After the reception, guests are invited into the theater for presentation of the Howie Awards and the Rising Star Competition for young performing artists. The audience will choose three winners to receive prizes of $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000.
Barbara K. Lawson, president and chief executive officer of the Columbia Foundation, is the gala's honorary chairwoman.
The celebration has raised $741,650 for arts grants in the community in the past 10 years.
Information: 410-313-ARTS or www.hocoarts.org.
Arc of Howard County is holding benefit raffle
The Arc of Howard County is selling raffle tickets for a home-theater system with a 50-inch plasma television. The tickets cost $25 each; 1,000 tickets will be sold.
The winning ticket will be drawn at a Super Bowl social to be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 31 at Arc offices. Refreshments will be served.
The Arc was started by a group of parents in 1961 as an advocacy and support group. The organization provides housing, job placement, vocational training and individual and family-support services to people with cognitive and developmental disabilities, and their families.
Information: 410-730-0638.
Recycle your Christmas tree
The Howard County "Merry Mulch" program allows county residents to recycle their Christmas trees at parks, garden centers and at the landfill. Since its inception in 1993, the program has kept thousands of trees out of the landfill, helping the county's budget and its environment.
Recycled trees will be delivered to the composting site at the Alpha Ridge Landfill, to be made into compost and mulch.
Trees can be recycled from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, through Jan. 21, at these drop-off sites:
Kendall's Hardware, 12260 Route 108, Clarksville; River Hill Garden Center, 12165 Route 108, Clarksville.
Cedar Lane Park, 5081 Cedar Lane, Columbia; Grandfather's Garden Center, 5320 Phelps Luck Drive, Columbia.
Rockburn Park, 5400 Landing Road, Elkridge.
Small Circuit Court parking lot on upper Court House Drive, Ellicott City.
Schooley Mill Park, 12975 Hall Shop Road, Highland.
Alpha Ridge Landfill composting site, 2350 Marriottsville, Road, Marriottsville. The landfill is only open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Savage Park, 8400 Fair Street, Savage.
Western Regional Park, 14800 Carrs Mill Road, Woodbine.
Eastern county residents with yard-trimming collection services can set their Christmas trees out on the regular curbside recycling collections days, through Jan. 21.
Trees must be no taller than 4 feet high; taller trees must be cut to 4 feet. Decorations, including lights and tree stands, must be removed. Flocked trees (with artificial sprayed snow) cannot be recycled. Christmas trees and other recyclable items should be put out for collection the night before, or by 6 a.m. on collection day.
After Jan. 21, Christmas trees can be brought to the Alpha Ridge Landfill from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Information: 410-313-6444.
