INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 25, 2024) — IndyGo and the IndyGo Foundation announced several award winners at the January monthly Board of Directors’ meeting Thursday, Jan. 25. The IndyGo Foundation named IU Health and the IU Health Foundation as the 2023 winners of the annual Partnership Award. Additionally, the agency named several employees as winners of IndyGo’s internal Excellence Awards.
Partnership Award
The Partnership Award, sponsored by the IndyGo Foundation, honors a group or organization that has supported IndyGo in making progress and attaining goals. Winners of this award show extraordinary efforts to uplift the organization in relation to policy, teammate or program support, community service, funding, impacting the City of Indianapolis or overall commitment to IndyGo efforts. (See photo below.)
“The partnership with IU Health and the IU Health Foundation through their Community Investment Impact Fund affects IndyGo riders and the community on many levels,” said IndyGo Foundation Executive Director Emily Meaux. “Their investment supports financial accessibility to transit and will allow for the construction of more than one dozen ADA accessible bus stops on the Near Eastside. As health professionals, they understand the roles transit and transit infrastructure serve in community health, and we are grateful for their partnership.”
“At IU Health, we are committed to investing in organizations that support our community’s health and wellness needs,” said IU Health Director of Government and External Affairs Jennifer Andres. “The IndyGo Foundation is fulfilling this commitment as it expands transit access through funding essential infrastructure improvements, offering free and reduced rides on IndyGo and more. We’re honored to play a part in its story.”
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Excellence Awards
The Excellence Awards are granted internally to various team members of IndyGo who demonstrate exceptional behavior and go above and beyond meeting general expectations in several categories. (See photo below.)
“With each passing year, we see more and more examples of how IndyGo staff is essential to Indianapolis’ current success and future growth,” said IndyGo Interim President and CEO Jennifer Pyrz. “IndyGo’s Excellence Awards are a chance for us to spotlight these unsung heroes and recognize their tireless efforts to drive our city forward to new opportunities.”
Awards were given in the following categories:
Leadership in Operations Award
Manager- Facilities Mark Crane
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Professional Coach Operator of the Year
Coach Operator Calvin Jackson
Maintenance Professional of the Year
High Voltage Technician Alex Walker
Leadership in Administration Award
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Grants Manager Cassandra Burmeister Chief Administrative Officer Charlie Carlino
Simply put, it was an ugly showing for theIndianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The team lost their 8th game of the regular season against the Denver Broncos in a tough road battle, 31-13, but one that Indianapolis ultimately beat themselves in with tons of miscues and mistakes that took them out of contention for what many saw as a must-win game for their postseason aspirations.
A lot could be said about the game’s outcome, but ESPN’s Stephen Holder put things bluntly when asked to describe the Colts’ performance in two simple words: “missed opportunities.”
“The Colts had multiple chances to take control while Denver was struggling with turnovers,” Holder said. “But their best opportunity was blown when running back Jonathan Taylor let go of the ball before he crossed the goal line on a 41-yard run early in the third quarter. The Broncos scored the final 24 points of the game after that mistake.”
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It was Jonathan Taylor’s missed touchdown score in the third quarter that was truly a catalyst for disaster as this game unraveled in the second half. Rather than potentially taking a 20-7 lead to go up two scores after halftime, the play was ruled a fumble and touchback, parlaying into a Broncos comeback and domination later in the game.
Even outside of Taylor’s viral blunder, that was far from the only screw-up the Colts suffered in the second half. After the touchback, Indianapolis was on the losing end of a 0-24 run commanded by the Broncos, this showed a strong effort on both sides of the ball to overcome a sputtering Indianapolis attack. AD Mitchell’s trick play that landed in the hands of Nik Boniito was another.
For a game in which a win was desperately needed for their playoff hopes, the Colts needed a consistent effort in all four quarters. They didn’t get that. Indianapolis now drops to 6-8 on the year and stands two games out of the Wild Card picture, with diminishing optimism to grasp onto for the final stretch of the season.
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The Colts will need to get back on track next Sunday if they want any hopes of getting back into the playoff hunt, as the 3-11 Tennessee Titanstravel to Lucas Oil Stadium for a classic divisional bout.
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Indianapolis has a new all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse.
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Florida-based Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse opened at Fashion Mall Commons, 8487 Union Chapel Rd., last week.
Fans of Fogo de Chao will be familiar with the concept that has servers roaming the dining room to slice slow-roasted meats onto plates tableside and the availability of an all-you-can-eat hot and cold food bar with cured meats, cheeses, salads, soups and sides.
The Terra Gaucha owners are former Fogo de Chao restaurants, said native Brazilian Paulo Simonetti, one of the four founders.
Simonetti spent 23 years at Fogo de Chao for 23 years, having joined the company in 2001 when it operated only three stores.
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His team launched Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Indianapolis store is the company’s fourth.
Of the two largest churrascaria chains – Fogo de Chao and Texas de Brazil – only Fogo has a location in Indiana, an Indianapolis restaurant at 117 E. Washington.
Terra Gaucha menu
Diners will find some items not offered at Fogo de Chao.
Lobster bisque is a soup option along with pork belly feijoada on the food bar.
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Unique items include lettuce wedge salads, cake made with corn flour and a banana cream.
Servers there bring around grilled salmon and beef ribs are sliced tableside. Grilled pineapple coated in cinnamon and brown sugar is another offering.
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Terra Gaucha cost
The full all-you-can eat meats experience in Indianapolis is $59.95 per adult for dinner Monday through Friday and $49.95 for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. A chicken and seafood dinner option is available for $41.95 Monday through Friday and $38.95 on weekends.
The all-you-can-eat food bar alone for dinner is $29.95.
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The full meats experience for lunch Monday through Friday is $39.95, with the chicken and seafood option at $31.95, and the food bar alone at $19.95.
The Indianapolis restaurant, which seats about 300 people and has private dining rooms for meetings, operates seven days a week.
Terra Gaucha will be open for dine-in service on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The Denver Broncos secured an important win with a 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday afternoon. Check out the game highlights below.
Up next for the Broncos is a Thursday Night Football road game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16. If Denver beats L.A., the Broncos will clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs with two games remaining.