Category: Latest 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.

  • 2024 Community Grants: Apply Online

    2024 Community Grants: Apply Online

    The 2024 Indianapolis Rotary Foundation Community Grant guidelines have been posted. The Foundation intends to award three grants of $25,000 and two grants of $10,000.

    The online grant application can be found here. Applications are due by June 19, 2024. Applicants must be 501(c)3 nonprofits who serve the charitable and educational needs of Central Indiana.

    You can find out more about the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation here.

  • 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.

  • April 27: Mass Ave. Flower Bed Refresh

    April 27: Mass Ave. Flower Bed Refresh

    The Rotary Environment & Beautification Committee is looking for 6 volunteers to load and rake mulch from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday, April 27. Please consider volunteering to help us mulch and beautify our two Mass Ave plots (close to our luncheon meeting site – The Murat Temple). Paid parking is available very close by. If interested, please contact Erik Johnson at: erikcajohnson@gmail.com or by calling him at 317-590-3204. 

  • Rotary Helps Send Spelling Champ to DC

    Rotary Helps Send Spelling Champ to DC

    Miah Miller of Creekside Middle School in Carmel (right) is headed to Washington DC to represent Central Indiana as winner of the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee, supported by the Rotary Club of Indianapolis. The Rotary Club covers travel costs for the winner’s family to the National Bee held in May. Taking the lead role for the Bee was Dr. Ted Hall (left) of IU Indy’s School of Education. Also pictured: Daniel Ro Chung Lian, Perry Meridian Academy (third place) and second place finisher Gavin Sigua, Sycamore School.  

    The March 17th Regional was judged by Rotarians Monica Peterson, Lynn Lambuth and Tom Fodor.

  • 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

  • New Board of Directors Announced

    On Tuesday, March 12, 2024 the Rotary Club of Indianapolis elected eight members to serve on the Board of Directors for two years, beginning on July 1, 2024. We are pleased to welcome the following community leaders to serve our club in leadership positions.

    Jennifer Agramonte
    Jennifer Hobbs
    Ben Johnson
    Lindsay Maliqi
    Suzanne Marshall
    Tatijana Narwold
    Monica Peterson
    Paul Sammons
  • March 13: 5:31 Club

    March 13: 5:31 Club

    Backyard Bonfire/St. Patrick’s Day Celebration!

    Who: Rotarians, friends, guests and anyone looking to enjoy a fun filled Wednesday evening.

    Location: Home of Rotarian Stan Jacobs and his wife Marilyn, 9008 Ironwood Court, Indianapolis, IN 46260

    Date: Wednesday, March 13 at 5:31 p.m.

    Featuring the Gordon Pipers performing around 6:00-6:30 p.m.

    Ample parking is available. For planning purposes, please RSVP to Stanton.Jacobs@gmail.com by March 11.

  • Perry Meridian Interact Club

    Perry Meridian Interact Club

    The Rotary Club of Indianapolis recently partnered with Perry Meridian High School to sponsor an Interact Club.

    The photos below are from the latest project from the Interact Club. Perry Meridian Interact students recently packed maternal care packages to be used by the Indiana Diaper Bank that will help a dozen new mothers! The Club was founded by Perry Meridian Senior Logan Tucker, who worked with Club Education Chair Aaron Story to get Interact up and running.

    Interact is the high school arm of Rotary, stressing community service and fostering leadership skills. Logan developed the idea after attending the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy, or RYLA, which was coordinated by Story last spring.  The students have been very active in volunteering at Gleaners Food Bank and assembling furniture for 91 Place, which helps the chronically homeless. The energy shown by this dedicated group gives us hope that other high schools will take notice and work with us to develop more Interact clubs around Indy! Well done, Logan and friends!