Shelby County Hosts Tsunami Relief Benefit

Feb. 8

The Shelby County Soil Conservation District Board meets at 1:30 p.m. at the district office at the Agricenter, 7777 Walnut Grove Road. Call 544-0228, Ext. 3.

Feb. 9

Rhodes College hosts University of New Mexico political science professor Dr. Neil Mitchell at 4:15 p.m. in Room 108 of Buckman Hall at the college, 2000 North Parkway. Mitchell presents The Agents of Atrocity, or the roles of leaders in amplifying or moderating atrocities. Call 843-3573 for more information.

Feb. 11

The Memphis Shelby County Public Library and Information Center launches 2-1-1, a new service designed to offer fast access by phone to health and human services information, at 11 a.m. at the Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave. The librarys LINC Department is the local provider of the 2-1-1 number. The service will operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 415-2700.

Feb. 12

Shelby County Government hosts a relief benefit to collect donations of bottled water and monetary contributions for victims of the recent Southeast Asia tsunami from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Creative Arts Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds. The event will feature local gospel and R&B artists. All proceeds will go to Red Cross International, Save the Children and the Tamil Nadu Foundation. Call 545-4588.

The University of Memphis Rudy E. Scheidt School of Music hosts The Kandinsky Trio, one of only six piano trios to win the Chamber Music America Residency Award, at 4 p.m. in Harris Concert Hall, located on Central Avenue on the U of M campus. Admission is free.

St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital presents the 30th annual Marguerite Piazza St. Jude Gala at 6 p.m. at The Peabody, 149 Union Ave. Entertainment includes The Bob Westbrook Orchestra and The Temptations Review. Cost is $200 per person or $2,000 for a table of 10. For more information, call 373-5051 or visit www.stjude.org/margueritepiazzagala.

Feb. 13

The Public Issues Forum presents Tax Reform and TennCare from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Meeting Room C at the Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave. Panelists include state Rep. Kathryn Bowers, chairman of the TennCare Oversight Committee, Nell Levin of the Tennessee Alliance for Progress and Beverly Owens of Tennesseans for Fair Taxation.

Seven United Methodist Church choirs join voices at the fourth annual Concert of Love at 6:30 p.m. at Bartlett United Methodist Church, 5676 Stage Road. The choirs sing to honor the work of the Church Health Center, which has provided medical care to the uninsured working poor since its inception in 1987. A freewill offering will be collected to benefit the health center. For more information, call 726-4104.

Upcoming Events:

Feb. 14

B.B. Kings Blues Club hosts Fast Pitch, a business networking event, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the restaurant, 143 Beale St. Cost is $35. Call 730-1793 or visit www.fastpitchnetworking.com for reservations.

Feb. 15

The Memphis City Council meets at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall, 125 N. Main St., first floor. Call 576-6786.

Feb. 16

The Rotary Club of Memphis East presents the second annual Bobby Dunavant Public Servant Awards at a luncheon that runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at The Peabody. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is the keynote speaker. The awards honor longtime Shelby County Probate Court Clerk Bobby Joe Dunavant and recognize distinguished work by Memphis and Shelby County public servants. Cost is $25 per person or $250 per table of 10. Reservations are required. Call 754-1615 or visit www.eastmemphisrotary.org.