Category: Riley Holiday

  • Ways To Give This Holiday Season

    Ways To Give This Holiday Season

    Riley Trim-a-Tree

    Please join us at the 2018 Riley Trim-a-Tree on Thursday, December 6th, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. as we join with Riley children and their parents to make Christmas ornaments and decorate the Christmas tree in the lobby at Riley Children’s Health. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Matt Wilhelm at matt@walkeragency.com or 317-759-9310. We are seeking 15 volunteers for this fun event!

    Salvation Army Bell Ringing

    The bells will be ringing again for the Salvation Army. This year as we celebrate the Holiday Season, we can bring a little joy into many families by collecting monies in the Red Kettles. Please participate for 1 hour, with another Rotarian on November 29th , December 6th or 13th from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m.. We are in the downtown Mall Parking Garage Level (all location info will be sent to you) as always and are a delight to many shoppers and small children! Please see or contact Stacey Robinson or Jennifer Hobbs (or any Community Service Committee member) to be sent the Google Doc sign-up sheet. It is easy and the giving is so meaningful!

    Riley Plea Tree

    November 27th kicks off our annual gift drive for Riley Hospital. Look for the Riley Plea Tree at our regular Tuesday luncheons on November 27th, December 4th and December 11th. The gifts we provide are much needed and so appreciated by Riley patients and families, and are distributed directly to patient rooms by the Riley Cheer Guild. More information to come soon and we hope you include this as part of your giving this holiday season.

  • Riley Plea Tree November 29-December 13

    Riley Plea Tree November 29-December 13

    Beginning November 29 and for 2 consecutive Tuesdays afterwards, our “Riley Plea Tree” event will take place at regular Rotary meetings.

    The Riley Plea Tree is a tabletop holiday tree with “ornamental tags” that are wish list items designated by our Riley Hospital contact person. Rotarians are encouraged to pull a tag, buy that item, and return it UNWRAPPED to a Rotary meeting. These items are delivered to Riley where they are used to replenish the “Child Life Development Cart” that is circulated in the hospital. (Cash is also accepted at Rotary meetings and wish list items will be purchased.)

    Thanks to Rotarian Suzanne Marshall for leading this event!

  • 2014 Rotary and Riley Ornament Making, Tree Trimming and Gift Giving

    2014 Rotary and Riley Ornament Making, Tree Trimming and Gift Giving

    On December 16, 2014, Indianapolis Rotarians donated their dollars and gifts for one special day at Riley Hospital for Children.

    Pictured from left to right: Lauren Scheldrup (Indianapolis Rotary), Riley Children’s Hospital representative, Jenny Conder (Indianapolis Rotary), Matt Burnett (Indianapolis Rotary President), Susie Harmless (Indianapolis Rotary Executive Director). Thank you Rotarian John Bragg (John Bragg Photography) for the photo!

  • Rotarians at Riley and Plea Tree for Riley Hospital

    Rotarians at Riley and Plea Tree for Riley Hospital

    On December 4, Rotarians helped with tree trimming and Arts and Crafts at Riley (pictured: Vice President, Sheila Carlson, Angela Ingalls and Past President, Matt Will). Check out more photos on our Facebook page!

    Rotarians! Continue supporting the cause and the Family Life Center at Riley Hospital for Children by donating a new, unwrapped gift! Gifts will be collected at Rotary programs on Dec. 9 and 16. You will help put smiles on the faces of those who won’t be able to spend the holidays at home.

  • Rotary and Riley Ornament Making, Tree Trimming and Gift Giving

    Rotary and Riley Ornament Making, Tree Trimming and Gift Giving

    Each year, Indianapolis Rotarians donate dollars and gifts for one special day at Riley Hospital for Children. This year was no different and a wonderful and festive time was had by all on Thursday, December 5.

    Pictured from left to right: Autumn, Krista Hauswald (Child Life Specialist), Jessica Bex (Rotary), Scott Armstrong (Rotary), Susie Harmless (Rotary), Melissa Sexton (Child Life Specialist), Brad Moritz (Riley Children’s Foundation).

    Thank you Rotarian John Bragg (John Bragg Photography) for the photo!

  • Rotary-Riley Annual Holiday Party A Huge Success

    Rotary-Riley Annual Holiday Party A Huge Success

    Riley ChildYes, the snow outside was frightful, but the smiles and children indoors where delightful. And of course several hardy Rotarians can accomplish much with the reminder of “service above self.”

    Melissa Sexton, (Riley) and her elves had all the ornament kits ready to go, the live band was tuning up and about a dozen Rotarians and family members gathered to host our annual ornament making party for the kids and their families at the Riley Children’s Hospital, Thursday December 5. Our own Jessica Bex was our organizer and beautiful cheerleader.

    As snow and sleet blew around outside we had the privilege of helping precious children, their families and many of their caregivers create ornaments for a beautifully lighted tree waiting to be decorated.

    Back for his second year as “official” photographer Bob McColgin took video and photographs of the event. See the video here or on the home page (scroll down) of the Indy Rotary website.

    Thank you Rotarians – you are amazing members and we are an amazing Club doing good for the community.

  • December 5, Tree Trimming Party with Riley Kids

    December 5, Tree Trimming Party with Riley Kids

    It is time again to kick-off our Community Service Project, Rotary Christmas with Riley Kids. Our project consists of two wonderful opportunities to bring a touch of joy to Riley Kids and families who will be spending their holiday season at Riley Hospital. We will, once again, place our Plea Tree at the weekly luncheons through December 10th. We will also host Rotary Christmas with Riley Kids Party (Riley’s Tree Trimming Party.)

    It is estimated that 200 children and their families will wake up Christmas morning in their hospital bed and room rather than nestled together in their own homes. The generosity of treasure and time that we can give this season may bring a smile to a child, but will also provide a touch of warmth in the heart of the giver.

    Rotarians and Friends at Riley

    Holiday Cards On Sale NOW!
    Purchase your Riley Holiday Cards at Tuesday meetings (by the Plea Tree table). Proceeds to go to Riley and the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation. Packs of 10 are @20.00 each.

    Plea Tree (Gift Donation):
    The tree will be displayed at the weekly luncheons each Tuesday from November 12 – December 10th. We are asking for two volunteers to host the Plea Tree each week. Ornaments will adorn the tree displaying gifts for Riley kids selected from a Riley Gift wish list. You may pull off an ornament displaying the gift you would like to purchase or there will be a gift guide available at the table. Please bring the gift unwrapped to the Plea Tree table on or before December 10th. If you would like to contribute money, rather than purchase a gift, please feel free to do so and we will purchase the gift on your behalf. (Checks may be made out to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis. Please write, “Riley Project,” in the memo line).

    The gifts will be presented at a formal presentation to the Riley Foundation Director along with Riley Kids on Thursday, December 12th by President Scott Armstrong and Executive Director, Susie Harmless.

    Tree Trimming Party:
    This is a party held for all Riley patients and their families in the Atrium of Riley Hospital. We host the party with our Rotarian volunteers. All of the Riley patients who are physically able to come out of their rooms and beds along with their loved ones join in the festivities of holiday music, ornament making and trimming of the tree. This is an experience that I assure you the treasure is not what you receive, but what you give.

    We need 25 volunteers for the Tree Trimming Riley Christmas Party on December 5th from 5:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. held at the Riley Hospital Atrium. Please contact Jessica Bex for additional information or to volunteer; jessicab[at]mhcc-indy.com or 317-860-1556