• Long Time Rotarian, George Dingledy Passes Away

    Long Time Rotarian, George Dingledy Passes Away

    November 26, 1923 – March 26, 2023

    Former Wabash mayor George Henry Dingledy, age 99, died unexpectedly March 26, 2023 in Indianapolis. He was born on November 26, 1923, and grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. He was one of 6 children born to Frederick and Florence (Moran) Dingledy.

    Dingledy was drafted into the U.S. Army at age 19 and joined the 164th Infantry (American Division.) He landed on the Solomon Islands on Christmas Day 1943. The unit moved in January 1945 to the Philippine Islands (where MacArthur landed) and then to Cebu Island; both places were Japanese strongholds. World War II ended on September, 1945 and Dingledy, was sent to occupy Japan. Following his discharge after 33 months of active duty in the Pacific Theater, Staff Sergeant Dingledy used the GI Bill of Rights to attend college. Through a visit to the hometown of a fellow student at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, he met the student’s sister Rita Ann Fedewa whom he married in 1948. He graduated from the University of Tampa in 1950. Dingledy was employed as a sales representative for the Sunbeam Corporation from 1951-1958, in Jacksonville, Detroit and Memphis. He moved to Wabash, Indiana in 1958 when he bought the Fedewa Appliance Store with his brother-in-law Tom Fedewa from his father-in-law Arthur Fedewa. For the next 30 years, Dingledy served his community in a variety of ways. He was president of the Retail Division of the Chamber of Commerce, and also president of the Wabash County United Fund. Dingledy was named the Chamber’s Distinguished Citizen in 1974. Dingledy was a strong supporter of education, serving eight years on the Wabash City Schools board and six on the board of the Upper Wabash Vocational School. He was also on the board of directors and an officer of the Wabash Valley Dance Theater, as well as president of the Honeywell Swim Team Booster Club for two terms. He was a long-time member of the Wabash Toastmasters Club where he served as president, and also served as commander of Post 286, VFW. Dingledy was an avid reader and especially enjoyed history. With this in mind, he became the Oral History Project Director, compiling oral histories of local citizens in Wabash for the public library. These included veterans of wars from the Spanish-American through Vietnam. When he moved to Indianapolis in 1989, there were over 100 accounts on file documenting the city’s history.

    During 1979 Dingledy served as president of the Indiana Oral History Roundtable. Dingledy served four years on the Wabash Carnegie Public Library board of directors, including one as president. In addition, he was a member of the board of directors of the historical society for many years. Dingledy joined Rotary in 1958, and served as President of the Wabash Rotary Club. Dingledy was Rotary District Governor from 1987-1988 in Rotary Zone 30 and was a member of the Rotary Council of Past District Governors. Dingledy remained an active member until his passing. He was the oldest active Rotarian WWII veteran in the state of Indiana. Dingledy served as Mayor of Wabash, Indiana from 1979-83. For this and his other community, business and military service, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb honored Dingledy last August with the Sagamore of the Wabash Award.

    He was survived by his three children, John (Carol) Dingledy of Columbus, Indiana, Thomas (Lucy) Dingledy of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and James Dingledy of Indianapolis, Indiana; seven grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren. Dingledy was preceded in death by his parents, his wife (1924-2006), son George Henry Dingledy II (1953-1981) and daughter Christine Thieroff (1952-2020).

    Services will be 10:30 am Friday, March 31, 2023 at the Chapel of Remembrance Mausoleum at Memorial Lawns Cemetery in Wabash, with Father Jay Horning officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery. Friends may call from 5-7 pm Thursday at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash.

    The preferred memorial is the Wabash Carnegie Public Library.

    To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of George Henry Dingledy, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

    VISITATION
    Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, Inc. – Manchester Avenue Chapel
    Thursday, March 30, 2023
    5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
    1241 Manchester Avenue
    Wabash, Indiana 46992


    FUNERAL SERVICE
    Chapel of Remembrance Mausoleum
    Friday, March 31, 2023
    10:30 AM
    1100 Manchester Avenue
    Wabash, IN 46992


    BURIAL
    Memorial Lawns Cemetery
    Friday, March 31, 2023
    1100 Manchester Avenue
    Wabash, IN 46992

  • April 5: 5:31 Club

    Join the Rotary Club of Indianapolis 5:31 Club at Seasons 52 at Keystone at the Crossing on April 5th.

    Who: Rotarians, friends, guests, and anyone wanting to learn more about Rotary.

    What: No agenda, just the regular monthly social get-together.

    When: April 5, from 5:31 pm till 7:00 pm, or whenever you can be there.

    Where: 8650 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN 46240

  • March 28: Chris Lewis

    March 28: Chris Lewis

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Chris Lewis the Executive Director of The Great American Songbook Foundation. Founded in 2007 by five-time Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein and housed at the affiliated Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, the Great American Songbook Foundation offers education and outreach programs and maintains archives, a library and an exhibit gallery dedicated to the timeless jazz standards, Broadway and Hollywood tunes and other classic popular music of the early- to mid-20th century. 

    Chris became Executive Director in January 2017 after five years as Director of Programs. He oversees all the organization’s activities, including management of the Songbook Archives & Library, the Songbook Exhibit Gallery, the Songbook Hall of Fame and all educational and outreach programming. 

    During his tenure, Chris has spearheaded the national expansion of the Foundation’s most prominent education program, the annual Songbook Academy summer intensive, as well as the development of Perfect Harmony, a research-based program of therapeutic musical activities designed for people living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. Chris also cultivated the Foundation’s relationship with the Los Angeles-based Grammy Museum, which now recognizes the Foundation as one of its five Cultural Affiliates around the world.

    An accomplished musician with professional vocal experience, Chris holds a master’s degree in education from Mercy College and has worked as a history teacher and special education liaison for the New York City Department of Education. He earned a graduate certificate in nonprofit executive leadership through the IUPUI School of Philanthropy and is a graduate of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy. Chris is a member of the Indianapolis Consortium of Arts Administrators, the National Association of Music Educators, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Jazz Education Network and the Recording Academy.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    Unfortunately, Zoom will not be available this week.

  • March 21: Suzanne Crouch

    March 21: Suzanne Crouch

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch. Suzanne is the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Indiana and has been in the position since January 2017. She previously served as County Auditor, County Commissioner, State Representative, and State Auditor.

    As Lieutenant Governor, Suzanne serves as the President of the Indiana Senate. She leads and oversees the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Office of Community and Rural Affairs, and Indiana Destination Development Corporation. In addition, she chairs the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Task Force, the Indiana Roundtable on Mental Health, the Civic Education Task Force, the Next Level Veterans Initiative, and the Women’s Centennial Suffrage Commission.

    Recently, Suzanne was named a ‘Woman of Influence’ by the Indianapolis Business Journal. In addition, she has been recognized by the National Coalition of Capital as a ‘Champion of Small Businesses.’

    Born and raised in southern Indiana, Suzanne was brought up in a hard-working family who placed importance on helping others, integrity, and kindness. After graduating from Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Suzanne graduated from Purdue University. She knew her professional career path would lead to helping others, and making a difference across the state.

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Save the Date for Our Upcoming Programs
    March 28: Chris Lewis, Executive Director, The Great American Songbook Foundation
    April 4: Tony Mason, President & CEO, Indianapolis Urban League
     
  • 2023 Community Grants: Apply Online

    2023 Community Grants: Apply Online

    The 2023 Indianapolis Rotary Foundation Community Grant guidelines have been posted. The Foundation intends to award two grants of $25,000 and two grants of $10,000.

    The online grant application can be found here. Applications are due by June 21, 2023. 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.

  • New Board of Directors Announced

    On Tuesday, March 14, 2023 the Rotary Club of Indianapolis elected eight members to serve on the Board of Directors for two years, beginning on July 1, 2023. We are pleased to welcome the following community leaders to serve our club in leadership positions.


    Angela Cecil, BMO Harris Bank
    Erika Earl, RJE Business Interiors
    John Fenoglio, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
    Carrie Lahr, Riley Children’s Health
    Joshua Lloyd, Teacher’s Credit Union
    Jami Marsh, IU Health
    Val Morris, Community Health Network
    Jim Patton, Lifetime Financial Group of Indianapolis

  • March 14: Robert Coons

    Join us Tuesday to hear from Robert Coons the President of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Rose-Hulman has numerous accolades including 24 straight years as US News and World Report’s #1 engineering college without a Ph.D. program, and top 1% of all US colleges for return on educational investment.

    Rob was unanimously appointed by the Board of Trustees of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology as the 16th President on November 15th, 2018. Prior to this appointment he had served, since 2013, as Senior Vice-President and Chief Administrative Officer. Rob held a variety of finance and management-level positions since joining Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1989, including service as the Interim President of the Institute from April 2012 to April 2013. He was the recipient of the Rose-Hulman President’s Outstanding Service Award in 2010 and the Rose-Hulman Honor Alumni Award in 2013 as well as the 2013 Indiana University East Honor Alumni Award. In 2014 Coons received the Terre Haute Rotary Vocational Service Award.

    In the fall of 2022, Rob was appointed to the Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s Workforce Cabinet, formed to help strengthen Indiana’s economy by addressing current and future education and employment needs for residents and employees.

    In addition, He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), the Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), as Chair of the ICI Investment Committee, as Vice-Chair of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Council of Presidents, and as a member of the Association of Independent Technological Universities (AITU).

    Rob holds an MBA from Indiana State University, CPA licenses in Indiana and North Carolina, a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University, and is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Institute for Education Management Program. 

    All are welcome at Rotary programs. If attending in-person at the Murat Shrine reservations and prepayment are appreciated, but not required. Register on Square at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. Lunch will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.  

    To join our meeting via Zoom starting at 12:15 p.m. go to https://zoom.us/j/710170874?pwd=bFE4ejJTc29IMlNzVmx1Wlg4MTA1UT09. While our Tuesday programs via Zoom are free to attend a suggested donation of $3 – $5 is appreciated in lieu of the typical room fee. These contributions help defray the cost of our hybrid meetings. Please note that donations to the Rotary Club of Indianapolis are not tax deductible. You can support our hybrid meetings at https://rotary-club-of-indianapolis.square.site/. 

    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    If joining via a mobile phone for audio only click one of the following numbers: 
    +13126266799,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (Chicago)
    +19292056099,,710170874#,,#,821795# US (New York)

    You can also join us from a landline phone.
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
         
    Meeting ID: 710 170 874
    Password: 821795

    Save the Date for Our Upcoming Programs   March 21: Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch
    March 28: Chris Lewis, Executive Director, The Great American Songbook Foundation
    April 4: Tony Mason, President & CEO, Indiana Urban League
    April 11: Dr. Aleesia Johnson, Superintendent, IPS

  • Val Morris

    1. Name:  Val Morris   
    2. Employer (if applicable):  Community Health Network
    3. Year you first joined the Rotary Club of Indianapolis:  2021
    4. Total years in Rotary: less than two
    5. Other Rotary Clubs you have belonged to: None
    6. Committees on which you have served:  History Committee
    7. Offices held (i.e. committee chair or office in other Rotary Clubs): na
    8. Are you a Paul Harris Fellow or a member of the Second Century Society?  no
    9. What other community groups or organizations are you involved with? na
    10. Why do you want to be a Board Member? I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the history of Rotary and look forward to help with the club’s continued growth.

  • Carrie Lahr

    1. Name:  Carrie Lahr
    2. Employer (if applicable):  Riley Children’s Health (@IU Health)
    3. Year you first joined the Rotary Club of Indianapolis:  2022
    4. Total years in Rotary: 6 months
    5. Other Rotary Clubs you have belonged to: None
    6. Committees on which you have served: None yet, but helping Mike Crowley with the 4 way test.
    7. Offices held (i.e. committee chair or office in other Rotary Clubs):
    8. Are you a Paul Harris Fellow or a member of the Second Century Society? No
    9. What other community groups or organizations are you involved with? Advisory Board Member of Playworks of Indiana
    10. Why do you want to be a Board Member? I am excited to work with President Elect Patrick in consideration for the Rotary connection of women and children. 

  • Jami Marsh

    1. Name:  Jami Marsh
    2. Employer (if applicable):  IU Health
    3. Year you first joined the Rotary Club of Indianapolis:  2008 as part of the Pacers corporate membership and then again in 2022.
    4. Total years in Rotary: Less than 3 years
    5. Other Rotary Clubs you have belonged to:  No other clubs
    6. Committees on which you have served:  No committees
    7. Offices held (i.e. committee chair or office in other Rotary Clubs): None
    8. Are you a Paul Harris Fellow or a member of the Second Century Society?  No
    9. What other community groups or organizations are you involved with?  Currently, I sit on the CHIP (Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention) board
    10. Why do you want to be a Board Member? I want to be of service and my dear friend Jenny Dexter is deeply invested in Rotary and I will always follow her lead!