Category: Programs

A Mr. Basketball Comes Home to Indiana

We welcome Jason Gardner, IUPUI Men’s Head Basketball Coach, to Rotary on Tuesday, October 24. Former Indiana Mr. Basketball and current IUPUI’s head men’s basketball coach, Jason Gardner will speak on his connections to basketball in Indianapolis including discussions of his coaching career and what it means for him to come “home”. Additionally, he will discuss several experiences over the past three years as head coach of the Jags, as well as the upcoming season, IUPUI’s first as a new member of the Horizon League.

Jason Gardner was named the eighth head coach in IUPUI men’s basketball program’s history on April 2, 2014. Gardner, the 1999 winner of the Indiana Mr. Basketball Award, spent a year on the University of Memphis bench and two seasons at Loyola prior to moving back home to Indianapolis. Gardner racked up numerous accolades during his prestigious high school, college and professional playing careers. He was a 1999 McDonald’s and Parade All-American while at North Central High School helping lead his team to an IHSAA state championship.

How Nine13sports is changing the non-profit world

We welcome Tom Hanley, CEO of Nine13sports to Rotary on Tuesday, October 17. His presentation will focus on how Nine13sports is changing the game in the non-profit-world. From company culture, to utilizing a multi-talented workforce, to their integration into the Indianapolis biking community, Nine13sports is finding it’s place in a modern world. As the organization’s CEO, Tom will be sharing why this model works, and how it is shaping the future of our communities.

Tom brings youthful enthusiasm coupled with passion and real world experiences as a young professional. Tom is familiar with the many aspects of the cycling industry through his extensive participation in the sport as a competitive cyclist, employment experience in bicycle retail sales, and beneficial partnerships with bicycle and cycling component manufacturers through sponsorships and product testing. A 2009 graduate from IUPUI, Tom demonstrates an innate entrepreneurial spirit which has been favorably influenced by his experience with family owned businesses. It is the combination of these experiences and personal characteristics that allows Tom to successfully guide the transition of Nine13sports from a concept to a flourishing nonprofit organization.

Presenting on year-long investigation of Sex Trafficking

IndyStar opinion editor Tim Swarens, funded by a grant from the Society of Professional Journalists, has spent the past year investigating child sex trafficking in the United States and around the world.

Swarens’ work has taken him to eight countries on five continents since October 2016 to better understand why an estimated 1.2 million children a year fall victim to sex trafficking. A U.S. Department of Justice funded study in 2016 found that sex traffickers sell about 10,000 children a year in the United States.

The average age of American victims is 15. Each one is purchased on average 5.4 times a day. Last year, authorities identified more than 120 child trafficking victims in Indiana; the youngest victim was 7 years old.

A series of Swarens’ columns on the topic is scheduled for publication by the USA Today Network in January 2018. Join us for an exclusive first look at this incredible story.

Get Ready to Do Indy Do Day!

Indy Do Day is our club’s signature service project. We hope to inspire 20,000 Indy residents to serve on September 28, 29 and 30. Be part of the action during the Club’s own service project that will be held on Tuesday, September 26 to kick off the Indy Do Day week. We’ll be creating care packages for the families that utilize the Ronald McDonald House when their children are in serious medical condition. Our service projects during lunch are always some of the most fun, with ample opportunities to network- so don’t miss out!

There are also still volunteer opportunities for your family, friends and coworkers to do on Indy Do Day! Visit www.indydoday.org to select a project to DO today.

Heard of the middle-skills employment gap? Goodwill has a unique holistic approach involving education, employment and health that is helping employers bridge that gap across the state. Goodwill collaborates across all sectors to get impactful results.

Kent Kramer, President and CEO, will highlight the characteristics of the achievers within Goodwill’s mission efforts, using them as examples of determination and resilience that other people can learn from. It is through the details of these stories that the Goodwill impact unfolds. Goodwill changes lives every day by empowering people to increase their independence and reach their potential.

Learn how you or those you know can help.

Pollsters were notoriously incorrect in the 2016 election. Nearly one year later, we analyze what went wrong and, one year from a critical midterm election for both the state and nation, we consider the revisions necessary to ensure accurate and reliable polling for the future

Laura Merrifield Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Indianapolis, where she joined the faculty in 2014. Her specializations include political behavior, campaigns and elections, and public policy and she teaches courses and publishes research in each of these fields. Before coming to UIndy, Wilson completed her Bachelors and Masters in Political Science from Ohio University and her Masters in Women’s Studies, Masters in Public Administration, and PhD in American Politics from the University of Alabama. She is a regular panelist on CBS 4’s and Fox 59’s “IN Focus” on Sunday mornings and is the host of WICR 88.7’s “Positively Politics” on Saturday at 11:30 am. Wilson is a proud Southsider, where she resides with her family and their two dogs.

Guests are always welcome – so grab your favorite political minded coworker, friend or family member and be sure to bring them out for this one!

On Tuesday, we welcome two well regarded Orthopedic Surgeons to join us and share information about the latest trends and technologies in the world of orthopedic medicine, surgery and treatment.

In this changing environment in health care, it is necessary to evaluate and implicate changes to improve efficiency, lower costs, lower complications and improve patient satisfaction. Some of the tools to help improve these issues will be presented: out patient joint replacements, partial knee replacements, and more cases being done in an out patient setting. Economic implications will be discussed as well. In addition, we will show how we have been involved in foreign mission work, medically and surgically in helping those in need who cannot afford medical care.

Born and raised in Evansville, Indiana, Dr. Wes Lackey attended Vanderbilt University where he earned a degree in Violin Performance and fulfilled his pre-medical requirements. He then attended Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Dr. Richard Jackson has practiced orthopedic medicine on the south side of Indianapolis for over 34 years. He graduated from Indiana University Medical School in 1978 and then continued his education at the Southwestern Michigan Area Health Education Center, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After completing his orthopedic surgical training in 1983, he went on to his fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedics at Ranchos Los Amigos Hospital in Downey, California.

Guests are always welcome and encouraged at Rotary- don’t forget to bring along someone you think would find interest in the topic and the energizing company at our weekly lunches!

Join our own Rotarian, Nick Taylor, for an incredible Tuesday luncheon. Nick is an owner at netlogx, the business he founded in 1998 with his wife Audrey Taylor. netlogx is a high performance consulting organization and Nick leverages his thirty years of diverse Information Technology experience to drive quality. He leads a growing sales practice with a focus on metrics with netlogx measuring success with IBJ Fast Growing Companies recognition in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Nick won’t be “talking tech” on Tuesday, however… he’ll be sharing videos, photos and incredible stories of his mountain climbing adventures, including Everest Base Camp and Mera Peak. Do you know someone who is into climbing or hiking, beating challenges and a healthy lifestyle? Invite them to Rotary on Tuesday because Nick will inspire, entertain, excite and engage with the crowd!

Originally from the UK, Nick takes an active role here in Indianapolis now by actively supporting the Eagle Creek Park Foundation, Second Helpings and Habitat for Humanity.