• Indy Rotary Adds New Mass Texting System

    Indy Rotary Adds New Mass Texting System

    The Rotary Club of Indianapolis recently added a Mass Texting system, to help communicate with membership and the community in the event of major developments, such as cancellations due to weather events, last minute changes in meeting times, programs or locations.

    “While we already send a number of announcements to our members each week,” said Susie Harmless, Executive Director, “it is important to emphasize that the Club is incorporating this system for very important and time-sensitive updates, alerts or announcements – NOT to promote regular events or to advertise. For these things, we will continue to distribute weekly e-news announcements, use our website to keep the community updated and will continue to be very active with social media.”

    While it is not scientific, the percentages of individuals who read texts verses email, Facebook and Twitter posts, is staggering. One report said that – 98% of text messages are read vs. 29% of Tweets vs. 12% of Facebook posts vs. 20% of emails. Here’s another recent article on those statistics. Said Greg Albright, Club Manager, “We must provide the easiest methods and various ways to communicate to our membership. Everyone has a mobile phone. In fact, some of our members may have better access to a text message than an email!”

    Over the past year, the Rotary Club of Indianapolis has improved it’s overall technology to better serve the community and Rotarians. Adding to the many benefits of being a member of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis. For more information on how you can become a member, visit the Membership Information page.

     

  • Congratulations Indianapolis Rotarian Lloyd Wright for Being Inducted into the Broadcast Hall of Fame

    Congratulations Indianapolis Rotarian Lloyd Wright for Being Inducted into the Broadcast Hall of Fame

    Please join us in congratulating Lloyd Wright, President and CEO of WFYI Public Media, on his induction into the Richard M. Fairbanks Indiana Broadcast Hall of Fame on October 3. A 30-year veteran of public media, Wright is the longest serving station manager in the Indianapolis market. You can read more about Wright’s professional accomplishments.

    Since his appointment as President and CEO of WFYI Public Media (Indiana’s flagship PBS and NPR member station) in 1989, Wright has distinguished himself as an innovative leader in the public media industry. During his tenure, WFYI’s annual operating budget has grown from $2.5 million to more than $10 million today. The station’s multi-media services and community-based programs have also expanded significantly in scope and impact. Under Wright’s direction, WFYI relocated in 2008 to a state-of-the-art facility in downtown Indianapolis and established an innovative partnership with the Economic Club of Indiana.

    In the last decade, WFYI has evolved from a local program producer into an award-winning producing station that distributes nearly a dozen documentaries and public affairs programs nationwide each year. WFYI has also has earned national recognition for its innovative fundraising practices and overall growth in membership and donor relations. In 2008, the station was honored with three PBS Development Awards, including the coveted “Award of Excellence for Overall Membership.”

    Download the Full Press Release, courtesy WFYI

  • 2013-14 Rotary License Plate Program

    The Rotary License Plates Sales Challenge

    • First Place: $2000
    • Second Place: $1000
    • Third Place: $ 500

    Prize money will be awarded based on the percent of license plate sales by District membership. The total number of plates sold by county within each District is determined from July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014 and divided by the number of members in the District at the end of June 2014. The District with the greatest percentage of sales/members will be awarded the first place prize. Districts with the second and third place percentages will also receive prize awards as listed above. Prize money will be awarded to the 2013-14 District Governors in July 2014 to be used for a charitable purpose within Indiana.

    How to order your Rotary License plate:

    Cost: $40 ($25 group fee, $15 administrative fee)
    The group fee is used to fund Indiana college scholarships and education initiatives.

    Low-digit plates (q100) are still available at an additional cost of $30.

    (Last year, sales increased to 278 plates. Our challenge is to increase sales to 500 plates so we can keep the Rotary Plate alive in Indiana!!)

    Support for the RI End Polio Now Campaign
    For each Rotary License plate sold between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014, the Columbus Sunrise Rotary Club will donate $1 to the Rotary Foundation on behalf of the District to support the End Polio Now initiative:

    • License plate sales will be tracked for each District: 6540, 6560, 6580
    • A check for the amount equal to the number of plates sold in each District will be sent to RI Foundation on a quarterly basis (October, January, April & July)
    • The check will identify the District (6540, 6560, 6580) to receive credit for the donation
    • Each District Governor will be notified of the amount of the donation on a quarterly basis.

    For more information, contact:
    Cindy Green at info[at]columbussunriserotary.org or Trish Moore at 812.371.3243

  • Prominent Arts Panel Speaks at Rotary!

    The Rotary Club of Indianapolis presented a panel discussion on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 with the CEOs of three of Central Indiana’s most important arts and cultural organizations:

    All three organizations have faced major challenges and have undergone significant changes in the last year, which also involved the hiring of these three individuals as CEO. The moderator was Frank Basile, long time arts philanthropist and volunteer. In our panel discussion, they talked about the challenges and opportunities they have been dealing with in the past year and their visions for the future for their organization and the arts and cultural community in general.

    The arts panel discussion was presented at a luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis in the Scottish Rite Cathedral Ballroom, 650 North Meridian Street and was open to the public.

    Download the Press Release.

    We  also had a special “Guest Day” that began just before the program.

  • Indy Rotary World Community Service Completes the “Three Days Project” in Zimbabwe

    Indy Rotary World Community Service Completes the “Three Days Project” in Zimbabwe

    This past summer, the World Community Service Team of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis completed several projects to provide fresh water and help the Ezekiel Guti Primary School in Harare, Zimbabwe. On behalf of the World Community Service committee, thank you to the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation and all other contributors who truly make a difference in the lives of others throughout the world!

    The project included:

    • Drilling of borehole, providing necessary casing, water retention tank, and pump,
    • Gas for transportation to borehole location,
    • Project management and administrative assistance,
    • Personal Driving Assistance.

    Ezekiel Guti Primary School

    What We Do. The World Community Service Committee (WCSC) is responsible for identifying and supporting international service projects for the Club. Projects generally have a club member “champion” who ideally works in partnership with an overseas Rotary Club and personally travels to the location of the project to help create relationships and oversee the project. The committee currently supports clean water initiatives in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Haiti and Ecuador; multiple projects in Kenya including support for a legal aid clinic, mother-child hospital, and school classrooms; an aquaculture project in Moshi, Tanzania; a microfinance project in Calnali, Mexico; and peace learning projects in Jamaica.

  • October 26, Make a Difference on Make a Difference Day!

    make a difference dayRotary’s “Make a Difference Day” is Saturday, October 26.

    This year we will make our difference by assembling packages of food at Kids Against Hunger of Central Indiana, located in Noblesville. We will pack food from 9am until 11am for distribution both locally and globally. Children even as young as 5 can participate. Contact Norm Melzer at normmelzer[at]gmail.com for details and to sign up.

  • So Long, Babe…Hope to See You Again

    So Long, Babe…Hope to See You Again

    On Friday, September 27th our beloved “Babe” returned to the Kiwanis, once again. He left our closet to be in their closet, and we couldn’t be more saddened by the loss. On Friday, June 21, 2013 the Kiwanis won a close softball game against the Rotary Club of Indianapolis and because of that loss the traditional “handing over of the trophy” will occur.

    The “tradition” has always been that the losing team must hand the trophy back to the winning team at a club meeting. As anyone can imagine this can be a fun, yet humiliating event each year, so there is truly motivation to hang on to the “Babe!” This year, Greg Albright, Team Manager and Coach returned the trophy. He was accompanied by a few of the players, President Scott Armstrong and Executive Director Susie Harmless.

    Over the many years of softball games, your “Team Rotary” has had the winning advantage, although this may be disputed by Kiwanis because no “official” records have been kept. But, the one thing that has remained consistent has been the wonderful opportunity we are given each year to play at Victory Field thanks to longtime Rotarian Cal Burleson and longtime Kiwanian, Max Schumacher. They have allowed the two clubs to participate in this annual Summer game for many, many years. And, it is fun for the players and the fans.

    If you are interested in playing (and are seriously competitive), please call Greg Albright at 631-3733 or email him at galbright[at]indyrotary.org to get on the roster for next year. You must be a Rotarian to play!

     

  • Two Rotarians Shine as Finalists for Junior Achievement’s “Indy’s Best And Brightest” Awards!

    On Thursday, Ocotober 17, Junior Acheivement will recognize two of our very own at the annual “Indy’s Best and Brightest” event. In Banking and Financial Services, LaTonya Gaither, Service Center Manger at the Teachers Credit Union, Rotarian since November, 2012. And, in Technology, Dan Randolph, Lead Biologist with Dow AgroSciences and Rotarian since December, 2010. Our Rotarians are special! Please congratulate these deserving members of our community and thank them for being members of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis!

  • September 28, Help us Pedal For Peace

    September 28, Help us Pedal For Peace

    Join Team Rotary on  Saturday, September 28, 2013. 3-7 p.m. for this year’s Pedal for Peace.

    The event will take place at Major Taylor Velodrome, a world-class bike racing facility that was built for the Pan Am Games 3649 Cold Spring Rd.

    Watch this short video.

    Tim Dudley and Lisa JeffOur team is “Indy Rotary” and is open to all Rotarians, families and friends.  Last year we had about 15 bikers who had a wonderful time taking turns riding the track, visiting and enjoying food and fun.

    Donations from team participants will provide a school lunch for over 400 children for an entire year in Kenya AND help leading pantries procure 75 tons of food for hungry Indianapolis area residents. The recipients of the lunch would not be in school at all without the lunch so the gift is so much more than just food for these children.

    How do you get involved?

    Go to “Register to ride.”

    Our goal is for each rider to raise at least $100 for the cause – donations can be made thru the website or brought the day of the event.

  • MHAGI Receives Grant from The Indianapolis Rotary Foundation

    Mental Health America of Greater Indianapolis is Indianapolis’ leading nonprofit dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives. Mental Health America represents a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation – everyday and in times of crisis.

    MHA Indy, a United Way of Central Indiana community partner, is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

    MHA Indy is also an affiliate of the national Mental Health America and a chapter of Mental Health America of Indiana.