The three Rotary Clubs of Bloomington are excited to announce that this year’s Friday, November 7, Toast will honor Pat Wilson, whose extraordinary life of service exemplifies Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.”

Tickets are now available.

What: Rotary Toast to benefit Bloomington High School North's Habitat for Humanity Chapter

When: Friday, November 7, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Where: Ivy Tech’s Shreve Hall, 200 N. Daniels Way, Bloomington

Hosted by: The three Bloomington Rotary clubs

Tickets: Now until we sell out, you can buy your tickets by clicking on the orange buttons above or below.

Or you can send your check payable to
Bloomington Rotary Foundation
P.O. Box 3412
Bloomington, IN 47402

Sponsorship and program access: $10,000 Diamond level; $5,000 Platinum; $2,000 Gold; $1,250, Blue; $250 Friends of Pat; $100 for individual tickets.

The IMA Foundation will serve as a Diamond level sponsor.

About the Toast

Established in 2015, the Toast recognizes community leaders who reflect the Rotary motto of “service above self.”

Half of the proceeds from this year’s Toast will benefit Bloomington North's Habitat for Humanity Chapter

The other half will benefit local charitable causes championed by the three clubs. Recent projects include partnerships with Exodus Refugee Immigration to co-sponsor an Afghan refugee family and to provide meals, childcare and financial literacy training for refugee families, with Friends of Lake Monroe for events to promote water quality; and with Girls Inc. and Leadership Bloomington to install and supply free feminine hygiene dispensers and products.

In the first ten years the Toast has raised more than $390,000 for local charities.

Previous Honorees are Dr. Larry Rink (2015), Ron Remak (2016), Becky Hrisomalos (2017), Connie and Steve Ferguson (2018), Cary Curry (2019), Bob Hammel (2020), Charlotte Zietlow (2021), Dr Gladys DeVane (2022), retired Judge Stephen Galvin (2023) and Doug Bauder (2024). You can learn more about these Honorees and their charities in the menu above.

About Pat

A native of Chicago, Pat holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the IU School of Education. Pat began her career as a teacher at Binford Middle School in 1973. She later worked at Bloomington High School North where she served as the Social Studies Department Chair.

Pat began teaching in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at IU Bloomington in 1989 and served as an adjunct instructor.

Additionally, she has served as a consultant to the Center on Congress (2005-2010), the Teacher as Decision Makers Program (1989-1995), and the IU Religious Studies Summer Institutes (1978-1982).

Pat’s contributions to the Bloomington community, the MCCSC and IU have been widely recognized at the national, state, and local levels.

Her many national awards include: the Claes Nobel National Educator of the Year Award (2012), National Outstanding Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year (2007), the Center on Congress – Outstanding Teacher of the Year (2002), and the Joseph B. Whitehead Award (2000).

At the state level, she received the IU School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award (2015), Outstanding Teacher in Bloomington, Indiana (2013), Toastmasters International Communication of Leadership Award (2008), The Indiana Bell Ringer Award (2006), and the Distinguished Hoosier awarded by Governor Evan Bayh (1992).

At the local level she has received the Lifetime Achievement Teaching Award (2015), Outstanding Educator of the Year (2011), Excellence in Volunteerism (2009), the Lloyd Olcott Community Service Award (2006), the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award (2005), and the Student Choice Award for Excellence in teaching at the IU School of Education (2006).

Pat has been married to Gary Wilson since 1971. They have a daughter, Kelli Wallace, married to John Wallace, and a niece, Sarah (Smith) Weeks, married to Chris Weeks. Pat and Gary are also proud grandparents to Caden and Olivia Wallace.

About Bloomington North Habitat for Humanity Chapter