• May 28: Memorial Day Program

    Rotary welcomes
    Leeanne Lollar & Destiny Scott Wells

    Join us for our Memorial Day program as we hear from our own Indianapolis Rotarians and military combat veterans Leeanne Lollar, Client Advisor at Old National Wealth Management, and Destiny Scott Wells, Indiana Deputy Attorney General. Both Leeanne and Destiny offer the club a unique perspective not visited before: that of the female veteran. They will present a holistic viewpoint on the modern day veteran, including discussion on the sacrifices made by mothers in combat and their military families over the last 18 years.

    Leeanne served in the United States Army and Army Reserves from 2000-2009. She served two year-long combat tours in Iraq. During her time in the Army she led a squad of soldiers doing resupply missions in Iraq supporting the Infantry. Today she volunteers for Employer Support of the NG/ Reserve and assists in coordinating service projects between the bank and veteran focused non-profits. She also serves as a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters and serves on the several boards including the Central Indiana Police Foundation.

    Destiny will be completing her 16th year of service with the Army Reserve component as a military intelligence major. She has served on multiples tours, most recently completing a 13-month combat tour in Afghanistan where she oversaw the Department of Defense’s linguist services contract. Currently, she is finishing Army Command and General Staff College, along with balancing her full-time career primarily representing the Indiana Department of Correction and its employees in civil prisoner litigation.

    We will also have a special video appearance from Major Crystal Glabster, deployed overseas by U.S. Air Force office.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. The lunch buffet opens at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. See you there!

  • May 21: HVAF Backpacks For Homeless Veterans

    May 21: HVAF Backpacks For Homeless Veterans

    Work together to pack backpacks for homeless veterans

    Every night, veterans wander the streets of Indiana’s cities and towns looking for a place to sleep or a hot meal. The Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports 5,258 homeless persons in Indiana on any given night. Of that figure, approximately 540 are veterans. Nightly, there are over 40,056 homeless veterans nationally and 1.4 million veterans are considered at risk of homelessness. Sadly, these veterans who are now homeless are the same veterans who served our country with courage, self-sacrifice, honor, dignity, and pride. These veterans are America’s forgotten heroes. They fought for our freedom on the battlefield, and now they and their families fight daily for their survival on America’s streets.

    Join us on Tuesday, May 21 as we hear from HVAF, the nonprofit who supports Indiana’s homeless veterans.  We’ll also work together to pack backpacks with life essentials, which will be distributed to those in need.

  • June 14: Rotary Night at Symphony on the Prairie

    The Social Committee invites you to “The Music of Queen” at Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Kroger Symphony on the Prairie on Friday, June 14. 

    For just $26 per person, it’s the perfect place to meet, spend time with your Rotary friends and family for a fun night out. Bring your own blanket or bag chair, food and drinks or purchase concessions on site.

    Get ready for an entirely new feel at the Conner Prairie Amphitheater – three large LED screens were added to enhance your concert view! Every location on the lawn is enhanced with 8-meter screens on either side of the stage, and a 6-meter screen farther back on the lawn near the playground area.

    Make your reservations today, click here.

  • June 5:31 Club, LouVino on Mass Ave.

    WHO: Rotararians, friends, guests, and anyone wanting to learn more about Rotary.

    WHAT: LouVino is known for white and red wine flights, over 60 wines by the glass, bourbon, craft beer, cocktails, and adventurous Southern-inspired small plates.

    WHEN: Wednesday, June 5th, from 5:31 pm till 7:00 or 7:30 pm, or anytime in between.

    WHERE: 530 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 140, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

    WHY: Fellowship, fun, and frivolity during our monthly social get-together in a new downtown venue.

    ETC: Street parking and 530 North Street parking garage are available.

    NOTE: There is one flight of steps, no elevator, to work up an appetite and thirst!

  • May 14: Jeffrey C. McDermott, President/CEO, The Center for the Performing Arts and The Great American Songbook Foundation

    Jeff McDermott has served since September 2016 as President/CEO of the nonprofit Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel and the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation, both headquartered at the landmark Palladium concert hall. Previously, the longtime Carmel resident worked 31 years as a partner and practicing attorney with Krieg DeVault, LLP, where he was a four-term member of its Executive Committee, chair of its Litigation Practice and the Executive Partner of the firm’s Carmel Office. McDermott continues to serve as a Senior Counsel to the firm.

    The mission of the Center for the Performing Arts is to engage and inspire the Central Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. The Center provides educational programming for people of all ages and hosts hundreds of events each year at the 1,600-seat Palladium, the 500-seat Tarkington proscenium theater, and the black-box Studio Theater. The campus also is home to six resident companies: Actors Theatre of Indiana, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, Civic Theatre, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre and Indiana Wind Symphony.

    Join us Tuesday to learn more about the Center for the Performing Arts and preview the newly announced 2019-2020 Center Presents Season with President/CEO Jeffrey C. McDermott.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. The lunch buffet opens at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. See you there!

  • May 7: Dr. Kenith Britt, Senior Vice President and Dean, Fred S. Klipsch Educators College, Marian University

    Join us on Tuesday to hear from Indianapolis Rotarian Dr. Kenith Britt the Vice President and Dean of the Fred S. Klipsch Educators College at Marian University. Dr. Britt has been a visionary in educational circles for nearly two decades. He was named an Impact Academy Fellow for Deans for Impact and received the prestigious Junior Achievement of Central Indiana Indy’s Best and Brightest Award for his work to help transform teacher preparation.

    Dr. Britt is the founding dean of the Fred S. Klipsch Educators College at Marian University – an innovative new program designed to recruit and prepare a more talented, diverse education workforce to drive improvement in schools. Prior to joining Marian University, Dr. Britt served for 10 years as a principal and president of K-12 Catholic Schools. He holds a PhD in leadership from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. The lunch buffet opens at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. See you there!

  • Special Message from President John Mainella

    Special Message from President John Mainella

    By now, you have likely heard on the local and national news outlets that our beloved Rotarian and Senator Richard Lugar passed away Saturday evening after a short battle with the same syndrome that took his brother Tom.  He was surrounded by his loving wife of 63 years Charlene, four sons, and many other members of his family.

    We honored the Senator as Rotarian of the Century during our clubs centennial celebration and we recently joined with Gleaners to celebrate his work to eliminate hunger in the United States and across the world, as well as his efforts to promote global peace.  Many of us had the privilege and honor of hearing Dick and Tom share their brotherly love and their family’s story at a Tuesday meeting several years ago.  I was fortunate to receive several notes from him during this year as president and will cherish knowing and working with him for the rest of my life.

    To say that our club lost another giant is an understatement.  The entire world lost one of history’s greatest statesmen, advocates for peace, and incredible human being.

    There will certainly be many services and memorials, including something from our own club.  We will keep you apprised on arrangements as details become more clear. In the meantime, if you would like to send a note of condolence to the family, you can do so at The Lugar Center, 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 1125, Washington, D.C. 20004.

    Please continue to keep the entire Lugar Family in your thoughts.

    With all best wishes,

    John Mainella
    President, Rotary Club of Indianapolis

  • April 30: Jim McClelland, Executive Director, Next Level Recovery

    April 30: Jim McClelland, Executive Director, Next Level Recovery

    Join us on Tuesday for Guest Day and to hear from Jim McClelland, former Rotary Club President and Executive Director of Next Level Recovery. In January 2017, Governor Eric J. Holcomb appointed Jim to the newly-created position of Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement for the State of Indiana. He reports directly to the Governor and also chairs the Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse.

    Jim is charged with coordinating, aligning, and focusing the relevant work of a wide array of state agencies that affect substance abuse issues. In addition, he seeks to leverage the state’s resources with those of entities in other sectors – business, higher education, health care, philanthropic, faith-based, and others – to respond as effectively as possible to the current opioid crisis and to substantially reduce the likelihood of a similar crisis arising from the abuse of addictive substances in the future.

    In 2015, Jim concluded a 45-year career with Goodwill Industries, the last 41 of those years as President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, based in Indianapolis. Jim has served on the boards of numerous not-for-profit organizations at local, national, and international levels and chaired several of them. He currently serves on the Dean’s Council of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business – Indianapolis, the Advisory Board of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, and the Board of Directors of Building Tomorrow.

    In 2009, Jim was inducted into the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame; in 2011 he received the Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University; and in 2018 he was inducted into the Georgia Tech College of Engineering Hall of Fame.

    A native of Florida, Jim earned a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from Georgia Tech and an MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. The lunch buffet opens at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. See you there!

  • May 5:31 Club: Go-Karts & Gathering

    May 5:31 Club: Go-Karts & Gathering

    Join Rotary friends for two 5:31 Club events on May 1. 2019:

    1. Race high-performance go-karts at Speedway Indoor Karting starting at 5:31 pm. (1067 Main Street, Speedway)
    2. 1911 Grill, right next door.

    If you want to race go-karts, great! You’ll receive training and then race against the clock on the indoor track.

    Regular “license” and participation fees apply.

    Race first (or skip that part) and then enjoy food and beverages at 1911 Grill.

    Your friends are waiting for you…

  • April 23: Emily Mack, Director of the Department of Metropolitan Development

    Join us on Tuesday to hear from Emily Mack, Director of the Department of Metropolitan Development for the City of Indianapolis. She will be speaking on the White River Vision Plan which is a joint effort between the City of Indianapolis and Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. in partnership with Visit Indy’s philanthropic arm, Tourism Tomorrow, Inc. to develop a comprehensive and coordinated regional, community-driven plan to enhance 58 miles of the White River in Marion and Hamilton counties. The goal of the vision plan is to create an accessible, recreational, and cultural environment that encourages a unique sense of place for the community as a whole.

    Prior to her role as Director of DMD, Emily served as the Deputy Director for the City of Indianapolis Department of Code Enforcement (DCE). She was one of three executive team members that helped build DCE from the ground up, including transferring and realigning programs; developing an organizational structure; and re-engineering a fee schedule based on actual cost of services performed.

    Previously, Emily served as a Mayor’s Neighborhood Liaison, where she worked to build strong collaborative partnerships with neighborhoods and businesses, promote city initiatives, and address community-wide concerns. She also served as a Preservation Planner for the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission where she provided guidance to community groups seeking historic designation.

    Emily earned a Master’s of Science in Historic Preservation from Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning and a Bachelor’s of Science in History from Bradley University.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. The lunch buffet opens at Ivy Tech Culinary and Conference Center at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. See you there!