Reporter

Clever Words. Local band, OK SWEETHEART, joins forces with author Elizabeth Gilbert on Saturday, Feb. 19 at All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria Ave.

The band will be accompanied by author of New York Times Best Seller "Eat Pray Love" and the more recent "Committed," Elizabeth Gilbert, as part of BookSmart Tulsa.

As electronic books take the place of hardbound copies, BookSmart Tulsa is dedicated to preserving and maintaining the presence and production of page-turning books.

OK SWEETHEART is a nationwide music group based in Tulsa and is reminiscent of mid-century pop and known for well-crafted simplicity. Lead singer Erin Austin has been compared to Billie Holiday and Regina Spektor, and her meaningful lyrics and late-60s pop influences paired with her always-adorable vintage look makes the band a crowd favorite wherever it goes.

For more information, visit booksmarttulsa.com.

Detour Ahead. Beginning in early March, a one-mile stretch of road ¬¬-- commonly known as 39 Hill off Highway 123 -- will be closed and under construction through August 2011, according to officials.

The 39 Hill project will be ongoing for 190 days. Osage Nation's Transportation Department Director, R.J. Walker, said the 39 Hill Road project has been in the works for the past several years. Developing the road project involves Osage County transportation officials and construction will be funded with federal dollars awarded to Osage Nation.

"This temporary road project will improve travel for our guests and employees and provide better access to the Bartlesville casino," said Ressa Files, general manager, Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino, Bartlesville. "The casino will remain open 24 hours, 7 days a week and be fully operational during this time."

Guests of the casino are encouraged to take Highway 123 southbound from Bartlesville and turn west on County Road 2145 or take Highway 60 west from downtown Bartlesville.

Contribute to the Arts. Organizers of 2011 Tulsa International Mayfest, taking place May 19-22 in downtown Tulsa, are seeking volunteers for the festival. Mayfest volunteers are vital to the festival's success. Each year, volunteers log thousands of hours making the festival the nationally renowned event that it has become.

Both individual and corporate team volunteers are needed for the following categories: beverage sales, souvenir sales, Youth Art Gallery host, KidZone activities and artist relations. The festival needs around 800 volunteers over the four-day event. Volunteer shifts are approximately 3-4 hours each and volunteers are welcome to work one or more shifts throughout the festival.

Volunteers may visit tulsamayfest.org to download a volunteer application or contact Mayfest Volunteer Coordinator, Barbara Pendleton, at 918-951-1664. All volunteers will receive a $5 off coupon for official Mayfest merchandise. Volunteers will also receive a limited edition pin, featuring the 2011 poster art that is not available for purchase.

Bidding Solo. Oklahoma Magazine presents the 2011 Single in the City Party and Charity Auction to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma. The event will be held Friday, Feb. 18, beginning at 6pm at Ivey, 3340 S. Peoria Ave.

The evening will feature a fashion show by Saks Fifth Avenue, live entertainment, drinks and hors' d'oeuvres and a live singles auction featuring 12 of the areas most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.

Proceeds from the event will be presented to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Tickets may be purchased in advanced for $20 at Oklahoma Magazine's Tulsa office, 2424 E. 21st St., Ste. 150 and at Saks Fifth Avenue in Utica Square. Tickets are available at the door for $25. For more information, call 918-744-6205 or visit okmag.com.

Keep 'em Busy. Tulsa Parks Community Centers are already taking reservations for Spring Break Day Camps for March 14--18. Fees vary.

Tulsa Park Spring Break Day Camps offer a great experience for kids. Camps consist of sports, games, arts & crafts, and field trips. The professional recreation staff has planned a safe, fun Spring Break for your kids!

Camp hours vary, but most have early drop-off at 7:30am and late pick-up at 5:30pm. Space is limited.

Participating Community Centers include Hicks, Lacy, Reed and Whiteside. Ages 6-11 are encouraged to attend the Community Center sites. Specialty Camps are taking place at Henthorne Performing Arts Center and WaterWorks Arts Center. Henthorne is accepting students 8-14 years old and WaterWorks is welcoming those 6-12.

For more information, call the Community Center nearest you or visit tulsaparks.org.

Creating Tolerance. Conference for Change, an historic two-day event designed to promote understanding about the need to develop and implement inclusive policies and practices to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals in Oklahoma, will take place Feb. 16-17. Hosted by Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq), the conference has already attracted more than 700 professionals, religious leaders and educators, and will address topics ranging from workplace discrimination to LGBTQ issues in faith communities to anti-bullying and suicide prevention.

This groundbreaking conference has made its way onto the national agenda and will feature representatives and presenters from such renowned and respected organizations as PFLAG: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gay; Friendfactor; GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network; and the Trevor Project, the national crisis and suicide prevention group whose work to prevent bullying was recently showcased on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

The goal of the conference is to provide the professionals, religious leaders and educators in attendance with practical tools and steps that can be implemented, some immediately and others over time, to assure the full inclusion of LGBTQ individuals and their families in the Oklahoma community at large.

Organizers of the conference chose to hold the gathering in Tulsa both to highlight the city's vibrant LGBTQ community and to establish its progressive track record as a standard for inclusivity throughout the rest of Oklahoma and in surrounding states. In 2008, Tulsa was named an emerging city for same-sex couples; it is the only urban metro city in a five-hour drive that has a non-discrimination policy in effect for city personnel; and 30 faith communities in the city welcome LGBTQ individuals into their congregations. And yet, in light of the recent spate of suicides by LGBTQ teens, the need for solutions at the local, regional and national level is urgent.

For more information, visit okeq.org.