CPD hires crisis intervention specialist – The Carmel Police Department has hired a second full-time crisis intervention specialist. Jody Kennedy was previously a social worker at Damar Services where she worked the last six years. Crisis intervention specialists are responsible for coordinating and managing a variety of community mental health services for the public on police-related matters. CPD previously hired Hannah Cowles as its first specialist in March 2021. Kennedy received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Purdue University and received a master’s degree in social work from IUPUI.
Memorial Day Ceremony – The City of Carmel will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at 9 a.m. May 26 at the Carmel Clay Veterans Memorial Plaza, 800 3rd Ave. SW. The event is free and open to the public. The ceremony will include musical performances and a keynote address by Eric Donoho, a retired U.S. Army sergeant. A light breakfast will be provided courtesy of Allegion.
Street department group recognized – A group of women who work at the City of Carmel Street Dept. was honored by representing the city on a special panel at the national Snow Conference put on by the American Public Works Association in Omaha, Neb. Staff members Paighton Armes, a skilled laborer; Terese Ariens, also a skilled laborer; and Crystal Edmondson, operations manager; were invited to sit on the panel and share their experiences of working in a male-dominated industry. According to the Federal Highway Administration, only about 13 percent of the jobs filled at street departments and other transportation-related industries are held by women. The Carmel Street Dept. employs 20 female employees in full-time, part-time and seasonal roles.
Perfect ACT score – Bhargava (Johnny) Mortha, son of Prakash and Rukmini Mortha and a junior at Carmel High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. About one-quarter of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, each scored on a scale of 1-36.
St. Luke’s recognized – St. Luke’s United Methodist Church is one of the six national Interfaith Power & Light 2023 Cool Congregations Challenge winners who each have been awarded a $1,000 prize. The annual contest accepts applications from religious congregations around the U.S. who are working to address climate change by reducing their carbon footprint as they create models of sustainability within their communities. St. Luke’s won the Electric Vehicle Leader award for the work of their Creation Care Ministry in encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles as an important way to reduce the carbon pollution that causes climate change. Learn more at interfaithpowerandlight.org.
500 Festival volunteers needed – The 500 Festival is seeking thousands of volunteers to fill positions as part of the 2023 500 Festival Volunteer Program. The nonprofit invites individuals and groups to be part of the behind-the-scenes action of the Month of May by lending their time and talent to support a variety of 500 Festival community events and programs. With more than 100 areas of volunteer opportunity, there are over 7,000 positions available, providing a role to fit every interest and ability. Learn more at 500Festival.com/Volunteer.
Parade tickets on sale – Tickets are on sale to the public for the 2023 AES 500 Festival Parade. Parade tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online at 500festival.com/tickets. Proceeds from all 500 Festival ticketed events help support the organization’s free programming and events for Indiana youth and college students. The parade will take place at 11:45 a.m. May 27 in downtown Indianapolis. The grand marshal is Frank Shorter, Olympic gold medalist and the winner of the first OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.
Kindergarten registration – Registration is open for the Carmel Clay Schools kindergarten class for the 2023-24 school year. Early registration helps CCS prepare for anticipated staffing needs and allows families to begin the kindergarten assessment process and receive communication from the district. Register for the Class of 2036 at ccs.k12.in.us/services/curriculum/kindergarten.
Apply for CMYC – Applications are being accepted for the 2023-24 term of the Carmel Mayor’s Youth Council, a youth-led organization with a goal to serve the community. Learn more about the group and how to apply by emailing CMYC Advisor Candy Martin at [email protected].
Breakfast at the Brickyard – Tickets are on sale to the general public for the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, set for 9 a.m. May 20, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Gallagher Pavilion. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett will host and honor more than 70 mayors from across Indiana for their work in advancing Hoosier communities. Guests will enjoy a traditional breakfast and hear from Indianapolis Motor Speedway executives and 500 Festival leaders. Purchase tickets at 500Festival.com/Breakfast.
Hamilton County Democratic Women meetings— The Hamilton County Democratic Women will not meet in April but will resume meeting on the third Saturday of the month May 20. The meeting will be from 9:10 to 11 a.m. at the Delaware Township Trustee Building, 9090 E. 131st, Fishers. All Hamilton County women are welcome.
Monthly beekeepers meeting – The North Central Beekeepers Club meets the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Cool Creek Nature Center, 2000 E. 151st St. in Westfield. Meetings are free to attend by all levels of beekeepers located centrally north of Indianapolis. Those interested in becoming beekeepers are welcome. For more information, visit facebook.com/ncbclub.
Tuesday Morning to close – Tuesday Morning, a national retailer that operates a store in Carmel at 2188 E. 116th St., is closing all of its stores. A going-out-of-business sale is under way, with up to 30 percent discounts offered on lowest ticketed prices. Tuesday Morning also has a store in Indianapolis at 6935 Lake Plaza Dr. Learn more at TuesdayMorning.com.
O’Malia’s Living buys showroom – O’Malia’s Living now owns the spacious showroom in Carmel it has leased since 2002 and is moving ahead with expanded marketing to increase sales. The company bought the showroom building on Carmel’s Medical Drive when its landlord decided to sell. O’Malia’s Living owner, Scott Horvath, secured a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 program to buy the building. Horvath said O’Malia’s Living has added sales personnel, increasing its payroll to 15 people and is investing in showroom improvements in the next one to three years.
Telamon recognized – Telamon Corporation has been selected as a 2023 US Best Managed Company. The program, sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies and the achievements of their management teams. Applicants are evaluated and selected by a panel of external judges focused on assessing hallmarks of excellence in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture and governance/financial performance.
KAR hires CFO – Carmel-based KAR Auction Services has named Brad Lakhia as chief financial officer. Lakhia will be responsible for leading all financial and reporting functions across KAR as well as investor relations and the company’s capital investment strategy. Lakhia also joins KAR’s executive committee and will report to KAR Global CEO Peter Kelly. Lakhia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from The Ohio State University, a master of business administration in finance from Case Western Reserve University and is a non-practicing CPA.
Merchants Bank hire – Carmel-based Merchants Bank has hired John Douglas as assistant vice president in the bank’s Correspondent and Warehouse Lending divisions. Douglas will join this growing segment of Merchants’ lending platform remotely in New Jersey. Prior to joining Merchants Bank, Douglas served as president and CEO of eWise Home Lending, a company he founded. Douglas is an active member of the New Jersey Mortgage Broker/Banker Association and has participated in several MBA committees. He is a graduate of Catholic University.
Free home repair services – The Patch Boys of Northeast Indianapolis, a locally-owned and operated home repair services provider, is offering free home repair services to an immediate family member of a fallen soldier in the area. The family will be selected based on the scope of repairs needed and the impact it would have on the family. Submissions will be accepted until May 26, and the winning family will be selected on or before Memorial Day. Learn more at thepatchboys.com/northeast-indianapolis.
Seminar on strokes – Riverview Health will host a seminar highlighting stroke care, including the benefits of physical, occupational and speech therapies, as well as education on stroke prevention. The seminar will feature Dr. Ron Miller, who specializes in physiatry. The seminar will be at 6 p.m. May 16 in the Krieg DeVault conference room in the lower level of Riverview Health in Noblesville. Miller will detail the therapy offered at Riverview Health that can help stroke victims return to optimal function. The program is free, but registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided. Visit riverview.org or call 317-776-7999 to register.
My Healthy Baby – The Indiana Dept. of Health and Indiana Family and Social Services Administration have completed the rollout of My Healthy Baby, the state’s obstetrical navigator program that is designed to improve health outcomes for both mother and baby. Launched in January 2020, My Healthy Baby connects pregnant women who are enrolled in Medicaid with free home visiting services and support in their communities during their pregnancy and throughout their baby’s first year of life. Since its inception, the program has referred more than 12,000 women to local support through programs such as Nurse-Family Partnership and Healthy Families. Eligible women can be referred to My Healthy Baby by a provider or can refer themselves by visiting myhealthybabyindiana.com or calling 844-624-6667.
Hospice volunteers needed – Brighton Hospice in Carmel is looking for volunteers to help office staff perform a variety of office duties such as organizing admission paperwork, filing, preparing and sending mail, answering phones, stocking supplies and helping with special projects and events. Hours and days for this volunteer opportunity are flexible and training will be provided. To learn more, contact Katresha Taylor, volunteer coordinator, by calling 317-798-2160 or by email at [email protected].
