MORE than 570 fit and fantastic people have signed up for the Verti-COOL stair-climbing challenge that's on at Telstra Tower today. They'll be sweating for a cause, with their efforts raising funds for Camp Quality's work with kids with cancer via sponsorship. Those especially keen who are tackling the Ultimate Challenge, which incorporates a two kilometre run up Black Mountain before heading up more than 400 stair steps are advised to park in the Hindmarsh carpark. Tower racers can also park there, or in the carpark halfway up the mountain. Buses running every 10 minutes will take racers up and down the mountain. If you're planning to rock up, get there 30 minutes before the starting time and grab a bib and timing chip from the registration table. Post-race, there'll be wine and some tasty things to refuel you, plus live music and performances. St John's Ambulance will be on hand to help if needed, as will Camp Quality volunteers in bright T-shirts.

WE'RE all preoccupied with leadership in Australia, but, as the ABC's Virginia Haussegger puts it: ''The elephant in the room is: what's gender got to do with it? Some might say a great deal.'' At last year's CHOGM in Perth, Prime Minister Julia Gillard hosted a forum for Heads of Government titled Empowering Women to Lead, which Haussegger chaired. This year, for International Women's Day, Haussegger will moderate a similar discussion in Canberra. The event, Women's Economic Empowerment - an Australian Perspective, has been convened as a lunchtime event at the National Press Club. The panel discussion on women's issues will have among its speakers the new Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins, Liberal Senator for Western Australia Michaelia Cash, and the young executive director of UN Women Australia, Julie McKay. Anyone keen on putting questions to the panel can come along. $57 members, $77 non-members including lunch and wine, from noon-2pm on March 6.

THE inimitable Miriam Margolyes, known to a generation of Harry Potter lovers as Professor Sprout, is of course in town for her one-woman show Dickens' Women. She is to stop by Civic Library to do a special reading of Charles Dickens' work today. Seated tickets to the free event have sold out, but at the time of writing, there were 20 standing-only tickets available for the event that runs from noon-1pm. Just in case there are a few left by the time this goes to print, see the Libraries ACT website to book.

AN OPERETTA that promises to enchant is to be presented by ACT chamber opera company Stopera at Tuggeranong Arts Centre soon. The March 4 performance starts at 3pm and has on its program lilting Viennese waltzes by Strauss and Lehár, Parisian romances by Offenbach, and the British comic songs of Gilbert and Sullivan. Stopera artists will perform a selection of operetta's greatest hits, with excerpts from The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, The Pirates of Penzance and lots more. Sopranos Rebecca Collins and Rachael Duncan, baritone Rohan Thatcher and pianist Vivienne Winther will combine their talents to present the afternoon of operetta. $22 concessions, $27 adults. Bookings will be taken by phoning 6293 1443.