fresh air and exercise while park staff teach on the history of Carmel's oldest public park — you might even catch a glimpse of a local pair of pileated woodpeckers. Dress for the weather and a 1-mile hike.
medium to start and unleash the artist within! All necessary materials will be provided.
floating and gliding, and begin to develop your freestyle stroke.
while using plenty of colors, textures, and paint! In this series of classes, we will be pouring different paints across canvas to create gorgeous pieces of abstract art. All artists will have the ability to select their color pallets, and we will focus on different pouring techniques each week.
*Program designed for individuals with disabilities.
LYNDSEY BROWN lyndsey@townepost.com (317) 402-0569
TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. FOUNDER,
TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com (317) 496-3599 PRESIDENT JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com (317) 810-0011
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ERIN TURK
CREATIVE DIRECTORS VAL AUSTIN TONI EADS
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SERVICES DEVON DEAN
COPY EDITOR JON SHOULDERS
TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. 8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038 Phone/Text: (317) 810-0011
A Guide to Holiday Events in Hamilton County, Indiana
Experience the magic of the season throughout Hamilton County this holiday season! New in 2024, earn prizes while making memories with the Holiday Adventure Pass. Claim your pass at VisitHamiltonCounty.com/Holiday.
CARMEL CHRISTKINDLMARKT
Experience the old-world charm of Christmas in Germany right here in Indiana at the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. This openair holiday market brings authentic German experiences. Do some holiday shopping and check out the authentic products imported from Germany, like wooden toys, nutcrackers, music boxes and ornaments. Don’t miss the collectible items like the boot mug and Bierkrüge for adult beverages.
While you’re shopping, sip a hot mug of Glühwein (mulled wine) or hot cocoa. Come hungry to enjoy a German pretzel, Bratwurst, Lebkuchen (German cookie), Raclette (melted cheese served on bread)
and Stollen (dried fruit bread). Make sure to reserve your time for skating on the Ice at Center Green.
A MERRY PRAIRIE HOLIDAY
Celebrate the season with A Merry Prairie Holiday at Conner Prairie, Indiana’s most beloved holiday festival. There is something for everyone to enjoy. Enjoy acres to explore, surround yourself amongst thousands of lights and capture that perfect moment with family and friends.
Enjoy a 3D projection holiday show on the William Conner Home, historic holiday experiences and of course, Elf selfies. Don’t miss a ride on the Kringle’s Carousel or get a rush zooming down the 150-foot Polar Bear Plunge tubing hill.
Be sure to check out Conner Prairie’s other signature holiday experience, Breakfast with Santa.
NICKEL PLATE EXPRESS
All aboard the Nickel Plate Express for a fun-filled train excursion this holiday season. Offering both family and adult-only excursions.
Get in the holiday spirit with a festive 21+ train ride aboard the Holiday Cheers train ride! Enjoy a holiday sweet treat and festive music aboard a historic 1956 dining car.
Each ticket will include a special holiday cup to take home.
Looking for a holiday family experience? Look no further than the Reindeer Express. Enjoy an hour and fifteen-minute ride with Santa himself! This magical journey takes passengers on a round-trip ride from Noblesville to Arcadia while enjoying a sweet treat and a chance to see Santa and write him a personal letter, all while enjoying festive holiday music.
The train is festively decked out in Christmas lights.
HOLIDAY SHOWS
Experience live music like no other, with plenty of toe-tapping shows on the calendar this holiday season. Get your tickets for performances of “Lindsey Stirling- The Snow Waltz Tour,” “Jon McLaughlin & Friends: Home for the Holidays,” “Indiana Ballet Conservatory: The Nutcracker” and so much more. The Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts and resident companies offer non-stop performances that will elevate your holiday season.
For a full list of holiday events and festivities, go to VisitHamiltonCounty.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
RESEARCH STUDY SEEKING
Men 65 or Older or Women 50 or Older
Purdue University, College of Pharmacy is seeking healthy volunteers who are at least 65 years old (men) or 50 years old (women) to participate in a study to determine if a hormone called testosterone or progesterone can reduce the risk of a heart rhythm abnormality.
If you qualify for the study:
• You will complete one 2-hour visit and two 10- hour visits at the Indiana Clinical Research Center (ICRC) located on the IUPUI campus in downtown Indianapolis
• Prior to the 2nd and 3rd visit, you will apply testosterone or a placebo for 3 days and during the 2nd and 3rd visits, you will receive a medication called Ibutilide (Covert) by IV, have your blood taken and ECGs performed throughout the day.
• You will receive up to $500 after completing all study visits. Parking and meals during the study are included.
If you are interested in participating, please call or text 317-847-2094 or email: hwroblew@iu.edu
SIMPLY THE BEST
CARMEL CHRISTKINDLMARKT CONTINUES TO GAIN RECOGNITION THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND BEYOND
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Last year a businessman from Berlin, who had been working on assignment in Washington, D.C., was feeling homesick, so he googled “best Christmas markets” and found the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, which has been ranked four times in USA Today’s 10Best travel media group’s Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Holiday Market.
The man flew to Indianapolis to attend Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt and was so enthralled by the experience that he asked to speak to the person in charge. He told Maria Adele Rosenfeld, CEO of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, that they had nailed it.
“This could be picked up and put in any German town,” he said. “Being here makes me feel at home.”
The open-air holiday market, which first opened in 2017, has improved each year and become a holiday tradition for many families. Visitors can browse a variety of products sourced from Germany and neighboring German-speaking European countries, while indulging in traditional German foods and beverages. Guests can ice skate on the outdoor rink or take kids to do crafts in the Kinderecke (Kids Corner). They can also listen to live music in the Winter Pavilion, watch renowned artisans from Germany in the Werkstatt (Workshop) including woodworkers from the Erzgebirge region of Germany and glassblowers from Lauscha, catch a puppet show, meet Santa, or mingle with a fairy-tale princess in the Spielhaus (Playhouse).
The Carmel Christkindlmarkt attracts roughly half a million visitors annually. Last year National Geographic Travel named it one of six U.S. markets that “feel like a fairy tale.” Every year the market brings new, authentic offerings to its visitors. This year there will be Knödel & Champignons, a vegan hut offering delicious dumplings and sautéed mushrooms covered in a creamy garlic sauce. A German vendor and his wife are flying over from Germany to run the booth for the duration of the market.
In addition, this year the market will offer Feuerzangenbowle (translated to “fire-tongs punch”), a punch wine base with a sugar cone that’s soaked in rum and lit on fire. The caramelized sugar drips into the rum punch below. “This flaming cocktail is a showstopper,” says Rosenfeld.
Along with Feuerzangenbowle, the Carmel Christkindlmarkt will offer liquor options on-site for the first time, including spiked hot chocolates. Also new this year is Zinnstadt, a hand-painted pewter ornament booth.
Earlier this year Rosenfeld and Sandra Richardson, vice president of cultural programs for the event, attended a Christkindlmarkt conference in Munich that invites only the most authentic, highstandard markets.
“We were the only market in the U.S. that was represented at the conference,” Rosenfeld says.
While there, they shared how German woodworkers, glassblowers and other
artisans participate in the Carmel Christkindlmarkt.
“The people at this conference told us that they have trouble getting artisans to come to their market from just a few hours away,” Rosenfeld says. “They asked how we attracted these artisans to our market.”
The answer is simple. Unlike privately owned markets in Europe, Carmel Christkindlmarkt is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means that education and cultural programming on German culture is at the heart of what they do.
“There are people of all different ethnicities, faiths and socioeconomic levels speaking different languages,” Rosenfeld says. “I believe coming to the market is a unifying experience for guests.”
Carmel Christkindlmarkt starts on November 23 and runs through December 24. It’s open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. Visit carmelchristkindlmarkt. com for a schedule, and see the full list of entertainment and activities for each day.
If you had asked Sheryl New 24 years ago where she saw her career heading, owning a med spa might not have been at the top of her list. Yet today, her journey has exceeded her greatest expectations, leading her to become the owner and CEO of New Med Spa in Carmel - a role that blends her passion for science and patient care in ways she never imagined.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
Sheryl began her professional career after graduating with her first master’s degree in 1996. She worked as a molecular research scientist at Riley Hospital for Children, where she engaged in gene therapy studies and contributed to scientific publications.
Despite her passion for scientific research, Sheryl felt drawn to the clinical side of medicine. “I was excited about the hands-on, patient aspect of the work,” she explains. “Getting to interact with people and care for them has always brought me great joy.” To pursue her clinical interests, Sheryl earned a second master’s degree as a Physician Assistant in 2001. Through her journey as a Physician Assistant, she has gained extensive experience in emergency medicine, orthopedics, plastic surgery, and personalized regenerative medicine.
Sheryl spent the last 18 years working alongside top plastic surgeons in this area. “I have truly appreciated the surgical aspect and what nonsurgical intervention can do,” she says. “There is a significant desire for nonsurgical modalities for those who want to look and feel good without the expense and downtime of surgery, and that is why I opened New Med Spa in 2016.”
These years of dedication are evident in Sheryl’s success today. She has extensive training in anatomy and cosmetic injections and has been a Master Level injector since 2006. As an Allergan Medical Institute Trainer, Sheryl is in the top 5% of injectors nationwide.
Sheryl speaks for and has a regional training center for BTL, a global leader in medical esthetics technology. “We train with multiple different companies, and use the latest technology, which helps us remain relevant and a leader in our industry,” she says.
Sheryl is also the co-founder and part of the experienced team of medical providers with TruHealth Medical, which provides personal wellness and regenerative medicine.
Achievements such as these underscore Sheryl’s passion for her work. Once you meet Sheryl, you will understand why clients trust her with their skin care year after year. Her expertise is impressive, but it’s Sheryl’s integrity, humility and warm spirit that truly make each client feel valued and confident.
WHAT SETS NEW MED SPA APART
It is evident why New Med Spa is a leader in the industry. Sheryl offers advanced cosmetic injectables including neurotoxins, dermal fillers, biostimulators, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP/PRF) and Exosomes for hair growth and skin rejuvenation.
Her medical esthetics team offers advanced medical grade treatments that include Chemical Peels, Gentlemen’s, Teen and Acne Facials, Dermaplaning and Microneedling. As well as signature treatments including Diamond Glow and Glo2 facials. There are targeted treatments for collagen stimulation, fine lines and wrinkles with HALO laser, BBL Photofacials and Radiofrequency microneedling for face and neck with Morpheus8 and Exion. Additionally, BTL’s
HIFEM/HIFES technology is used for deep muscle stimulation with EMFACE for facial toning, EMSculpt NEO for body contouring and EMSELLA for incontinence.
EXPERIENCED STAFF, NEXT-LEVEL TALENT
Sheryl has made it a priority for her expertise to be reflected in her team. “We have extremely experienced and knowledgeable medical providers with decades of experience in their field,” she says. “Our providers are passionate about helping clients make the best decisions for their needs.”
Online reviews often focus on the New Med Spa staff’s kindness, professionalism and knowledgeability.
Clients are well-cared-for throughout their entire experience, from consultation to treatment completion. Sheryl takes her time and ensures clients feel comfortable, understand their options and receive personalized guidance. Her consultation process is a key contributor to her high satisfaction rates.
“Consultations are crucial for us,” Sheryl explains. “This isn’t something we want to rush. We take the time to get to know our clients, understand what they’re looking for, and from there, determine how best to guide them. We work within their budget and time frame.”
One of her top priorities is educating clients. “Many tell me that no one has ever taken the time to explain things to them, and I know they appreciate that,” she says.
NEW MED SPA IS A REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER FOR BTL A GLOBAL LEADER IN ESTHETICS TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY.
We specialize in using PRP and purified exosomes for hair growth and skin rejuvenation. Treatments can be paired with EXION RF Microneedling.
EMSCUPT NEO body contouring can be combined with medical weight loss.
We offer EMSELLApelvic therapy for incontinence and other health issues.
CLIENTS ARE FAMILY
While the physical benefits of these services are obvious, the emotional value of the industry should not be overlooked. “When people feel better about themselves, it has a positive impact on their lives,” Sheryl says. “It’s never too late to start. We want to make them feel their best at any age. We treat our clients like family.”
For more information, visit newmedspas.com.
THE GUILDED LEAF BOOK & AUTHOR EVENING
LITERARY ELEGANCE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Writer / Jeff Worrell
If you absolutely love the Carmel Clay Public Library and the 1,500 free children’s programs they offer, you need to thank a Carmel Clay Library Guild member. Approximately 75 members work tirelessly to raise money by holding fundraising events for the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation.
“These ladies and two gentlemen truly understand the value of the library to our community,” says Elizabeth Hamilton, foundation director. “They work tirelessly all year long to help sustain our longterm excellence by raising money for programming.”
While they hold 12 events annually, it is the Guilded Leaf Book and Author Evening and luncheon that brings together almost 700 book lovers for their major fundraiser. This year they celebrated the 20th anniversary for the luncheon at the Ritz Charles, and 10th anniversary for the evening event.
Former Director Ruth Nisenshal is credited with reengaging a dormant Guild and tasking them with creating an author luncheon. She was honored during the 20th anniversary celebration.
“I was encouraged to hold the first event at the library, but Marianne Brocke and the
organizing committee wanted to think big so we sold enough tickets to hold it at the Ritz,” she says.
Brocke, the last remaining original member who was there in 2004 when the Guild began, remembers that first year.
“The board of directors was not sure it was possible to hold such an event,” she says. “There were six of us on that first committee and failure was not an option. We did everything ourselves and 390 people showed up that first year. It was wonderful, and look at us now!”
Sue Marley and her daughter, Chris Patrick, can relate to starting something, as they were responsible for inventing the first evening event 10 years later. Their thought was to create an experience the night before that would appeal to men and couples, and thus increase support for the library. The Book and Author Evening clearly draws a different crowd, including younger people.
Sherry McVey is another Carmel resident who has held every position and served on every committee affiliated with the Guild, and says she is a supporter because “Carmel is known for the arts - performing arts and visual arts. I thought the library should be considered the center for literary arts. That is why I feel compelled to be a member of the Guild.”
Patty Steffen is the current president of the Guild and is grateful for such a hard-working group.
“The generosity and talent of our Guild
members is remarkable,” she says. “They are always there to support the mission of the library, and there is no task too small or too great.”
The Guild meets once a month. For more information, go to carmelclaylibrary.org.
LIVE STREAMING
CAN-DO ATTITUDE
ICAN CONTINUES SUCCESSFUL SERVICE DOG TRAINING PROGRAM
Writer / Ryan Gabbert
For many adults, children and veterans living with disabilities, their service dog is an invaluable part of their lives. Beyond being great companions, these dogs allow their clients to live full and independent lives that might otherwise not have been an option.
ICAN stands for Indiana Canine Assistant Network, and has been a trailblazing organization in the state for more than 20 years. Founded in December 2001, ICAN is a force for positive change in people’s lives.
ICAN is set apart from other similar organizations in Indiana by being the only service-dog training program accredited by Assistance Dogs International. With this distinction, ICAN is proud to have established decades of success and notoriety within service-dog training programs and supporters. This distinction transcends to the unique way dogs are trained.
That’s because at any given time, ICAN has between 40 and 60 incarcerated individuals training and leading the development of their service dogs at three Indiana-based correctional facilities.
These dedicated men and women are crucial in training their service dogs to ensure they reach their full potential and become reliable assistant dogs for future clients.
Over the past 20 years, ICAN has placed nearly 300 service dogs with clients, and helped hundreds of incarcerated individuals
move beyond their mistakes, gain hope, and learn the skills they need to successfully return to the community - all by training service dogs that help someone else.
The incarcerated trainers involved with ICAN as trainers report having a positive experience, and know that they are helping to give back to the community. In addition to the experience, the handlers are provided a unique opportunity to learn training skills, as well as dog care and management skills, and uphold greater responsibility within the prison through their work.
As it currently stands, ICAN has more than 60 handlers and dogs in training at three different correctional facilities. ICAN itself operates with 11 employees and more than 250 volunteers.
One such individual who began as a volunteer is David Glenn. Glenn is the owner of CoasterStone, a local stone coaster company, and a proud supporter of ICAN since 2016.
Initially meeting through their annual Valentine’s Day fundraiser called Puppy Love, Glenn quickly became involved with the organization, and in 2017 began a partnership with ICAN to include CoasterStone coasters inside of ICAN’s Puppy Love gift boxes. Always a believer in ICAN’s mission, Glenn was asked to be on the board of the organization in 2021 and now serves as vice chair. “Any of the work that you do with ICAN is benefitting our
community, and helping individuals live a more independent life,” Glenn says.
Today ICAN offers four different types of service dogs: mobility assistance, psychiatric assistance (for military veterans), facility assistance, and in-home skilled companions.
“A service dog provides a service, they are professionals, and people’s lives depend on them,” Glenn says. “An understanding of the dog’s role and the extensive training received will lead to more knowledge and acceptance by the community.”
Looking ahead, ICAN continues to improve its services and expand its operations. In January 2025 Glenn will be appointed the chairman of the board for ICAN, and will reaffirm his commitment to the service dogs, the clients and the community.
If you would like more information about ICAN, visit their website at icandog.org, or follow them on social media.
SPONSORED BY
SYDNEY ELAINE’S SMILE
Writer / Julie Yates
Sydney Elaine’s Smile, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, grew out of Shelley Campbell’s desire to help others going through grief. The initiative creates beautiful handmade prayer cards for those experiencing a loss or going through a traumatic situation. Its mission follows the wish of the Campbell family to leave people better than when they found them. It also has the goal of steering individuals to a path of improved mental health.
Sydney Elaine Campbell had just graduated from Carmel High School a year before, when she was tragically killed in December 2011. She and her boyfriend were walking across a street when she was hit by a car driven by a woman who was texting. The worst thing that can happen to any parent is the loss of a child, and for Sydney’s mother, Shelley Campbell, the pain was indescribable.
“I wanted to end my life,” she says. “I knew God didn’t cause the accident and I had to keep going forward. It’s not about me; the Lord gets to use us. Nine months after Sydney died my brother-in-law passed on, and then a few years later my 53-year-old sister, Jan Ann Stuck, who I leaned on so much, suddenly died. It was a lot to deal with in the span of a few years.”
“I didn’t start Sydney Elaine’s Smile until almost five years after she passed on,” Campbell adds. “It took me a long time to get my head around what had happened.
During those years I got phone calls from other parents who had lost a child, wishing to talk about how they could get through their grief. I remembered that about six weeks or so after Sydney died, a pastor from Church at the Crossing gave me a set of prayer cards that spoke to my heart. I got the idea to start a ministry making prayer cards and sending them out. My daughters, Shea and Mia Campbell, are also involved.”
A prayer card is a booklet of seven individual cards, one for every day of the week. There is a Bible verse for every day. “The ones for women tend to have more flowers and the men’s ones are more masculine,” Campbell says. “I pray for inspiration as to what verses to use, and sometimes google to get ideas that would help for different situations. Looking at a Bible verse each day gets it deep in your soul and it becomes innate.”
Campbell hopes to expand the number of people who could be helped by receiving a prayer card. Recently, with the help of more than a dozen members of her church, Campbell was able to give 175 cards to first responders in Morgan County. Prayer cards were also given to members of the Bible club at Martinsville High School.
“Mental health is a big issue right now,” Campbell says. “I am big on Christian counseling. Many kids feel that they are not loved and they don’t belong. I would love to have a locker in the high school where kids who are hurt and suffering could go and get a prayer card. You must have hope to go forward.”
Campbell owns Campbell Healthcare Consulting, a business that helps people navigate Medicare upon turning 65 and the years following. Each year health care plans and options change, and she reviews the choices with individual clients and employers who pick plans for their employees. She has plans for Sydney Elaine’s Smile when she leaves the industry.
“When I stop working full time, I would like to mass produce the prayer card program and place them in funeral homes for directors to give out if they are led to do so,” she says. “I am also working on a 365-day coffee table book that I hope to publish by the end of the year. I am planting seeds through Bible verses and I might not get the luxury of watering the seed or seeing the seed mature but I know in my heart I have left people better than I found them. This is how I deal with the pain.”
“Sydney was a good kid,” Campbell says. “Sydney was an awesome and caring daughter and sister!”
Donations can be sent to: 3058 Bay Berry Court East, Carmel, IN 46033.
CONNECT
To provide resources for people facing challenges to affirm dignity and inspire hope.
We offer a monthly personal care pantry on the third Saturday of each month. In addition, we supply hygiene bags and period packs to local schools and other nonprofit organizations.
The community can support our organization by becoming monthly donors. A contribution of just $15 a month helps us keep our pantry stocked with essential hygiene products for families who depend on us. We’re also seeking individuals or groups to host service projects at their workplace, with their small group, or alongside family and friends.
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
ROTARY CLUB OF CARMEL CONTINUES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Writer / Ashley Callan
Since its founding in 1972, Rotary Club of Carmel has been making a positive influence in the community and surrounding area, through volunteer work, community outreach, grant programs and international services. Rotary has more than 1.2 million members worldwide in 45,000 clubs, and Rotary Club of Carmel is proud to be among an elite group of individuals who strive to put - as Rotary’s principal motto says - service above self.
Rotary Club is a service club whose primary mission is to serve local and international communities. Rotarians are committed to giving their time and their resources to accomplish these goals. Rotarians serve their communities locally and all around the world with the mantra of, “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?” This Rotary Four-Way Test builds the foundation of how Rotarians service the community.
The 139 Carmel Rotary members, consisting of business, professional and community leaders, strive to create a lasting impact for Carmel and beyond, through volunteer service for a variety of local and regional nonprofits. Currently they assist Crooked Creek Food Pantry on Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Merciful Help Center Food Pantry on the fourth Tuesday of every month, as well as the Monon Greenway Cleanup quarterly. Carmel Rotarians also volunteer for Hamilton County Meals on Wheels, Good Samaritan Network, Holiday Adopt-aFamily, and Habitat for Humanity.
Throughout the years, Rotary Club of Carmel has created a lasting footprint in Carmel with the participation the first concept plan for the Monon Greenway, the Rotary amphitheater at Carter Green/the Palladium celebrating Rotary’s 100 birthday in 2011, the recently reinstalled Rotary clock at Main Street and Range Line Road, and the picnic shelter at Flowing Well Park. The Rotary Plaza on the Monon Greenway annually recognizes an outstanding citizen who is not a Rotarian for their service to the community with the Rotary Outstanding Service Award.
CarmelFest, an annual Fourth of July parade and festival, is Carmel Rotary’s biggest contribution to the community, and also functions as a fundraising event that endorses their community work.
Twice a year, through proceeds including those from CarmelFest, Rotary Club of Carmel awards thousands of dollars in community grants to several organizations that help provide services to the underserved in Carmel, Hamilton County and central Indiana. Past award recipients have included Assistance League of Indianapolis, Children’s TherAplay Foundation, Best Buddies Indiana, Prime Life Enrichment, Carmel Community Players, Carmel Education Foundation, Damar Services, and Fields Market Garden. The next round of grants is under consideration.
The Carmel Rotary’s Leadership Connection connects today’s leaders with the next generation to build awareness of the importance of community service. This forum for local high school students explores ways they can positively impact their communities.
“Whatever
Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.”
—Rotary Founder Paul Harris
The Leadership Connection Community Service Day on October 24 assisted high school students in volunteer efforts with local nonprofits including Mission to Connect, Homeless Hygienex, STEM Connection, and Paws & Think. Carmel Rotarians and high school volunteers helped Mission to Connect and Harmanize Communities serve warm meals to those suffering from homelessness, and assisted Homeless Hygienex with creating and distributing 200 essential hygiene kits filled with necessities like toothbrushes, soap and more. They also helped STEM professionals create educational kits, which will be distributed to schools and churches that currently lack STEM access for youth, and helped to create blankets and essential supply kits for the Paws & Think therapy dogs.
November’s Leadership Connection Community Service Day is slated for November 15 at the Carmel-Clay Public Library.
Carmel Rotary also has a Youth Exchange Program, hosting incoming high school students from abroad and sponsoring outbound local high school students from the area to countries around the globe. Currently they are hosting an exchange student from Brazil.
Upcoming fundraising events include a Christmas holiday luncheon at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael to support their international projects. The primary focus of Rotary International and all clubs is the eradication of polio from the face of the earth. Carmel Rotary’s international projects have also provided clean water for schools and kidney transplants in the Mexico City area. The next trip to Mexico will be in January 2025.
The Rotary Club of Carmel meets for lunch at 11:45 a.m. on Fridays at Woodland Country Club. Learn more at carmelrotary.com.
Sponsor of U Glam Girl Women’s Empowerment Nonprofit
OUR THREE FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS MENTORSHIP
U Glam Girl Youth Workshop Community Impact BEAUTY FOR SUCCESS GIVE BACK PROJECT
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Inspiring & empowering conference focused on women's health, wealth, and beauty!
Proudly partnering with Haven Women Ministry in 2025
CARMEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Founded in 1966, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) has been supporting Carmel Clay Schools students in academic achievement and lifelong learning for nearly 60 years.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it is independent of the school systems, yet works closely with teachers, families and the overall district to make sure that the services and resources it provides are appropriate. In its work, the foundation centers on two pillars: classroom readiness and real-world readiness.
Regarding classroom readiness, one way it offers support is by giving grants to teachers and students who have identified something they want to do that’s beyond what they can get in a classroom lesson. For example, students at one of the elementary schools wanted their teachers to get to know their parents better, so they requested funding to host a game night, which saw a huge turnout.
“It’s about looking at ways to provide value or enhanced learning, either inside or beyond a classroom,” says Jennifer Penix, CEF executive director.
When it comes to real-world readiness, they look at achievement at all levels.
“We don’t just focus on the 4.0 student,” Penix says. “We meet every student at their level of need because we want to prepare them for life beyond high school.”
Each year the CEF awards 100 scholarships. Some are for attending a two- or four-year university. Others are for purchasing items needed to go directly into a work environment, such as tools for an automotive job.
The state of Indiana and the Department of Workforce Development is focused on generating education plans to create a pipeline for a prepared workforce. Therefore, the CEF strives to be a part of that.
“We have a fantastic school system with a high graduation rate, but in the last few years we’ve also recognized that college isn’t the only, or sometimes the best, path for our kids,” Penix says. “The problem is they don’t know where else to go, so as a foundation we’ve been working with the district on how to come alongside what’s happening in the classroom.”
The CEF Achieve initiative is a series of programs that prepares Carmel Clay Schools students for their futures, as it focuses on workforce preparedness, financial literacy and self-awareness. Students learn about what kinds of jobs exist in the world that might line up with their skill sets or interests.
“We expose them to things they might not know through hands-on experiences across grade levels,” says Penix, noting that the CEF is the only foundation in the state with such a program.
By the time students graduate, they not only can perform well, but they also know how to
perform real-world functions like buying and financing a car.
The CEF has 25 board members and 80 volunteers collectively, all of whom represent different sectors of the community. “Some are presidents of their corporations,” Penix says. “Some are first-time moms. They all have a passion and commitment to public education and are critical to our success.”
The CEF’s big annual fundraiser is Taste of Carmel, which will take place on Friday, March 7. Tickets will go on sale by December 1. The event, which attracts roughly 1,200 attendees, is supported by up to 50 local food and beverage establishments that provide amazing food and drink. There’s also a VIP party and silent auction.
“What’s unique from other galas is that this isn’t a seated, plated dinner,” Penix says. “It’s very social and interactive.”
The theme of the event is “Friday Night Fever: Disco Balls & Basketballs”, which combines the ‘70s with March Madness. Taste of Carmel is open to anybody, not just Carmel residents.
“We have 50 tables to sell, and they sell out within a few weeks,” Penix says.
For more on the Carmel Education Foundation, visit ccs.k12.in.us/foundation.
To buy tickets for Taste of Carmel, visit tasteofcarmelindiana.com.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE VOTING PROCESS
Over two centuries ago, most voting was done out loud and in person - a method known as viva voce (meaning “living voice”). A person would quite literally announce to the voting clerk, for all to hear, how they intended to vote. This format was in use during the election of George Washington and, even as paper ballots began to appear, was still in practice when Abraham Lincoln won his election as our 16th president in 1860.
Voting was hardly a secret in these early days of our republic, with some areas using a system involving a piece of paper attached to a wall that listed the various candidates and the offices they sought. A voter would simply sign their name underneath the candidate they were supporting, after
HOW WE GOT HERE
A HISTORY OF VOTING AND A LOOK BACK ON CARMEL’S GREAT ELECTIONS
Writer / Rob Brown
attesting with a Bible that they were a legal voter and were signing their real name. Everyone who signed the paper afterwards could see how their neighbors had voted, which probably made for some awkward moments among politically divided families and friends.
Even the first iterations of paper ballots were anything but private. While submitting a folded paper ballot might seem less public to our modern eyes, many 19th century ballot boxes were transparent globes. There was no standard as to how or what a ballot should look like either. Oftentimes votes were cast on nothing more than scraps of paper. Political parties saw this lack of standardization as an opportunity and started handing out pre-filled ballots, on colored paper, with their party’s candidates listed on them. These pre-printed ballots, known as tickets due to their resemblance to train tickets, were then dropped into ballot boxes by voters who were supporting one party over another - thus the phrase “straight ticket” voting was born. The colorful ballots, deposited into glass-jar ballot boxes, made it easy for observers to see who people were voting for and, most importantly, who was winning in a particular precinct. This manner of voting (and printing ballots) left the door open to all sorts of mischief, and so, by the end of the 19th century, state and local governments began issuing standard ballots.
From there, machine voting took over, with voters pulling a series of levers in a voting booth to mark and submit their ballots. A lever-operated privacy curtain surrounded the voter during this process. When the curtain was opened to exit the voting booth, the ballot would be submitted and the machine would reset for the next person to
use. The machines were opened after the election and results were tallied by hand, with partisan observers watching to make sure an accurate count was recorded. This method eventually gave way to the punch cards and electronic voting used today.
It is the states, not the federal government, that are responsible for the rules pertaining to voting within their borders. So while California still uses a version of the punchcard ballot, Indiana opts for electronic voting machines. As elections evolve, so too does the voting process. In the year 2000, only 40% of voters had access to early voting. That number today, less than 25 years later, is north of 95%. It is hard to imagine what voting methods and challenges will look like 25 years from now, but the end result will be the same. One citizen will get one vote, no matter what, and despite all the changes to elections and voting methods, that is something that will never go out of style.
A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF CARMEL’S MOST IMPORTANT ELECTIONS
The first major vote in Carmel took place in 1874. At the time Carmel was known as Bethlehem. Local residents had found out 30 years prior that a town named Bethlehem, Indiana, already existed, and so it was decided that a referendum would be held to officially change the name of the town to Carmel, which was the name the local post office had been using. The referendum succeeded, with 33 votes in favor and 12 opposing. At the time, Carmel’s population was roughly 250.
Almost 100 years later, another pivotal referendum was set to go before Carmel voters, this time to decide whether Carmel
Al Pickett, First Carmel Mayor
should move from being a town to a city. Until this point, the town affairs had been handled by an elected town board. However, the city had a growing population and increasing municipal needs. So in 1974 a referendum was voted upon and passed, by a two to one margin, officially making Carmel a city, which would require elections of a mayor and city council.
November of 1975 brought the first city elections to Carmel. After all 12 precincts (70 precincts today) in Carmel had voted, the results showed that Al Pickett would become Carmel’s first mayor, joined by the inaugural seven-member city council. “The big issue of the day was whether or not Carmel should purchase the Indianapolis Water Works plant on 106th and Gray Road,” said Fred Swift, who was a member of Carmel’s last town board and first city council. According to Swift, Pickett had opposed purchasing the water facility.
Four years later, Carmel would make history again at the polls by electing only the second female mayor in Indiana history with the election of Jane Reiman. With Carmel’s population ballooning to over 18,000 residents by the time of the election, it became clear that Carmel needed the Indianapolis Water Works facility and much more.
As Carmel has grown, so too have the complexities of its elections and
government. “I probably spent less than $20 during that first city council race,” Swift said. The city has grown over five times its size since 1980, and today’s city council races routinely see candidates raising tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. But with great growth comes great opportunity, and
voters in Carmel have a knack for picking the right path.
Tuesday, November 5 is election day, and between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., all of Camel’s precincts will be bustling with activity. Any vote is a good one! Fortunately, you won’t have to show your vote to anyone else.
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