marketing Department preparing studies about various challenges in Marketing at Chicago corporations for publication in Marketing textbooks. He then became a Marketing Research Analyst at Market Facts, Inc. in Chicago, responsible for projects related to advertising effectiveness and product acceptance tests. In 1968, he moved back to Indianapolis to work at Citizens Gas and Coke Utility and Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Marketing Research until he changed careers and became a Supply Officer at the Army Finance Center from 1976 to 1980. He then moved to the Defense Contract Management Agency as Contract Administrator and enjoyed the challenge of problem solving and troubleshooting associated with contracts awarded by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to a wide variety of small, medium and large contractors in Central and Southern Indiana. He retired from DCMA in 2007.

    During retirement, Guille enjoyed membership in Rotary Club of Indianapolis and Service Club of Indianapolis. One of the great joys of life for Guille was participating in the St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Chancel Choir from January 1992-December 2017. Beautiful sacred music at Sunday worship services and magnificent Christmas Concerts provided a constant reassurance of the glory of God and the gift of his blessed Son Jesus Christ.

    Guille’s family is very grateful to the medical and caregiver teams at Community North Health Network, OrthoIndy, Indiana Spine Center, his Dermatologists, Roxana’s Senior Home Care Caregivers (MA), Good Shepherd Community Hospice (MA) and the staff at Carriage House at Lee’s Farm (MA) as well as the care and guidance of Karen Ackerman, RN, BSN, CCM.

    Guille’s Celebration of Life will be at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN on Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.. Following the service, please join Guille’s family for a reception in Fellowship Hall. Gifts to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in memory of Guille would be greatly appreciated. For online guestbook: everettfuneral.com

  • Rotarian Mac Fehsenfeld Passes Away

    Rotarian Mac Fehsenfeld Passes Away

    Mac Fehsenfeld (93) passed from this life on Friday, November 17, 2023, son of J. E. Fehsenfeld and Ruth (Barnes) Fehsenfeld. He is survived by his wife Nancy C. (Gore) Fehsenfeld, daughter Debra A. (Fehsenfeld) Baker, daughter Trina L. (Fehsenfeld) Stuk, son-in-law, Steven J. Stuk, son Mark E. Fehsenfeld and daughter-in-law Channa (Bowling) Fehsenfeld, nine grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren.

    Mac attended Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, graduated from Rose Polytechnic Institute, and was a corporal in the U. S. Army toward the end of the Korean War. He was the youngest of four brothers, three preceding him in death: Frank B. Fehsenfeld, John E. Fehsenfeld, Jr. (Jack), and Fred M. Fehsenfeld, Sr. He worked, along with his brothers, in a family business founded by his father in 1930, serving as President, then CEO, of Crystal Flash Petroleum from 1971 until 2006 when he retired.

    Mac was a devoted husband to Nancy, theirs was a marriage of 71 years, a beloved father, and was loved by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He believed himself to be blessed with a loving family and was at peace with his eventual death, knowing he had lived a good life.

    Mac did enjoy life. A Rotarian, he participated for 61 years in a Rotary bowling league, golfed, was a master angler, and enjoyed raising and racing thoroughbred horses. He loved telling a good joke or a favorite family story and he was a generous philanthropist.

    His wish upon death was to have a quiet family graveside service. For those who wish to honor his life, contributions can be made to Rose Hulman Technical Institute, 5500 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute, IN 47803; Riley Children’s Foundation, 500 N. Merdian Street, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46204; Gleaners Food Bank of Indianapolis, 3737 Waldemere Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46241; The Patachou Foundation, 4565 Marcy Lane, Indianapolis, IN 46205; or Joy’s House, 2028 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46220.

    Arrangements are entrusted to Flanner Buchanan-Washington Park North

    A Celebration of Life for Mac will be held on Saturday, December 16 from 1-5 p.m. at 6320 Intech Way, Indianapolis.

  • December 6: 5:31 Club at Newfields

    December 6: 5:31 Club at Newfields

    Experience the wonder of nearly two million lights glittering in the garden this holiday season at Winterlights on Wednesday, Dec. 6th at 5:30pm.  

    Dress warmly for this outdoor walking event. Beverages and snacks are available for purchase, and there’s a firepit where we can linger and warm up. This is a family-friendly event. 

    We’ll meet in the parking lot as we lineup for the 5:30pm admittance. Grab your tickets right away, as Newfields always sells out. Be sure to purchase tickets for the 5:30pm time slot (Wednesday, Dec. 6th)

    Learn More & Get Your Tickets: https://discovernewfields.org/Checkout?eid=109336

    Afterward, we’ll head to the Aristocrat for dinner and drinks.

  • Rotary District Awards

    Rotary District Awards

    This past weekend, the 2022-2023 You Are Appreciated Awards were presented during the Rotary District 6560 Fall Forum by Immediate Past District Governor Mekey McAllen. Congratulations to Indy Rotarians Tracey Danner-Odenwelder the “Richard Kendall Award for Service to Humanity” recipient and Stan Jacobs for “Rotarian of the Year.”

  • 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. 

  • August 18: Polo at Sunset

    Come for an evening of great fun at Hickory Hall Polo Club.

    Pack your picnic baskets, grab your drinks, and join the Rotary Club of Indianapolis for a Polo Party at Sunset benefiting the Indianapolis Children’s Choir.

    BYOB – please bring food, drinks, chairs, and tailgate items while you enjoy an evening of polo with a terrific Indiana sunset. Look for the Rotary tent when you get there.

    All are welcome!

    Contact Abby Harlan with questions.

    Admission: $40 per car
    Gates open at 5 p.m.
    March starts at 6 p.m.

    Want to carpool?
    Meet at Kroger Parking Lot, 10679 N. Michigan Road, Zionsville, IN 46077 at 5:15 p.m. 

  • August 29: Community Networking Event

    August 29: Community Networking Event

    You’re invited to an afternoon of fun and networking with INSPIREsmall.biz and the Rotary Club of Indianapolis at the Murat Shrine in downtown Indianapolis.

    On August 29 (in place of our Tuesday lunch program) we will be hosting a community networking event. Join us for an afternoon of new connections, light appetizers and cash bar from 3-6 p.m. All are welcome!

    Register before Tuesday, August 22 to have your contact information included in the event booklet. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/656211976687