Assistance League® of Indianapolis Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Operation School Bell®

On October 1, Operation School Bell’s 40 years of caring and commitment to Indianapolis area families was celebrated!

Guests were given a tour of Northbrook Distribution Center, the location of the Operation School Bell program. Speakers were: Carol Valentine, president, who read a proclamation by Mayor Joe Hogsett; Kathy Laesch who read remarks sent by U.S. Senator Mike Braun; and Kevin McMahan, principle of Jonathan Jennings School IPS 109.

Attendees included: Kathy Laesch, Special Projects Coordinator/Field Representative for U.S. Senator Mike Braun; Felicity Fitzpatrick, Office of Congressman André Carson; Pam McNealy Powell, AECOM Hunt; Omega Robinson Sanfoka School of Success; Pearle Washington IPS, Frederick Douglas #19; Kathleen Hart, Advisory Council; Shawn Bush Director, Student Services, MSD Lawrence Township; Jack Hogan, Advisory Council; Tysha Hardy-Sellers Lilly Endowment Inc.; John Valentine, Sertoma Club Broad Ripple; Bill Kopek, Sertoma Club Broad Ripple; Greg Rambicure, Sertoma Club Broad Ripple; Amanda Congrove, Grant Writer; Ann Merkel, Chief Market Dev. Officer Senior VP, National Bank of Indianapolis; Frank Short, Washington Township Trustee; Annette Johnson, Pike Township Trustee; LaDonna Freeman, Center Township Trustee; Tracy Boyd, Center Township; and Mar Galindez, The Landa Foundation, Inc.; Kevin McMahan, Principal Johnathan Jennings School IPS 109.

The event was made possible by the hardworking of the Operation School Bell 40th Anniversary Committee:

• Carol Valentine, our wonderful speaker and recruiter of speaker Kevin McMahan
• Barb Mohr, Cathy Weimer, Sharon Gleason, Vickie Theis, Harriett Majors, and Laura Ellis, whose expertise and willingness to lend a hand was invaluable
• Deb Myers who provided a cake, cookies, pop corn and paper goods. 
• Kathy Detzler who designed the event graphic and printed out nametags
• Linda Ranger for her graphic input.
• Laurel Burns for balloons and flowers
• Candi Harcourt, Operation School Bell chairman
• Cathy Camp for inviting grantors and donors and then following up with all of them
• Karen Snider for sending out oodles of email invites and press releases
• Trish Severns for filling out the application from the mayor’s office for October 1, 2024, to be proclaimed Operation School Bell Day
• Judy Tomke secured audio equipment
• Julie Yates, Chairman

We have much to be proud of! Assistance League of Indianapolis is comprised of  kind and caring people who work hard for those who benefit from our programs!