Category: Latest News

Cliff Chapman will highlight the natural wonders that surround us in Central Indiana and what CILTI is doing to protect them. As an organization, the Central Indiana Land Trust preserves the best of our natural areas protecting plants and animals so Hoosiers can experience the wonder of the state’s natural heritage.

Cliff Chapman is the Executive Director for the Central Indiana Land Trust and has worked in the field of land conservation since 1997.  Since graduating with a BA in Geography from Indiana University, Cliff has worked as an ecologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Nature Preserves and The Nature Conservancy in Olympia, Washington.

The New and Improved Holcomb Telescope

The Holcomb Observatory at Butler University is putting the finishing touches on a $450,000 refurbishment of Indiana’s largest telescope.  These improvements were funded by a generous donation from Butler physics graduate Dr. Frank Levinson (’74).  The Holcomb Telescope is now a vastly improved version of its old self and is remotely operable and used by Butler students and faculty for research from anywhere in the world.  In this presentation Brian Murphy will give a bit of history of the observatory, explain the improvements to the telescope, and describe the outreach at Butler University and the research programs at Holcomb Observatory. In addition to the Holcomb Telescope, Butler has also been part of the Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA) telescope consortium. Murphy will describe the mission of SARA consortium and explain how the Holcomb Telescope dovetails with this consortium that allows the remote operation of three other 1-meter class telescopes located on three continents.

Brian Murphy has served as chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy for nearly eight years and as director of Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium throughout his 20 years at Butler. In 2012, Murphy received the University Award for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Creative Work which is the highest accolade a faculty member can receive that honors her or his body of substantial scholarly achievement accomplished as a faculty member of Butler University.

The Chins are a minority ethnic population from North-Western Burma (Myanmar). Many Chin experienced forced labor, arbitrary arrest, rape, torture and sometimes even execution of family before fleeing their home country as refugees. In Indianapolis, the Chin community has been growing to almost 15,000, due to it becoming a “hub” for Chin refugees fleeing from this military dictatorship of their home country, Burma.

Life can be difficult for newly arriving Chin refugees. Many have limited English proficiency and skills that are not easily transferable to the American workplace.  Some are not accustomed to living in a technologically-driven culture. And still others are overcoming the memories and emotional scars of being persecuted.

Join us on Tuesday to learn more about the Chin community- the struggles they’ve experienced and their efforts to assimilate into Indianapolis and become valuable, educated, employed citizens.  It’s a program you won’t forget and will be an inspiration to all who attend.

Marianne Black, a staff member for United States Senator Joe Donnelly, will discuss the history of theVeterans History Project as well as the efforts Senator Donnelly makes to promote the VHP throughout Indiana.  She’ll also talk about the mutual benefits to veterans and volunteers of conducting a VHP interview, and how Rotarians can participate.

In an effort to collect, preserve and make available the personal stories of American veterans, Congress created the Veterans History Project (VHP).  The VHP is an archive of veterans’ oral histories, and they are housed in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress, one of the world’s most respected research and cultural institutions.

On Tuesday, August 16, please join us as we listen to an inspired presentation about our very own Indianapolis Indians baseball team.

Longtime Indianapolis Rotarian Cal Burleson, Vice-President for Indians Baseball and Administrative Affairs will give a brief presentation on the Indians in the community, including a new initiative the Indians are starting with Indianapolis Public Schools.

Then, Cal will introduce veteran Indians broadcaster Howard Kellman who will give us a presentation on Baseball, including a few of his favorite stories from the Indianapolis Indians archives.

Howard Kellman is in his 39th season as the “Voice of the Tribe,” having called his first Indians game during the Tribe’s 1974 campaign in the American Association. Kellman’s illustrious career behind the microphone features a selection as Indiana’s Sportscaster of the Year in 2002 and an induction into the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 2009.