For the annual GEM Gala the Junior League of Tulsa honors a “Tulsa GEM,” an individual or organization making a significant impact on the Tulsa community, at the gala. This year’s recipient has been selected based on their dedication to the community and their mission to empower Tulsans to be agents of change in their community.

GEM Gala is proud to honor Wendy Thomas and Leadership Tulsa as our 2022 Honoree and Community GEM. The work Wendy has done for the past two decades with Leadership Tulsa has made an immeasurable impact on our community. We are so grateful for her and Leadership Tulsa’s tireless efforts in educating and empowering the community on how to best support our city. For over 48 years, Leadership Tulsa has identified, developed, and connected diverse leaders who impact the community through service. Their network of over 2,000 alumni work in all sectors of the Tulsa community and serve on nonprofit boards of all sizes.

Wendy Thomas weighs in on her nomination as the 2022 GEM Honoree:

“As Junior League of Tulsa nears its centennial anniversary and Leadership Tulsa is looking forward to our 50th, I can hardly imagine a Tulsa without these two leadership development organizations. Because of our shared history as organizations and our shared work developing leaders, it means so much to be receiving this award from Junior League of Tulsa.”

Ed Sharrer, Leadership Tulsa Marketing Director shared his thoughts on Thomas’s nomination::

“Leadership Tulsa couldn’t be prouder of Wendy Thomas for being honored as the GEM Gala Honoree, or more thankful for being selected as the Community GEM. Junior League of Tulsa was instrumental in the founding of Leadership Tulsa nearly 50 years ago. Generations of community leaders have been developed by our respective organizations over the years, so this honor is especially meaningful coming from such a respected and cherished peer group.”

The black-tie GEM Gala will begin with a cocktail hour as well as an online auction and live auction allowing guests to bid on a variety of unique. Guests will enjoy live performances and live music in addition to an open bar. Tickets will be available soon. Follow @JLTulsa on Facebook and Instagram for more information and early bird ticket pricing.

Event sponsorship information is available by emailing gemgala@jltulsa.org or by calling 918-663-6100. The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible.

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Shoppers can browse high-end items and one-of-a-kind finds at a fraction of the retail cost. Donations come from JLT members and the community to offer an exclusive selection of furniture, jewelry, clothing, household goods, and more.

Funds raised at our annual Bloomingdeals event help fund a variety of community outreach and development programs. Stop by jltulsa.org and see how JLT has impacted Tulsa as we celebrate our upcoming centennial in 2023. We are currently accepting donations at the event location at 2740 E. 21st Street during the following dates and times:

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 5pm – 7pm

Sunday, October 10, 2021 2pm – 4pm

Tuesday, October 12, 2021 11:30am – 1pm

Sunday, October 17, 2021 2pm – 4pm

Tuesday, October 19, 2021 5pm – 7pm

For additional information regarding making a donation, please email bloomingdeals@jltulsa.org.

As the event date gets closer, we will release more details about the event and some of the wonderful items that have been donated. You can follow the Junior League of Tulsa at @JLTulsa on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates and sneak peeks.

If you would like additional information about the Junior League of Tulsa or to become involved with this organization that directly benefits the community, please contact JLT Headquarters at 918-663-6100.

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JLT’s Gem Gala is an annual event that recognizes the inspiring contributions of both an organization and an individual in our community. This year’s opal- and onyx-themed black-tie affair will recognize these honorees whose work has empowered and encouraged underserved women and youth. JLT lauds Street School for its accomplishments in serving non-traditional high school students and reducing school drop-out rates in Tulsa. Street School currently provides individualized educational and therapeutic services to more than one hundred students ages 14 – 19. Representative Bush is an advocate of public education, criminal justice reform, and legislation to reduce the female incarceration rate in Oklahoma.

“We are thrilled to honor two amazing Tulsa gems at this year’s Gala. Street School and Representative Bush strive every day to build a better Tulsa. JLT is honored to work with Street School’s Culinary Club as one of our community programs. Representative Bush served as a past President of JLT, and is a current sustaining member, and is an exemplary example of what it means to be a community leader,” said Gem Gala Co-Chairs Maggie den Harder and Zena Shah. The Gala will feature auctions, a seated meal, and an opportunity for attendees to be among the first to witness the stunning revitalization of the Tulsa Club Hotel in downtown’s historic deco district. The special patron cocktail hour will be held from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Check-in for all guests will begin at 6:30 p.m., with dinner to commence at 7:00 p.m. For information on event sponsorship, please visit https://www.jltulsa.org/fundraisers/gem-gala/sponsorship/. For further information, please contact Maggie Den Harder and Zena Shah at gemgala@jltulsa.org.

Proceeds from this event support the League’s mission-based programs and community partnerships that work to end the cycle of poverty affecting women and children in Tulsa (e.g., Food Bank, Food on the Move, Hawthorne Elementary, Resonance Center for Women, Street School, and Poetic Justice) and train women to become effective community leaders and advocates for social change within our Tulsa communities.

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The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

“By giving the Provisional Class an opportunity to jump in and get face-to-face with our community’s needs, our hope is that this experience will empower them to see the direct results of helping with our community,”  said Loree O’Sullivan, 2018-19 Provisional Chair.

The main focus of this year’s Provisional Project is to get Provisionals in front of the needs of the community as well as to give them an opportunity to work through the logistics of planning a service project. Throughout the League year, Provisional members have many opportunities to sign up for volunteering shifts around organizations around the Tulsa community. By partnering with non-profits who are focused around helping women and children in transition, the hope is to provide experiences to our new members that help them see the impact that JLT has on our Tulsa community.

Groups of Provisionals at Restore Hope Ministries, a nonprofit focused around helping families dealing with unexpected life stressors, such as financial hardships. Provisional groups worked one-on-one with the incoming clients to receive a donated Thanksgiving basket of ingredients for the holiday.

The Family & Children’s Services Thrift Store, another partner of JLT, helps fund Family & Children’s Services programs, gives clients work opportunities and provides clients with much-needed clothing and household items. In November, Provisional members sorted, hung, prepared, and displayed the thrift store items for client shopping.

The Provisional class has also partnered with Hospitality House on a number of projects this past fall. In October, the group prepared, boxed, and delivered meals to the families temporarily residing in the Hospitality House apartments. Hospitality House of Tulsa Serves families who are experiencing medical crisis by providing them an apartment to live in while their family member is hospitalized in Tulsa. In December, the Provisionals also prepared Christmas decorations for the inhabitants.

Additional upcoming projects include serving hot meals to the homeless community with John 3:16 Mission, serving as guest chefs for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, assisting with an exhibit for the Domestic Violence Intervention Services, helping students create art to be auctioned at Pathways Adult Learning Center, and  putting on a spring carnival for the children living at Lindsey House.

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The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

For more information, visit our website at www.jltulsa.org.

The annual Gem Gala honors a “Tulsa Gem,” an individual and community organization making significant impacts. Tulsa Gems are chosen based on their impact to the Tulsa community. According to Lindsey Bull and Meagan Tyler, Gem Gala Co-Chairs, “We’re excited to recognize a member of our community who is so dedicated to making a better Tulsa, as Taylor Hanson’s mission with the Food on the Move Initiative closely aligns with JLT’s mission of promoting voluntarism and improving the community through effective action of trained volunteers.”

This year’s signature gemstone is the sapphire, and thus blue will touch every aspect of the black-tie event. The evening will begin with a VIP cocktail hour at 5:00 p.m. available to all sponsors, with live auction and dinner to follow. Guests will have the ability to bid on unique items including jewelry designed by well-known local jewelers.  Dinner will be followed by an after party with dancing and entertainment.

Sponsorships are currently available at www.jltulsa.org/fundraisers/gem-gala or by calling 918-663-6100. All sponsor levels include a VIP cocktail hour, dinner, live and silent auction, after party, and a full open bar. Tickets to the after party are $75 and include event access at 9:00 p.m. and complimentary drinks.

The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League of Tulsa is committed to welcoming all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities.

JLT is thrilled that the event will feature keynote speaker Carol Scott, President of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) and CEO of the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The AJLI, which encompasses JLT, is a 114-year-old women’s volunteer organization with more than 150,000 members in 292 independent Junior Leagues in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and United Kingdom. Before coming to The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert, Ms. Scott served as President/CEO of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate in S.C. and Executive Director of Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena, Calif., leading both organizations in major fundraising initiatives and the development of new facilities. She also has worked as a consultant and trainer to a number of museums and nonprofits, including children’s museums in Wilmington, N.C., and San Antonio, Texas. She is a former director of the Association of Children’s Museums and currently serves on the Board of the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

The Mentorship Luncheon is a mission-based endeavor for JLT. According to Mentorship Luncheon Committee Chair Camille Fazel, “The Luncheon allows us to live our JLT mission of developing women in our communities through programming and scholarship” ”

The Mentorship Luncheon also marks an opportunity for JLT to honor and recognize its annual scholarship recipients. JLT is proud to award $10,000 in scholarships to two graduating high school women who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to academics and voluntarism and two nontraditional students—women returning to their studies after an absence, or just beginning their higher education—based primarily on financial need and a commitment to completing a degree. The luncheon helps JLT fund its scholarship program and supports the mission of training and developing women leaders and highly effective community volunteers.

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the Mentorship Luncheon are still available. Tickets are $65.00for an individual, or $120.00 for a pair, purchase your tickets here.  To make a donation to the Mentorship Luncheon please click Donate. If you would like more details on this event please click Mentorship Luncheon.

The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism.

Tulsa, OK – On Thursday, July 16th Junior League of Tulsa, Inc. will partner with jeweler Kendra Scott for the Grand Opening of their Utica Square location, located at 1842 Utica Square, and the Holiday Market Kick-off Event!  The event will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

At this “Kendra Gives Back” event, Junior League of Tulsa, Inc. will begin its campaign for their 10th Annual Holiday Market, a fundraising event, which supports volunteer efforts to build a better Tulsa and end the cycle of poverty in this community.  The Market will be held November 6th through the 8th in the Exchange Center at Expo Square.

As expressed in her charitable motto, “What Matters to You Matters to Us”, Kendra Scott stores and their “Kendra Gives Back” campaign helps local non-profits to raise money through events like this one where 20% of all sales this evening will benefit the community projects of the Junior League of Tulsa. The event will feature their newly released Fall Line “Mystic Bazaar”, live music, and treats for all!

The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., along with the Kendra Scott – Utica Square store – invites everyone to attend this fun and charitable event!

For more information, please contact Brooke Sturdivant, 2015 Holiday Market chair – vipokie@hotmail.com or (405) 650-3690, www.jltulsa.org, or our Facebook page – Junior League of Tulsa’s Holiday Market.

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The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.  Junior League of Tulsa reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins, who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism. Proceeds from the event benefit our efforts to end the cycle of poverty in Tulsa.

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Through our partnerships with individuals, local and national charities, we enjoy hosting a variety of unique store events that allow us the opportunity to give back in meaningful ways. For more information about Kendra Gives Back opportunities, please contact us at events@kendrascott.com.

This annual fundraising event hosted by the Junior League of Tulsa features both local and national vendors. Market shopping is open to the public beginning Friday, November 6th at 10:00 a.m. and continues through the weekend until Sunday, November 8th at 4:00 p.m. General admission tickets can be purchased for $6.00 per person at jltulsa.org or at the door and are good all weekend. Some of this year’s special features:

Gift card pull – Shoppers will have the opportunity to participate in a gift card pull throughout the weekend. Gift cards will be available while supplies last and shoppers will receive a gift card for more than the value of their donation.

Care Card – This year the Holiday Market welcomes the Care Card, an annual event hosted by Family & Children’s Services wherein over 200 vendors citywide offer up to 20% off purchases made October 30th through November 8th.  Many of our vendors are accepting and honoring this discount if the Care Card is presented.

The schedule of the Holiday Market special events is as follows:

Friday, November 6th– Christmas and Croissants is a brunch that offers any age group an opportunity to experience a lovely brunch while listening to a guest speaker. This year’s speaker is Oklahoma’s own New York Times best-selling author, Ally Carter. Tickets are $40 per person and include general admission for the entire weekend. Tickets can be purchased at jltulsa.org or at the door.

Sunday, November 8th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Cookies with the Clauses is an opportunity for children to take a picture with Santa Claus and decorate cookies with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Cookie decorating and photo is $20.00 per person or $10 for only a photo with Santa Claus. Special book reading with author Debbie Reese and sing along with Ms. Carole from Pottery Barn Kids will also be held. Tickets can be purchased at jltulsa.org or at the door.

General admission special events:

Saturday, November 7^th from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Free Admission for Teachers and Military Personnel. We invite all educators, administrators, and school personnel as well as military and their families to join us Saturday with complimentary General Admission ($ 6 value per person) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Valid ID required for all complimentary admissions).

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The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.  The Junior League of Tulsa, Inc. welcomes all women who value our Mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities. Proceeds from the event benefit our efforts to end the cycle of poverty in Tulsa.