Handbags for Hope – The Handbags for Hope charity auction will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 5 at Ritz Charles, 12156 N. Meridian St. Donated purses, jewelry, gift baskets and more will be sold in a silent auction, and celebrity guests will “model” purses in a live auction. The event will benefit Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, which provides advocacy services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Tickets cost $50 and include lunch. Learn more at beaconofhopeindy.org.
Controller charged – The former controller for Carmel-based Estridge Homes, Thomas Carter, has been charged with bank fraud and with scheming to defraud by a grand jury of the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana. The indictment suggests that Carter issued checks to himself and deleted those entries from the company’s accounting software. He is also accused of marking accounting entries for third parties and directing those funds to his own account.
Quilters meeting – The Quilters Guild of Indianapolis North will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 4 at Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, 1605 E. 106th St. Lynn Hodge of Quilt Expressions in Fishers will be speaking on Quilted Post Cards. The color of the month is red-orange. All attendees are encouraged to wear red-orange. For more, visit QuiltGuildIndy.net.
Bingo Bonanza returns – Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation will host its third annual Bingo Bonanza at the Monon Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 4. The event, which is open to all ages, costs $8 per person and will feature an evening of Bingo, pizza, prizes and more. Registration is available at carmelclayparks.com.
Arts & Crafts Marketplace – St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 126th Street and Gray Road, will host the Arts & Crafts Marketplace from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 5. Twenty-five vendors will offer a variety of unique items including quilts, handmade jewelry, doll clothes, Kiwanis wooden toys, bath products, wood-turned items and more. Snacks and a light lunch will be available in the Candy Cane café and homemade treats will be for sale in the bake shop.
Scholarship awarded – The National Liberty Museum announced that Carmel resident Sarah Tinaphong is one of 14 students nationwide selected to receive scholarship funds from the National Liberty Museum’s new Liberty Scholarship Program. The competition invited high school seniors and undergraduate students up to age 25 to submit a 3-5 minute video-speech on the topic How I Plan to Make a Difference in the Lives of Others.
Miss Indiana crowned – The 2017 Miss Indiana USA and Miss Teen Indiana USA were recently crowned at the Palladium. Brittany Winchester of Indianapolis was named Miss Indiana USA. Indianapolis resident Paige Robinson was crowned Miss Teen Indiana USA.
Homeschool programs available – Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation offers programs for families who homeschool their children. Two upcoming programs for homeschool families are Homeschool Creative Arts and Homeschool Gym. Homeschool Creative Arts sessions are designed for students who wish to go above and beyond state standards in a variety of subjects. Each 7-week course costs $98 per child. Homeschool Gym courses last six weeks and cost $40 per student. For more, contact Amanda Jackson at [email protected].
Coat drive – Local orthodontist David Judy, DDS, MS, and the Judy Orthodontics Team are sponsoring Warm Up for Winter through Nov. 30. Donations of new or gently used winter wear such as coats, hats, gloves and scarves can be dropped off at the Judy Orthodontics office at 3965 W. 106th St., Suite 150. Donations will benefit the Julian Center.
Community service awards – From now through Nov. 8, all middle school and high school students are invited to the apply for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service within the past 12 months. The application is available at spirit.prudential.com and nassp.org/spirit. One student winner will be announced at each middle school, while four winning students will be announced at the high school. Winning students may move onto the state competition and be eligible for an award of $1,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.
Beauty Lounge trunk show – The Beauty Lounge, 2325 Pointe Pkwy, Suite 110, is hosting a trunk show from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 10 featuring items for purchase and artwork from local artists. Items will be featured from Robert Goodman Jewelers and Chan Luu, a Los Angeles-based contemporary lifestyle brand offering handcrafted designer jewelry, scarves and apparel. Rascia’s Creative Cakes will provide light desserts.
Quilters meeting – The Quilters Guild of Indianapolis will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at Second Presbyterian Church, 1605 E. 7700 N. Meridian St. Guild member Leigh Layton will present a trunk show of her colorful art quilts. Layton’s presentation will be the second in a series titled Launching Our Stars, giving guild members an opportunity to present lectures and workshops in their area of expertise. For more, visit QuiltGuildIndy.net.
High school open house – At Carmel High School, opportunity is our theme, and we invite you to our Community Open House from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 13. Take this opportunity to meet with teachers, administrators, counselors and current students to learn about Carmel High School’s nationally recognized academic, extracurricular and athletic programs. Facility tours will also be available. This is open to everyone.
Free parenting class – The Indiana Montessori Academy presents a parenting class titled Introduction to Love & Logic for Parents from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17. The class is free. The Indiana Montessori Academy is located at 12760 Horseferry Rd. in Carmel. For more, call 317-569-1290.
Newcomers Club meeting – Newcomers of Carmel will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at Prairie View Golf Club, 7000 Longest Dr. Humor columnist Dick Wolfsie will be the featured speaker. Newcomers to the area are encouraged to attend and make some new friends. Even if you’ve been around for a while, come and help us welcome our newest neighbors. For more, visit CarmelNewcomers.com.
Murder Mystery Dinner – Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation invites the public to its Murder Mystery Dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Monon Community Center. The event is open to adults ages 21 and older and costs $30 per person. The registration fee includes a four-course meal and one drink ticket. Before the meal, guests will receive a character identity with a short script, and diners will work together to identify which character is the murder suspect and solve the mystery. Register at CarmelClayParks.org.
Winter art contest – The Carmel Arts Council is announcing its winter art contest for artists in grades K-12. All entries must be winter-themed original artwork on 8 ½ x 11 paper and submitted to SoHo, 620 S. Range Line Rd., by Nov. 20 at 3 p.m.
Bolt for the Heart 5k – The fifth annual Bolt for the Heart 5k run/walk will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving Day) at the Palladium Center Green, 355 City Center Dr. All proceeds will go toward purchasing AEDs for Indiana State Trooper patrol cars. A virtual race option is available for those unable to participate locally. For more, visit BoltForTheHeart.com.
Taste of Carmel – Orchard Park Elementary is gearing up for the 14th annual Taste of Carmel Mar. 2, 2017. The PTO is seeking sponsorship from area businesses and individuals. Packages range from $250 to $3,000 and can be customized. Due to continued growth, Taste of Carmel has moved to a new location, 502 E. on Carmel Dr.. Attendance is expected to exceed 1,000 guests, with more than 45 vendors. For more, contact Jennifer Penix at 317-258-5665 or [email protected].
Dine and donate – Dine at BoomBozz Pizza, 2430 E. 146th St., from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. Nov. 3 and the Carmel Fraternal Order of Police Foundation will receive a donation. Mention the Carmel FOP for a donation equal to 15 percent off your bill. The offer applies to dine-in orders only.
Preservation conference – Indiana Native Plant & Wildflower Society will host its 23rd annual conference from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5 at 502 East Event Centre. Titled Preservation: Keeping What We’ve Got, Restoring What We’ve Lost, this event is open to anyone with an interest in native plants, conservation, botany, landscaping and wildlife habitat. For more information or to register, visit inpaws.org.
Straight ticket voting changes – Straight party voting has changed in Indiana. Hoosiers will still be able to cast a straight ticket Nov. 8, but that vote will not count for any individual candidate for county council or town council at-large. Voters now need to select each candidate they wish to elect for at-large county council and town council seats.
Scholarships available – Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana Scholarship Program offers students the opportunity to apply for one of four scholarships honoring the applicant’s heritage to celebrate the growing diversity in Indiana. Applications are being accepted from eligible high school seniors in one of four ethnic categories: Asian, Hispanic, African-American and all others. Applications are due by Jan. 18, 2017. For more, visit rmhccin.org.
David Weekley Homes gives back this holiday season – David Weekley Homes is hosting its second company-wide Thanksgiving Drive for Indianapolis-area residents. In Indianapolis, the builder is joining with homeowners, team members, real estate professionals, vendors and others to collect nonperishable pasta items for Second Helpings Inc. David Weekley Homes Team Members are accepting nonperishable pasta items at all model homes in Indianapolis, Nov. 2-16. David Weekley Homes will be collecting frozen turkeys Nov. 16 at the David Weekley Homes Division Office. Visit https://goo.gl/bqjds5 to find a drop-off location.
