Mayors, players & Pacers

Rotary Club of Carmel & Carmel Clay Public Library to hold city’s 50th anniversary celebration

The Rotary Club of Carmel, in partnership with the Carmel Clay Public Library, will present Mayors, Players, and Pacers on Nov. 12, a special community event marking the grand finale of Carmel’s 50th anniversary as a city.

The evening will celebrate the people, partnerships, and community spirit that have shaped Carmel since its incorporation as a city in 1976. The city’s growth and success have been driven by a strong partnership between municipal leadership and the business community, a relationship the event will recognize and honor.

A highlight of the evening will be “A Pacers Blue and Golden Anniversary Celebration,” scheduled for 7 to 7:45 p.m. The presentation will feature four individuals with significant connections to the Indiana Pacers: Chris Denari, Eddie Gill, Sarah Baird, and Rick Fuson.

Denari, a former Indiana Sportscaster of the Year, is in his 18th season as the Pacers’ television play-by-play announcer. Gill, a nine-year NBA veteran, serves as an in-game reporter and studio analyst for Indiana Pacers on DAZN alongside host Jeremiah Johnson.

Baird, a former member of the Pacers Foundation staff, serves as vice president of Corporate Partnership Activation at Pacers Sports & Entertainment. Fuson, who joined the Indiana Pacers in 1984, previously served as chief executive officer of Pacers Sports & Entertainment and led the planning and execution of two NBA All-Star Games in Indianapolis. He also served as chairman of the Indiana Sports Corporation Board of Directors.

Together, the four speakers will bring a wealth of experience and perspective on the Pacers organization, professional basketball and the role sports and civic partnerships play in strengthening Indiana communities.

The program will begin with a Mayors Community Reception from 5:30 to 6 p.m. It is followed at 6:05 p.m. by “The Carmel Connection, The Power of Friendship in Sports and in Life,” featuring Bart Burrell and Mark Herrmann, before the Pacers anniversary presentation concludes the evening’s celebration.

“Mayors, Players, and Pacers” offers an opportunity for the community to reflect on five decades of progress and recognize the collaboration among civic leaders, business leaders, and community partners that has helped make Carmel the city it is today.

The Rotary Club of Carmel and the Carmel Clay Public Library invite residents and community members to join in this milestone celebration honoring Carmel’s past, present, and future.