(From left) Carmel Rotary Club Auction Chair Tyler Smith; auctioneer Jeff Worrell; winning bidder Scott Osborne; sculptor Peter Beering; artist Randy Sorrell; winning bidders Gail Bardach, Sarah Luedtke, and Susie Steel; and craftsman Gary Sexton. (Photo provided)
Submitted by Dubbie Buckler
Rotary Club of Carmel
The annual Carmel Rotary Club Holiday luncheon held Friday, Dec. 12 filled every seat at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael, with more than 90 Rotarians and guests attending.
A silent auction with a bountiful array of items was followed by a live auction of select pieces. All auction items were donated by club members and raised more than $5,000 to support Rotary’s many charitable projects. Rotarian Jeff Worrell served as live auctioneer for the spectacular painted and hand-crafted items donated by members Peter Beering, Randy Sorrell, Ranj Puthran, Gary Sexton, plus two magnificent “experience the arts” baskets donated by the Center for the Performing Arts and the Carmel Symphony Orchestra.
Rotarian and artist Randy Sorrell (left) describes the Carmel landmarks pictured in his painting onstage with Rotarian auctioneer Jeff Worrell. (Photo provided)
Also, Carmel Rotarians’ generosity again earned accolades from WRTV-6 station executives for the large number of new toys club members donated for the WRTV Annual Toy Drive at the club’s Dec. 5 meeting.
WRTV-6 Managing Account Executive Ryan Jensen, also a Carmel resident, thanked Carmel Rotary for its longstanding support, commending the club for annually being one of the top organizations in central Indiana for donating such large numbers of toys. Jensen shared that WRTV-6, originally established in 1949 as WFBM-TV, is the oldest television station in Indiana, and the WRTV Toy Drive has served tens of thousands of Hoosier families since 2001. This year’s WRTV 25th annual Toy Drive, the longest running holiday toy drive in the state, again supported organizations across central Indiana providing toys for their families in need and this year is partnering with the Salvation Army to handle distribution.
The Rotary Club of Carmel, founded in 1972, regularly contributes to local community projects and non-profits including the Merciful H.E.L.P. Center, Crooked Creek Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Carmel Summer Lunch Program, Trinity Free Clinic, and many more. Carmel Rotary is active in the Youth Exchange Program, hosting incoming high school students from abroad and sponsoring outbound local high school students from Carmel to countries around the globe. Carmel Rotary is proud to present and provide the leadership for CarmelFest, Carmel’s annual Fourth of July parade and celebration.
Carmel Rotary is also involved in service projects around the globe, with the major focus areas of: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution; Disease prevention and treatment; Water and sanitation, Maternal and child health; Basic education and literacy, and Economic and community development. The longstanding primary goal of Rotary International and all clubs is the eradication of polio from the face of the earth.
