• August 2, Indy Rotary: Thom England – Chef & Executive Director, Dig IN

    August 2, Indy Rotary: Thom England – Chef & Executive Director, Dig IN

    Chef Thom England, is a professional chef, food writer, educator and mentor and has shared his expertise with many aspiring and seasoned chefs for over 20 years. Born and raised in Northern Indiana, Chef England trained in New York at the Culinary Institute of America. He spent much of his professional career in New York and in Central Indiana. He is an ACF Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and Certified Foodservice Educator (CFSE). He is also well versed in the production and pairing of alcohol, running and consulting for wineries. He is a Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS)

    Chef England currently serves as program coordinator at the Ivy Tech Hospitality and Culinary Arts program. Additionally, he is active in the community as a local foods activist as co-founder and president of Dig-IN: a non-profit for the promotion of Indiana Food, Beverage, and Agriculture. Working together with Hoosier farms of all sizes and varieties, agriculture associations, community organizations, and the consumer, Dig IN is working to create and sustain a new future of Hoosier food and agricultural economy.

  • July 26, Indy Rotary: Panel Discussion: Who is Responsible for Patient Safety?

    Medical errors and hospital infections are the third leading cause of death in the United States, following heart disease and cancer. 90% of the errors and 50% of the infections are preventable, and costly. Hospitals spend $9.5 billion on hospital acquired infections (HAIs) and $19.5 billion on medical errors, much of which is passed on onto the patient and/or their insurance companies.

    Tuesday’s program, includes a panel of experts who will explore this challenge and how hospitals, patients and the healthcare system is addressing this issue.

    The Experts

    Ken Lazarus, MD,
    Academic Content Specialist for the Indiana University School of Medicine

    Sharon Barclay, RN, MSN

    Steve Long,
    CEO of Hancock Regional Hospital

    Indianapolis Rotarian, Betty Tonsing, Ph.D., CLSS/GB
    Author, Stand in the Way! Patient Advocates Speak Out

  • September 15 – Rotary Youth Exchange Information Night

    youth-exchange-logoWould you like to study abroad?
    Do you ever dream of living in another country?
    Maybe Rotary Youth Exchange is for you. Questions?
    An information night for Rotary Youth Exchange will be held at the Carmel High School Community Room on September 15th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. This session is for interested students and their parents to learn more about RYE, and whether or not it is the program for them. It is not a commitment, just a chance to learn more about the Program. Download more information, here.
  • Rotary Community Service Committee Assembles Childproofing Kits

    Rotary Community Service Committee Assembles Childproofing Kits

    group-shot-smallOn Tuesday evening, July 19, the Rotary Community Service Committee (left to right) Marie Koenig, Jennifer Hobbs, Lisa Crane, an RN with the NFP, Sara Garrett and Angie Ingalls fulfilled a Indianapolis Rotary Civic Entrepreneurship grant by assembling forty Safety 1st Essentials childproofing kits in conjunction with the Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), operated by the Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana. NFP is an evidence-based, community health program that serves low-income women pregnant with their first child. Each vulnerable new mom is partnered with a registered nurse early in her pregnancy and receives ongoing nurse home visits.

    The NFP nurses provide a baby-safety childproofing kit to each family upon the birth of their child which includes plug protectors, door knob covers, bath thermometer, and cabinet locks. As with any gift from the program, this one comes with a lesson. Infant safety is discussed with the client and her family/relatives at a visit soon after birth. Educational information provided along with this includes the NFP handouts “How can I be safe in my home and in my neighborhood”, and “How do I keep my baby safe?” and an easy-to-read safety information brochure Additionally, the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory scale is completed when the infant is 6 and 12 months old to assess learning environment, including safety and appropriateness of infant toys.

  • July 19, David Shaheed the MYO

    July 19, David Shaheed the MYO

    Join us next Tuesday for a presentation by David Shaheed, Retired Marion County Judge and a performance by students and teachers of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra.

    The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) is a youth and family development program that uses music for social change. Founded by Betty Perry in 1995, it is now the flagship education program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and a two-time recipient of an Indianapolis Rotary Foundation grant. The program is designed to use the life skills learned through music instruction to engage youth in activities that discourage at-risk behaviors and keep them committed to staying in school.

    This season MYO is celebrating its 20th anniversary of transforming lives through music. Judge David Shaheed will share his experience as the grandfather of an MYO student and an adult participant. Join us to learn about how this program is so much more than just music education- it is about creating great citizens through character education, family engagement and mentorship.

  • July 12, Indy Rotary Welcomes Don Knebel, President, Center for Interfaith Cooperation

    July 12, Indy Rotary Welcomes Don Knebel, President, Center for Interfaith Cooperation

    What Truth Can Set Us Free?

    Almost every day brings a new report of violence and discrimination based on a person’s religious beliefs. Powerful voices have argued that the world would be better off if religious beliefs simply disappeared. But religious beliefs will not disappear, at least any time soon. Instead, what is needed is a better way to understand and deal with religious differences. This presentation, by the founding Board Chair of the Center for Interfaith Cooperation, will look at how to view the religious beliefs of others in ways that encourage respect and not fear and hatred.

    Donald E. (Don) Knebel earned a degree in electrical engineering from Purdue and a law degree from Harvard.  Don retired from Barnes & Thornburg at the end of 2013 after 39 years as an intellectual property litigator.  He now serves as Adjunct Professor and Senior Advisor at the Center for Intellectual Property Research at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, teaching antitrust law and patent litigation.  Since September 2015, he has served as Interim Executive Director of the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, on whose Board he has served since 1986.

  • Wednesday, August 3, 5:31 at Thr3e Wise Men

    Rotary is excited that Thr3e Wise Men will be hosting our next 5:31 Club on August 3, 5:31 to 7:30pm! All are welcome – please join us!

    Thr3e Wise Men is located at 1021 Broad Ripple Ave

    Reservations and punctuality not required! 5:31 meet-and-greets are our most popular event get-togethers. They are a fun way to get to know folks outside of our regular Tuesday programs. We always meet at a new location somewhere in the city and it is never dull!

  • 2016 Rotarian of the Year

    2016 Rotarian of the Year

    tom fisher-smallRotarian of the Year
    The evening included a wonderful video and testimonial to our new 2016 Rotarian of the Year, Judge Tom Fisher. Check out the 2016 Rotarian of the Year Video!

    AFTER SERVING AS THE JASPER COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY FOR 19 YEARS, IN 1986 TOM BECAME A MEMBER OF THE INDIANA TAX COURT IN INDIANAPOLIS.

    FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, TOM MAINTAINED HIS MEMBERSHIP IN THE RENSSELER CLUB, WHILE DOING MAKE-UP MEETINGS IN OUR CLUB. HE BECAME A MEMBER OF OUR CLUB IN 1990. HE WAS PRESIDENT OF OUR CLUB 2000-2001.

    IN 2002 TOM WAS SELECTED AS A ROTARY INTERNATIONAL GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE (GSE) TEAM LEADER. HE LED A GROUP OF FOUR, 33-YEAR OLDS TO ZIMBABWE, ZAMBIA AND MALAWI FOR FIVE WEEKS, STAYING IN THE HOMES OF ROTARIANS DURING A CULTURAL AND VOCATIONAL EXCHANGE.

    AFTER RETURNING HOME, TOM BECAME INVOLVED IN SEVERAL HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS RELATED TO CENTRAL AFRICA AND IN 2007 RETURNED THERE TO WORK ON PROJECTS OUR CLUB AND DISTRICT WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH IN COOPERATION WITH THE IU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

    TOM SERVED AS OUR DISTRICT GOVERNOR IN 2008-09. HE IS CURRENTLY THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON LEGISLATION.

    CURRENTLY HE IS ALSO CO-CHAIR OF OUR CLUB’S HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY AND SERVES ON THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE. HE IS A PAUL HARRIS FELLOW AND HAS ATTAINED MAJOR DONOR STATUS TO THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION.

    ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE HAS INCLUDED:

    • SERVED IN AS A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND ELDER AT THE REMINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
    • CHAIRED THE JASPER COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
    • PAST-PRESIDENT OF THE COLUMBIA CLUB OF INDIANAPOLIS
    • FORMER TRUSTEE OF EARLHAM COLLEGE
    • RETIRED MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE CONNER PRAIRIE MUSEUM

    HE CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE INDIANA JUDGES ASSOCIATION, IS THE CHAIR OF THE INDIANA PROCECUTING ATTORNEYS COUNCIL AND SERVES ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE INDIANAPOLIS FIRST FRIENDS MEETING.

    FOR ME HIS MOST ENDEARING QUALITY IS HUMILITY. WHILE TOM ENJOYS TELLING AND A GOOD JOKE AND GETTING A LAUGH, HE IS A TRUE SERVANT LEADER. HE CONTINES TO TELL EACH NEW PRESIDENT OF THIS CLUB, “I’LL SERVE WHEREVER YOU NEED ME.”

  • July 5, Indy Rotary Welcomes Tom Richardson, Director of Training & Development, Rainmakers

    July 5, Indy Rotary Welcomes Tom Richardson, Director of Training & Development, Rainmakers

    Authentic Networking/Building Authentic Relationships

    • What do we mean by authentic relationships?  
    • Why are authentic relationships important?  
    • What are typical mistakes we make in relationship building?  
    • What are the success principles to building relationships?

    Learn some basic authentic relationship-building techniques and understand how to take your relationships to a deeper level through your communication, your care and your “service above self” mentality.

    This will be a professional development opportunity for Rotarians to learn more about how to maximize networking by building authentic relationships that will help them achieve their personal and professional goals.

    Tommy Richardson has a 40+ year career that has included experience as a business and personal coach, trainer and speaker, a teacher and athletic coach, small business owner, sales manager and insurance executive in sales and leadership with a major insurance company. Today, as Rainmakers Director of Training & Development, Tommy leads individuals and organizations to reach their highest potential thorough speaking, training and coaching.

  • Environment and Beautification Committee Working at Progress House

    Environment and Beautification Committee Working at Progress House

    2016-06-25 06.02.16-group-smallOn Saturday, June 25, six Environment and Beautification (E&B) members, two spouses, and 6-7 Progress House residents had a successful day planting 48 shrubs and perennials around a gazebo at Progress House, an all-male residence for those overcoming alcohol and drug addictions, located at 201 S. Shelby Street in Indianapolis.

    Build several weeks prior, the gazebo was funded by Rotary through the E&B committee, and the residents find it to be a perfect place for some solitude. Most of the shrubs and plants were funded by a Civic Entrepreneurship grant submitted by Rotarian, Marie Koenig.

    After only three hours, the area around the gazebo was transformed from a plain site to a beautiful one! Thanks also to Mainscape (courtesy of Chris Gonzalez) for donating a lot of mulch and to Norm Melzer for his rototiller and Greg Gerke for his auger.

    E & B members included: Anne Gioe, Norm Melzer, Jennifer and Vern Hobbs, Marie and Gary Koenig, Chris Gonzalez and Greg Gerke. Plans continue to beautify this space by adding about 20 trees. Yet another project!