IndyBar: Need to Get Involved or Give Back? Go to the Golden Gala — It’s a Party!

By Elizabeth Eichholtz Walker, Newton Becker Bouwkamp Pendoski PC
 

Walker

Each year, the Indianapolis Bar Foundation hosts an annual fundraising gala – the Evening Under the Stars. This year’s event is quickly approaching and promises to be one of the best yet! The gala is a wonderful opportunity to network with peers in the legal community and give back to the IBF.

This year marks the 50th anniversary since the IBF was established. The foundation, the charitable arm of the Indianapolis Bar Association, is a community-focused leader of the local legal profession. Our ongoing grants and programs are maintained solely through the generosity and energy of its directors, fellows and donors. 

The Evening Under the Stars “Golden Gala” will be hosted on Friday, September 21, at the Crane Bay in downtown Indianapolis. Doors open at 7 p.m. Dinner will be served at 8:15 p.m. Aside from the obvious networking opportunities, you can peruse silent auction baskets, enjoy the photo booth with great props, enter several raffles (including the chance to win $5,000!) and giveaways, taste-passed hors d’oeuvres, and enjoy an open bar and the outdoor terrace overlooking downtown Indianapolis.

The silent auction will feature items that interest all ages, including an Apple Watch, home automation equipment and appliances, a plane ride in a WWII aircraft, a Yeti cooler, zoo and hot yoga memberships, fine dining, spa and salon certificates and much more. As dinner concludes, the live auction will begin, which offers 10 unique packages including trips to Hawaii, France (with a guided tour), and a local winery bus tour party package. The evening will end with an onsite after-party featuring a live band and late-night snacks!

The IBF’s annual Impact Fund grant will also be presented to the Eviction Avoidance Program of Indiana Legal Services at the gala. Each year, the IBF gives an Impact Fund grant of $35,000 to a nonprofit agency with a program that meets the Foundation’s mission. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the IBF is awarding a $50,000 grant to this project, which seeks to reduce homelessness in Marion County.

In addition to the Impact Fund, funds raised at the event will go to support the IBF’s various philanthropic activities, which include the Hospice Program, assistance with Naturalization Ceremonies, the Homeless Shelter Project, Ask A Lawyer, Legal Line, Free Wills Clinics, the Diversity Job Fair and various academic and professional scholarships.
 

Attendees of last year’s Evening Under the Stars Gala had a blast with the fun props at the photo booth!

If you are unable to attend the Golden Gala, the 50th year of the IBF also presents unique opportunities to donate to the “Funding the Future” capital campaign, which is raising funds for a new home for the Indianapolis Bar Association and Foundation. This new space will serve as a hub for central Indiana lawyers, providing convenient access, private and collaborative work spaces, state-of-the-art technology and opportunities for our members to interact with one another and their clients. With the wishes of our members in mind, this new home will address the changing legal landscape and help attorneys successfully navigate the legal profession of the 21st century.

Several sponsorship opportunities for the gala remain and individual tickets can be purchased online. Special rates apply for judicial officers, young attorneys and those in the public sector. You can purchase your ticket for an evening of fun and celebration at indybar.org/ibfgala, or to make a donation to the IBF, go to indybar.org/ibf.•