Michael Feinstein

Michael Feinstein and the Carmel Symphony Orchestra joined forces over two days to record a collection of American standards. The album will be released later this year in anticipation of the Palladium concert hall’s grand opening. Proceeds from sales of the CD will benefit the Center for the Performing Arts.

“A big part of The Center’s mission is to create new works of art,” said Steven B. Libman, President and CEO of the Center for the Performing Arts. “Pairing our Artistic Director (Michael Feinstein) with one of our resident organizations (Carmel Symphony Orchestra) is exactly the type of collaboration we want to nurture and encourage. In the coming months and years we will work not only with local artists but with performers from around the world. We want to commission original symphonies, dance, theater, jazz and chamber pieces.”

Feinstein and the 95-member Carmel Symphony Orchestra, conducted by CSO Artistic Director David Bowden, PhD., recorded 20 songs on August 20 and August 21. The recording sessions were held in the auditorium at Westfield High School. The song list included “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Dream A Little Dream of Me” and “No One is Alone.” The recording session marked the second time Feinstein and the Carmel Symphony Orchestra performed together. Previously, Feinstein and the orchestra presented a live fundraising concert in October 2009.

The Carmel Symphony Orchestra and Michael Feinstein are slated to perform together at the Palladium’s grand opening gala on January 29, 2011. The gala concert will include jazz instrumentalist Chris Botti and musical icon Neil Sedaka. The festivities will be produced by Gordon Hunt, with lighting by Tom Ruzika.

Feinstein, dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” was named as The Center’s first Artistic Director in 2009. The singer, songwriter and pianist is a five-time Grammy nominee. The Feinstein Foundation for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook will have its permanent home at the Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts. Feinstein also plans to host an annual international Great American Songbook Festival in Carmel.

The CSO, a resident arts organization at The Center, has earned a regional reputation for excellence in artistry and community service. The orchestra is comprised of professional and formally trained musicians who share a joy of making music, with the vast majority studying privately through college and, in many cases, beyond. More than half of the musicians have been with the orchestra for 15 years or longer, and since 2005, all new members of the CSO are accepted into the orchestra through an audition process.

The Center for the Performing Arts, which is currently under construction in The Carmel City Center, will include the 1,600-seat Palladium concert hall, the 500-seat Tarkington proscenium theater and a 200-seat studio theater. The Palladium is set for completion in January of 2011 and no other concert hall of its caliber exists in the area. The Center is being built to serve as a permanent fixture on the Central Indiana landscape and will provide an extraordinary listening experience for audiences. The concert hall will also be home to the Michael Feinstein Foundation’s Great American Songbook Collection, acting as a museum and education center by day and a concert venue by night.

Andy Murphy, Managing Editor of the Carmel Community Newsletter, will be the moderator of this fundraiser to benefit the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation.

This event is the signature fundraising event for the Carmel Clay Public Library hosted by the Foundation Guild. Individual tickets are $60 and corporate tables for ten are $1,000.

• Moderator for the event is J. Andy Murphy, author and executive director of WriteStuff Writers.
• Roy Brunt, Jr. – Hail, Hail, Euphoria … presenting Duck Soup, The Greatest War Movie Ever Made Author was born in Indianapolis, resides in New York. He is a regular panelist on NPR’s “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me!”
• Brian Haig – The Capitol Game Son of 4-star general Alexander Haig, Richard Nixon’s White House Chief of Staff and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State.
• Joyce Maynard – The Good Daughters Her best-selling book To Die For was made into a movie starring Nicole Kidman.
• Sena Jeter Naslund – Adam & Eve Other books include Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette, Four Spirits, and Sherlock in Love. A previous Kentucky Poet Laureate.
• Jason F. Wright – The Seventeen Second Miracle (release date: September 28, 2010) – Political commentator appearing on CNN, Fox News, C-Span and local television affiliates around the country.

For more information or to order tickets call Ruth Nisenshall, Director, Carmel Clay Foundation at 317-814-3905.

Tom Britt, Publisher of the Carmel Community Newsletter and atCarmel.com

When I’m out talking to people about the latest scoop around Carmel, one compliment I hear often is how far we’ve come with the atCarmel.com properties. What started out as a clunky website has turned into a print, Internet and video business that focuses on local news like none other.

What most people don’t know is that during the dot com boom, I was traveling all over the world speaking on the future of media as we knew it back then: Internet, television, and newspapers. I was the CEO of a start up that catalogued all the audio and video being streamed on the web and presented it back as a channel guide of live and recorded content called Channelseek.com. It was the first of its kind and we forged relationships with the biggest and the best in online video: Rolling Stone, CNN, NBC, ABC, Comcast, Sprint, Road Runner, the House of Blues, and many others.

Back then, I talked about how the Internet was going to make everything local, that citizens would become journalists, and that all content would eventually be delivered through the Internet. Sound familiar?

With that in mind, atGeist.com was launched in 2003 as a laboratory in my own backyard. We just launched atCarmel.com last summer. In the spirit of curiosity and entrepreneurship, I carved out a niche in how to integrate print, Internet, and video to create something unique. The experiment continues, but the direction is always the same: Media convergence.

While most print magazines and newspapers are selling ink on paper or column inches, we are bundling our services to provide visibility in a very targeted way. Now with our online video services, companies can have cost effective video produced and played through CarmelTV (www.atcarmel.com/tv), promoted in the Geist and Carmel Community Newsletters, promoted through Facebook and Twitter, and embedded on their own websites. Print ads can carry a similar theme as the video spots, and online ads rotating through our websites can link to the spots as well. And this whole ecosystem works because it is surrounded by local news and people profiles that we are genuinely interested in reading about.

Not all experiments have worked out by the way. We published the Fishers Community Newsletter during the Geist annexation days. Chalk that one up to bad timing. Most recently, we launched the free coupon website, TowneClipper.com. That one bombed, too.

All told, I’m pretty proud of what we’ve built and how it continues to push the envelope as a local news service. If you want to see the future of atCarmel.com, check out CarmelTV. If you really want to get futuristic, watch it on your iPhone (sorry Droid users).

Franco De Vita Master Class

The Indianapolis City Ballet announces its second season of Master Classes today and revealed a prestigious roster of teachers that will give ballet technique classes in some of the Indianapolis dance schools. Classes begin in September throughout the city, including Carmel, Fishers, Indianapolis and Muncie. The classes are provided on an open enrollment basis. The cost for students is $25 per class or $10 for observers. Indianapolis City Ballet has provided funding to make these classes possible and affordable as they are unique opportunities for students and teachers alike to work with some of the premier teachers and artists in the world.

“We were thrilled with the reaction to our first round of Master Classes that concluded in June and we are anxious to introduce the new roster of teachers we’re bringing to Indianapolis,” shared Jane Fortune, Indianapolis City Ballet Vice Chairman. “I would like to thank all the schools, teachers, parents and students who have encouraged us to continue. I think that this program is yet another hallmark of excellence providing exciting, affirming and sometimes even life-changing interactions.”

This year’s Master Class Program starts with a line-up of some of today’s most exciting dancers from: Daniil Simkin and Gennadi Saveliev, both stars from American Ballet Theatre; Ethan Stiefel the Dean of the Dance Department at the North Carolina School of the Arts as well as Principal Dancer at ABT and star of several Hollywood dance films; the recently retired NY City Ballet Principal Darci Kistler, a teacher at the School of American Ballet who was Balanchine’s last muse; Tiler Peck, a young Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet featured in film and television; and Gillian Murphy, a Principal Dancer with ABT known for her flawless technique and artistry.

The program then shifts to include some of the finest teachers today with: George De La Pena, former dancer with the Joffrey Ballet and ABT, known for his role as Nijinsky in the film by the same name as well as for numerous Broadway roles; Tadeusz Matacz, the renowned head of the John Cranko School of the Stuttgart Ballet that is turning out some of the most exciting dancers in the world; Brooke Denoës, the founder of L’Académie Américaine de Danse de Paris, the largest American ballet school outside the United States; Franco De Vita, Principal at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Dance at American Ballet Theatre, Mr. De Vita was one the developers of the ABT Curriculum, one that has combined some the finest aspects of the various dance styles under the supervision of medical experts; and Shelly Powers, who runs the Ben Stevenson Academy, the official school of the Houston Ballet.

The Master Classes are open classes though they are restricted to Intermediate and Advanced ballet students. “Just as in New York, London and St Petersburg, as open classes, with open enrollment to all students who consider themselves to be at the intermediate/advanced level, you will find a wide variety of abilities and talent. It is up to the individual teacher to determine the level of the class as a whole and to engage each dancer as best they can – different teachers have different ways of accomplishing this but the goal is to provide at least one small, but significant step in their development.” said Jolinda Menendez, the program’s artistic leader.

“We are pleased to be able to place these classes in some of the many dance schools in the area – a willingness to cooperate, an excitement to participate and a can-do attitude by the studio owners makes this possible but the scheduling issues are what take some time to negotiate,” said Elli Baker, Director of Marketing and the dance community’s direct link to ICB and its programs. “For the students, the reactions have been outstanding and I think that this program provides great opportunities for students and teachers alike.”

“The Indianapolis City Ballet’s Master Class program is a unique opportunity for many of these students to interact with some of the most renowned teachers, to test their capabilities and find the many similarities and some of the interesting differences between the teaching styles,” said ICB Chairman Robert Hesse. “It is an important program that allows us to provide sincere and dynamic added-value to the dance education community of Central Indiana while uniting the community. We are very proud of this program and it stands as a cornerstone of Indianapolis City Ballet’s mission to bring the best in ballet to Indianapolis.”

“These guest teachers are but some of the individuals who will not only enrich the fabric of the Indianapolis dance community but participate in the development of Indianapolis City Ballet’s Company,” said Kevin Hesse.

Class information and reservations are found on the Indianapolis City Ballet website at www.indianapoliscityballet.org.

Master Class Season 2010/2011:

Sunday, September 12, 2010 - Daniil Simkin
Soloist, American Ballet Theatre at Expressenz Dance Center (9850 N. Michigan Road, Suite A, Carmel, IN
www.expressenz.com)

Sunday, September 12, 2010 - Gennadi Saveliev
Soloist, American Ballet Theatre and Co-Found YAGP at Muncie Ballet Studio at Muncie Ballet Studio (520 E. Main St.,
Muncie, IN, www.muncieballet.org)

Sunday, October 10, 2010 - Ethan Stiefel
Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theater & Dean, North Carolina School of the Arts at Indy Dance Academy (9401 N.
Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN, www.indydanceacademy.com/)

Sunday, October 24, 2010 – Darci Kistler
Faculty, School of American Ballet at Indy Dance Academy (9401 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN,
www.indydanceacademy.com)

Sunday, January 9, 2011 – Tiler Peck
Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet at Academy of Dance Arts (10080 East 121st St., #126, Fishers, IN,
www.adadancers.com)

Sunday, February 20, 2011 – Gillian Murphy
Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre at Central Indiana Academy of Dance (14950 Greyhound Ct, Ste 4, Carmel, IN,
www.ciaodance.com)

Sunday, March 6, 2011 - George de la Pena
Faculty, Iowa University (former Artistic Director of the Joffrey School) at The Academy of Gregory Hancock Dance
Theatre (329 Gradle Dr, Carmel, IN www.gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org/)

Thursday, March 24, 2011 - Tadeusz Matacz
Artistic Director, John Cranko School at the Stuttgart Ballet at Ballet Theatre of Carmel at Performer's Edge (12955 Old
Meridian St, Carmel, IN www.performersedgedancetheatre.com)

Sunday, April 10, 2011 – Brooke Desnoës
Founder and Artistic Director, American Academy of Dance in Paris at Curtain Call Academy of Dance (1833 Expo Lane,
Indianapolis, IN, www.ccadance.com)

Sunday, May 15, 2011 – Franco De Vita
Principal, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre at Ballet Theatre of Carmel at Performer's
Edge (12955 Old Meridian St, Carmel, IN www.performersedgedancetheatre.com)

Sunday, June 12, 2011 – Shelly Powers
Associate Artistic Director, Ben Stevenson Academy at the Houston Ballet at The Dance Refinery (8335 Shelby Street,
Indianapolis, IN, www.thedancerefinery.com)

For more information and to make reservations to take class or to observe, please visit: www.IndianapolisCityBallet.org

Rain gardens are shallow, landscaped depressions that intercept stormwater from roofs, roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces and allow it to infiltrate into the ground.  This natural process helps reduce urban flooding, improve water quality, and provide wildlife habitat, all while adding a beautiful landscaping feature to a property.

Pond edge enhancements are native plantings around the shores of retention ponds that help filter and improve water quality, stabilize shorelines to prevent erosion, and attract beneficial wildlife like songbirds and pollinators.  Neighborhoods utilizing pond edge enhancements will also benefit from fewer maintenance needs as mowing, watering, fertilizing, and pesticide use are reduced.

The Hamilton County SWCD provides the community with conservation leadership and quality service dedicated to improving and sustaining our natural resources.  We offer educational workshops and speaking engagements, technical assistance and recommendations, and a cost-sharing program as mentioned above.  By providing this personalized assistance to landowners, we can promote environmentally sound property management techniques for the benefit of the environment and citizens alike.  If you have a natural resource concern, are interested in the cost-share program, or would like to learn more about the SWCD, please visit www.hamiltonswcd.org or call (317) 773-2181.

Director Darren S. Herring was instrumental in bringing the local and international players together for the Zimbe! North American premier. He is shown here in the foreground with the CRAVE choir from the Carmel Repertory Theatre.

To sing is to produce musical tones with the voice. When all the elements of creating a song are joined together in celebration, the result is nothing less than powerful.

The Carmel Repertory Theatre has outdone itself in bringing the work of world renowned composer, arranger and musician, Alexander L’Estrange to Carmel for the North American premier of ZIMBE! L’Estrange has worked in both the film and television industries, writing and arranging music. Most recently, he composed the incidental music for the hit television series GLEE.

He is also known for his work with the well known English choirs, the Swingle Singers and the King’s Singers. His original production of ZIMBE! is a celebrate mix of African music written for chorus, unison children’s choir and jazz quintet. Composer Alexander L’Estrange combines traditional song with infectious accompaniments and vibrant percussion to take us on a whirlwind tour of life in an African village.

Kathleen O’Neil Stevens commissioned the artwork that has become the face of Zimbe!

ZIMBE! will launch the kick-off of the Carmel Repertory Theatre season, and will serve as a charity event designed to raise awareness of the struggles of life in Africa. Darren S. Herring, Director of ZIMBE!, and a Carmel Repertory Theatre Board Member, has long been an admirer of Alexander L’Estrange exciting and fresh voice in choral music; and when the idea of premiering ZIMBE! in Carmel was presented to L’Estrange, it met with immediate interest from this successful London based international superstar.

Herring says, “Bringing the arts together and bringing art to the community is the soul of this undertaking. This is the first of many opportunities designed to bring the artistic community of Carmel together, and to show Central Indiana that we are working towards the promotion, production and presentation of quality arts programming. Together, we can show the region that we are unified in our support of the arts and of the city’s future.

"Earth Beauty" is an original Pique Assiette created by Kathleen O'Neal Stevens.

In addition to the musical celebration, Kathleen O’Neil Stevens, owner and founder of Carmel’s Renaissance Fine Art & Design Studio, was commissioned to create a one-of-a-kind art creation in a mere 10 days. “I was given a DVD of the original score for ZIMBE!. As I listened to the recording, the music was so beautiful … so stirring. I wanted to create something that would connect an artistic rendering with the power of the music. I began with a blank canvas and created a Pique Assiette, which encompasses a medium of materials such as ceramic tiles, vintage china, gemstones and other vintage findings. When it was finished, I named it “Earth Beauty.” Earth Beauty is on track to be displayed in Carmel’s magnificent Palladium when it opens in 2011.

Adding to the fun and celebration, mark your calendars for the ZIMBE! Black Tie “Gala” to be held on September 9. The event, sponsored by ADDBAC (Arts and Design District Business Association of Carmel), is a community fundraiser that includes a cocktail reception, a silent auction and an opportunity to mingle with composer Alexander L’Estrange and artist Kathleen O’Neil Stevens, who will be attending this special event held at the Indiana Design Center, 200 South Range Line Road from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Individual tickets are now on sale for the “Gala.” Priced at $100, ticket includes admission to the cocktail and silent auction festivities, and a commemorative bag and fine art print of “Earth Beauty.” Proceeds will benefit the Carmel Repertory Theatre and the ADDBAC Scholarship Fund. For more information please call 317.767.3973 or to register online, go to http://zimbefundraiser.eventbrite.com.

The September 9th Black Tie “Gala” sets the stage for three opportunities to see the wonderful community performances of ZIMBE! Tickets for ZIMBE! performances are $10 each, with $5 going directly to local and African charities. As a special added bonus, the composer, Alexander L’Estrange, will also be in attendance for all performances and will be playing in the jazz combo. He is excited to be traveling from England to visiting Carmel, not only for the premier, but also to meet and work with students from local schools and universities

ZIMBE! will be performed on the following September dates:

• Friday, September 10, 7:00 pm – First Methodist Church, 602 South Rangeline Rd, Carmel, IN
• Saturday, September 11, 7:00 pm – St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 1402 West Main Street, Carmel, IN
• Sunday, September 12, 4:00 pm – Clay Middle School, 5150 East 126th Street, Carmel, IN

ZIMBE! Come Sing the Songs of Africa
COMPOSER NOTES

Alexander L'Strange

“A composer can find inspiration in the unlikeliest of settings, and the genesis of ZIMBE! is as extraordinary as any. The seeds of my affinity with African music and the gospel tradition were sown in the early nineties through a chance encounter on a train in route to London. Sitting opposite me was a woman with a small book of manuscript paper on her lap. I asked politely whether she was a musician and she replied that she was on her way to lead a music group at a prison. She was working on ‘African and gospel’ music, but, although she knew many excellent songs, she was really an artist, not a musician, and was rather lacking in confidence when it came to leading a singing workshop. ‘I could help,’ I offered gamely, and it all took off from there.

We struck up a working relationship, and she introduced me to songs, tapes, books, and friends with a plethora of songs to share. I immediately fell in love with the music. Together we ran singing groups in Oxford, London and beyond, and I quickly became immersed in arranging, teaching, sharing and performing African songs. I later produced a collection of choral arrangements for Faber Music entitled Songs of a Rainbow Nation, and it was in response to performing these arrangements that Justin Doyle, conductor of the Dorking Choral Society, approached me with a view to commissioning a more substantial piece based on African and gospel themes. Justin happened to call the morning after the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency had been shown on TV; we had both watched it, and both had been moved by the use of music in the production (filmed on location in Botswana). One particularly moving moment, depicting a funeral scene, involved a huge number of local ‘extras’ breaking into an apparently spontaneous performance of a traditional funeral song. It was decided that my piece would aim to reflect some of the manifold ways in which music plays a part in everyday life in Africa – from the rising of the sun to its setting, both literally and figuratively. I wanted to capture the essence of the African spirit through glimpses into the human experience – simple children’s playground songs from Ghana and Zimbabwe; a Xhosa lullaby for mothers of the victims of Apartheid; a raucous drinking song; sensuous wedding songs; and some beautiful funeral and worship music – all imbued with the spirit, energy and simplicity that is so typical of the African song tradition.

ZIMBE is Swahili for ‘sing them’: just as others have shared these wonderful songs with me, I wish to pass them on now. Scored for SATB choir, unison children’s choir and jazz quintet, with copious percussion, the settings reflect my own musical make-up: within the piece we find references to jazz, pop, the Western choral tradition and, of course, ‘world music’. African songs are easy to learn and impossible to forget; that is the very nature of the communal song tradition. The songs I have chosen to arrange are fun, moving and infectiously tuneful – and through them we find ourselves in a wonderfully simple, joyous ream where music imitates life, and the life inspires music."

Alexander L’Estrange

About the Composer

“If you had to create from scratch the perfect 21st century musician, Alexander L’Estrange would be your template.” This accolade from composer and broadcaster Howard Goodall acknowledges not only L’Estrange’s outstanding musicianship – he graduated with a First in Music from Merton College, Oxford, and was a chorister in the famous New College Choir – but also his huge versatility. Born in 1974, he is active as a composer, arranger, jazz double bass player and pianist. He has carved a successful career working in a variety of musical fields with respected musicians from all around the world.

L’Estrange has shared the stage with jazz greats John Dankworth and Kenny Wheller, toured the world with The Swingle Singers, conducted thousands of children at the Royal Albert Hall for the Primary Proms and musically directed the National Youth Music Theatre in shows on Broadway and in Edinburg, Japan and London. His TV and film credits include singing, playing on, and writing a number of soundtracks, and theme tunes. He is the voice on the BBC1 “helicopters” clip, and he also appears as part of the church choir in a number of episodes of The Vicar of Dibley.

ZIMBE! is a 40-minute African-inspired work originally created for SATB chorus, children’s choir and jazz quintet. It was commissioned by Dorking Choral Society and premiered in November 2008, bringing together performers young and old from across the local community. The musical production of ZIMBE! in Carmel will mark the first time it has been performed in North America.

Other recent publications include three choral Prayers for Peace and Love’s Philosophy, lyrical settings of three love songs by the great Romantic poets that are now on the ABRSM singing syllabus. Besides choral works, L’Estrange has written an award-winning jazz-infused musical, in collaboration with novelist Michelle Magorian entitled, Hello Life!, as well as hundreds of arrangements of folk, pop, jazz, music theatre, African and gospel songs, many of which are part of Faber Music’s popular “Choral Basics’ series; this also includes a set of choral jazz warm-ups called You Can Sing … But Can You Swing?, which was co-written with his famous wife, musician Joanna Forbes.
30

Morning sickness on the morning of September 11, 2001 prevented Erin Beery from attending a 9:00 am breakfast meeting at the Windows on the World restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center, North Tower.

This September 11, while Americans pause to reflect on the terrorist attacks that shocked the nation nine years ago, Carmel resident Erin Beery will also be reflecting on what almost was, and how thankful she is to be alive today.

In 2001, Beery had a full week of activities planned around that fateful day. She was going to attend the Michael Jackson reunion concert in Madison Square Garden with two colleagues on the evening of Monday, Sept. 10, followed by a full agenda of business engagements the next day. A medical sales representative, Beery was scheduled to then fly back home to Indianapolis later that afternoon, attend additional business meetings on Sept. 12, and then fly into Washington D.C. on Sept. 13 to serve as a bridesmaid for her best friend’s wedding, to be held that following weekend.

Beery holds her Michael Jackson concert ticket stub from the night before at Madison Square Garden.

“I went to the concert and had an unbelievable time,” recalls Berry. “But I was fifteen weeks pregnant, and the next morning I woke up exhausted and suffering from morning sickness,” she says.

Beery was scheduled to meet a client, Dr. Richard Garnet of Richmond, Ind., on the morning of Sept. 11 for a 9 a.m. breakfast at the Windows on the World restaurant, located on the top floor of the World Trade Center, North Tower. She and a colleague were to then take the client, via limousine, into Stanford, Connecticut for a meeting later that day.

“Dr. Garnet had a ritual of going to eat at Windows on the World every time he visited New York City,” Beery says. “I knew how important it was for him to eat there, but I just couldn’t do it that morning. He was very disappointed, but I promised him that I would take him to the restaurant later that day,” she says.

Shortly after, Beery, her client and another colleague began their journey in the limo to Stanford, which was about 25 miles outside New York City. “We were enjoying the ride when the limo driver got a call from his brother, telling him that a commuter plane had hit the World Trade Center,” Beery says. “At that point, we just didn’t know what was going on. My immediate thought was that I’d better get a flight out of Connecticut, because I figured the air traffic out of New York might be messy,” she says.

Beery arranged to have her flight rescheduled, departing out of Hartford, Conn., that afternoon. Once at their meeting site in Stanford, Beery took a few minutes to call her father down in Florida, who was aware of her original morning breakfast plans. It was then that the enormity of the situation was made clear.

“The first thing my father said when he picked up the phone was, ‘Oh, my God, I’m so happy to hear from you! A second plane hit the World Trade Center, we’re watching it on TV, and it’s an act of terrorism.’ I’ll never forget how worried he was,” she says.

For Beery, it was the beginning of a week that she would later describe as surreal, as an out-of-body experience. With one change of clothes in her bag, Beery considered her options.

“The phones were then jammed for at least thirty minutes. Once I could finally make a call, I tried to rent a car, but of course that was impossible,” says Beery. So she found a hotel room and stayed glued to the television. She soon learned that her best friend’s fiancé, who worked at the Pentagon, was among the missing, and no one had heard from him or knew of his condition.

“It was really eerie … there wasn’t anyone on the roads … no one at the restaurants or lining up at the gas stations like they were back in Indiana. No one was even outside except for police officers, who were stationed at all the highway exits,” Beery recalls. “I basically laid low and waited to hear news about my friend’s fiancé,” she says.

Although she had a three-year-old son at home, and her husband, Jack, was urging her to get back to Carmel, she literally couldn’t leave Connecticut. “I was feeling panicky, but what could I do?” she says. “I just tried to figure out what was next,” Beery explains.

On that Wednesday night, 36 hours after the Pentagon had been hit by one of the hijacked planes, word finally came from the missing fiancé … he was okay and the wedding was on. So on Thursday, Sept. 13, Beery boarded a train bound for the capital city. What was usually a two-to three-hour ride took an incredible seven hours, due to rampant bomb threats and extended stopovers for security checks. In fact, when Beery finally arrived in D.C., authorities had just evacuated Grand Central Station in New York City, along with government buildings on Capitol Hill due to high-alert threat levels.

“I checked into the Reagan Hilton, and felt like I had entered a war zone,” says Beery. “Tanks were on most of the street corners, and members of the National Guard were out patrolling the city. Helicopters were flying all over the place, and because the Pentagon was still on fire, ambulances and fire trucks were racing everywhere. I just remember it being so very loud … there was just so much noise,” she says.

In the meantime, Beery had arranged for a friend from Carmel who was also attending the wedding to pick up her car and additional clothing (including her bridesmaid dress), and drive to meet her in D.C. On Sept. 14, as wedding preparations got underway, the bridal party met at the local CNN studios, where the bride worked and had arranged for hair and makeup to be done. As it turned out, that day was declared a National Day of Mourning.

“It was just crazy,” Beery says. “Here I was in the middle of this chaos, getting my makeup done, and meeting Larry King, Wolf Blitzer and other journalists,” she says. A particularly somber moment was when Inspector General Ted Olson entered the studio to be interviewed on Larry King Live. Olson had just lost his wife, television commentator Barbara Olson, who was a passenger on the plane that was flown into the Pentagon. For Beery, balancing the joy of the wedding with the unbelievable tragedies taking place around her proved difficult.

“Ultimately, the wedding went off as planned,” says Beery. “The week’s events definitely affected the mood of the wedding,” she says. “But it also made everyone so grateful to be together.”

The next day, Beery and her friend made the drive back to Carmel. Once home, the adrenaline she had been functioning on for the previous week gave way to other emotions. “After getting back, I took about three days and just cried and cried,” she says. “I actually ended up on bed rest shortly after that, probably due to the stress.”

Now, nine years later, Beery has two healthy boys, ages 8 and 12, and looks at her life in a different way. “The whole point of life, for me, is to appreciate my family,” says Beery, adding that prior to the tragedy she tended to be a workaholic. “My faith has certainly strengthened, and I thank God that I have my kids every day.”

As for her client who didn’t get to have breakfast at his favorite restaurant that morning? Dr. Garnet credits Beery for saving his life. “We remain good friends, and he is grateful that I had morning sickness that day,” says Beery. Grateful, indeed.

Pastor of Outreach and Discipleship at Carmel Lutheran Church, Daniel Schumm.

In 1976, 130 individuals gathered together with the mission of spreading the good news of Christ to the community of Carmel. Years later, along with the addition of countless members, Carmel Lutheran Church has stuck to their mission of spreading the good news of Christ and serving the community of Carmel. I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Pastor of Outreach and Discipleship Daniel Schumm about the mission and heartbeat of Carmel Lutheran Church.

Carmel Lutheran Church is a vibrant community of believers eager to serve our community not only physically, but also spiritually. Pastor Schumm describes the mission of Carmel Lutheran Church as, “reaching out, caring for, and building people toward maturity in Christ.” They accomplish this mission through personal relationships alongside ministries that help foster relationships. Described below are just a few of the many ministries that Carmel Lutheran Church offers.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) is an international organization that meets locally in the facilities at Carmel Lutheran Church. The mission of MOPS in Carmel is to “provide a Christ-centered, caring ministry where friendships, creativity, and personal relationships with Jesus Christ can develop.” Moms of children ages six and under can take advantage of the MOPS ministry. MOPS meets during the Carmel Clay School year with both a day session and an evening session. The day MOPS meets 9-11:15 a.m. on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month. The evening MOPS meets from 7-9 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.

GriefShare is a seminar and support group for people that are grieving the loss of someone close. Each GriefShare meeting includes a video seminar by authors, counselors, speakers, and pastors whose expertise is in grief recovery. After the video seminar there is a small group discussion time. During the small group time you will be able to interact with others who are going through a recent loss, as well as being able to share your own story. The next GriefShare class will be Mondays from 7–8:30 p.m. from September 13 – December 6.

DivorceCare is a ministry for those who are going through divorce or separation. The class is a “special weekly support group and seminar conducted by people who understand what you are experiencing.” The class features a video seminar taught by renowned experts on divorce and recovery. After the video seminar there is time to discuss what was presented in the video as well as to share what is going on personally. Meeting at the same time as DivorceCare is DivorceCare for Kids. This support group is for kids ages 5 to 12 and allows kids to “heal from the hurt caused by separation or divorce of their parents.” Each of these groups meets Tuesdays from September 14 – December 7.

Blitz Indy is an annual event spearheaded by Melissa Luepke and David Reed. Blitz Indy devotes an entire day to multiple service projects in the community of Carmel and beyond. This year’s Blitz Indy included 520 members of Carmel Lutheran Church embarking on a variety of projects that included packaging 44,712 meals to be sent to Haiti in conjunction with the Kids Against Hunger organization. Other projects included working at the Ronald McDonald House, painting rooms at the Salvation Army Women’s Shelter, various grounds projects at Agape Therapeutic Riding Center, and meals prepared with Second Helpings. These were just a few of the many projects completed by Carmel Lutheran Church.

Carmel Lutheran Church has several worship times.

Saturday Schedule:

• 5:00 p.m. Traditional Service in the Sanctuary.
• 5:15 p.m. Contemporary Service in the Worship Center.

Sunday Schedule:

• 8:00 a.m. Traditional Service in the Sanctuary.
• 8:30 a.m. Contemporary Service in the Worship Center.
• 9:30–10:20 a.m. Sunday School.
• 10:35 a.m. Contemporary Service in the Worship Center.
• 10:45 a.m. Traditional Service in the Sanctuary.

You can visit Carmel Lutheran Church in person at 4850 East Main Street, Carmel, Indiana 46033 or online at www.carmellutheran.org. For more information about any of the ministries listed, please call the church office at 814-4252.

Mark your calendars for a real international adventure and head over to the 37th Annual Indianapolis Greek Festival, held at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (3500 W. 106th St., Carmel) on Sept. 10-11. The event, which marks the church’s second year at its Carmel location, will include two full days of music, refreshments and other activities.

“When you come to our event, you will enjoy a genuine Greek experience,” says Matt Albean, co-chair for the event. Matt, along with fellow co-chairs Tony Filis, George Baroudos and other countless volunteers, has been working year-round in order to ensure a successful event.

“Everything we offer is based on the desire to present and promote our Greek heritage in an authentic manner, while also explaining in detail our ancient faith, which is Greek Orthodoxy,” he explains.

“The festival is an opportunity to welcome people into our home once a year,” says Holy Trinity’s Rev. Anastasios Gounaris, also known as Father Taso. Fr. Taso has been with the parish for 19 years and has seen the festival grow into a staple for not only the Greek community, but for entire neighborhoods and extended families.

“Greeks historically have a strong tradition of hospitality. So this event gives us the chance to throw open the doors of our house and invite our family, friends and neighbors in, while also raising money for important causes,” he explains.

The church was established in mid-town Indianapolis (40th St. and Pennsylvania) in 1910, where it remained until two years ago. The new Byzantine temple in Carmel has a membership of over 500 families, and has established itself as an admired structure on the local landscape. In fact, one of the most popular attractions during the festival has become the special church tours conducted throughout the weekend, where visitors are led through the interior of the building.

“At our former location, we were sort of hidden within the community,” says Fr. Taso. “But here with this new facility, being so inspiring in terms of its architecture, people cannot mistake us for anything other than a church,” he says. Fr. Taso feels that the structure itself is an integral part of the church, as it harmonizes and meshes with the Orthodox faith, both symbolically and theologically.

Architecture aside, it wouldn’t be a Greek gathering without mouth-watering food and traditional music. This year attendees can expect to choose from a wide selection of Greek wine and beer, along with delectable menu items like souvlaki (pork or chicken kebabs), saganaki (flaming Kesseri cheese), and diples (honey and cinnamon pastries). One of the new menu offerings for this year is a homemade Greek sausage called loukaniko, which includes such surprising ingredients as orange peel, dry wine and spices.

As for entertainment, The Bill Skimos Band will provide traditional Greek music, and the Holy Trinity Hellenic Dance Troupes will perform in costumes made in Greece, representing the different regions of the country.

“There is so much to enjoy, including a new children’s area,” says Dean Antonopoulos, who serves as the Greek Festival Committee’s secretary. “All our activities for kids will be related to Greece in some way, and there will be hands-on crafts and face painting as well,” Antonopoulos says.

There have also been improvements made since last year, when the festival attracted a record 15,000 over the two days. “We were getting our feet wet in the new location,” explains Antonopoulos. “We just didn’t know how many people would attend, and we didn’t have as much access to parking as we did in our former location,” he explains.

This year, in order to alleviate parking limitations, attendees have access to onsite parking on a first-come, first-served basis, as well as additional parking and shuttle service at 106th and Towne Road in Carmel. Parking will be offered for a nominal fee.

“Those who park and ride will be dropped off right at the festival entrance, and shuttles will run throughout both days for the convenience of our guests,” Antonopoulos says. "Overall, this year’s festival is going to be an amazing experience for both adults and children alike. We are excited to host the event for our community, as there is something for everyone’s tastes and interests,” he adds.

For more information about the festival, including scheduled entertainment, menu and parking details, visit www.indygreekfest.com.

I’m sitting in a comfy leather chair with my laptop in a Borders Cafe. It could be a Panera Bread or a Starbucks, but today, it’s a bookstore. I pretend to be concentrating on my glare-free computer screen (you know, like I’m just another writer working on my first novel). In waltzes a lady named Barbara X. She pulls out a chair at a table nearby and opens up her briefcase, pulling out what appears to be reports and her Blackberry. She quickly dials a number. In a matter of minutes, I will know that she likes to shop by phone. She loves shoes (she’s a size 9 narrow) and today, she orders two pairs. One in gray and the other in black. She uses her Visa – gives out her full name, card number, expiration date, 3-digit security numbers, her address, zip code and phone number. The sale is wrapped up in under five minutes. Sweet! She spoke clearly and loudly enough for anyone sitting within six feet of her to hear. Needless to say, my eager fingers never missed a beat in copying down all her personal information.

But Barbara X is not done. She makes another call, this time to a mortgage company. She’s refinancing her condo and wants to get as much of the paperwork started as she can before their first appointment, thus the call. She casts an eye my way, smiles, turns her head slightly away, but wades right in with the rest of her personal history including her social security number. MOTHER LOAD! It’s so easy. I tune out when she calls a friend and begins to trash her mother-in-law.

But just then, John walks in. He picks the chair right next to me. Cell phone ear bud is clearly present. In less than 30 seconds he is working it. The conversation is different, but the info is loud and clear as he buys an airline ticket. Usually, he goes online to do this, but he left his laptop at the office and wanted to get this done before his next appointment. I’m thrilled at his absentmindedness. His next call is to his wife. He needs her to transfer some funds (seems his bookkeeping is a little off in his checkbook). He rattles off the bank and the account number complete with the pin. Could it get any better?

By now, my space is filling up with talkers who think nothing of carrying on loud conversations while using their trusty cell phones. For a while, I just tune in on all the private, intimate conversations going on around me: nothing fazes these people. Do they think everyone is deaf?

The subject matter of conversation going on all around is screaming at me: Sally works in advertising. Things aren’t going so well for her as clients are dropping off like flies as they can’t stand her boss. She’s talking to another agency who would like her to consider working for them.

Mary is talking to her lazy son. He’s engaged to a girl named Sodad. Mary can’t stand the girl and it’s out the door if he even thinks about marrying her.

Carson is planning an event and he’s lining up sponsors. According to him, anyone who’s anyone will be there so if you want a bargain, just fork over $1,000 dollars for a corporate table and drag eight of your best friends to this “can’t miss event.” He promises every table is center front!

And so it goes. All in all, it’s been a good day for me. I have more than enough new identities logged in, and enough inside information to set up a scheme or two of my own. As I said before, it’s easy to be a thief. All you have to do is be a good listener.

P.S. Barbara was in such a rush to make her next appointment, she left behind her big, expensive black Kate Spade purse. Needless to say… I love it!