Benefit

Inside Westminster Abbey, eight 20-foot-tall live trees lined the center aisle during the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William. The trees transformed the space, doing what even the most elaborate floral arrangement could not — providing a natural, living sense of permanence and an air of drama. The move was unexpected, unpretentious and bold. A potted tree on your patio or deck can have the same effect. While not every tree is well-suited for a container, there are a surprising number of options, ranging from crape myrtles to hollies.

Hundreds of Anne Arundel County charities are hoping to get a fundraising boost from a round-the-clock, online donation event. The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County will host the "Great Give" from 7 p.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. on Thursday. Donors can go to a designated website -- greatgiveaac.razoo.com -- to donate to their favorite charities. Corporate sponsors are paying for the administrative costs, so 100 percent of donations will go to participating charities.

Support the Steppingstone Museum in Havre de Grace by enjoying a Euro-California style buffet and blues music. Johnny Ciao, a celebrity chef, will be coming to Harford County on June 23 to host a Blues Buffet at Bellissimo Restaurant to benefit Steppingstone. Joining him will be blues band Professor Louie and the Crowmatix. Tickets are $50 and the dinner starts at 7 p.m. For the benefit, Ciao will purchase all of his own ingredients and essentially take over Bellissimo's kitchen to cook the buffet.

Morton "Jerry" Baum, founder and executive director of the Fund for Educational Excellence and a retired clothing manufacturing executive who was a tireless champion of city public schools, died May 5 from complications of Parkinson's disease at his Roland Park home. He was 87. "I first met Jerry in the 1980s when he was executive director of the Fund for Educational Excellence," said Brian C. Rogers, chairman of T. Rowe Price, who had served as a member of the organization's board.

As an former Catonsville resident living overseas, I've experienced the advantages of having a national health care program. Five years ago I got a liver transplant here, making me a real-life German (liver)-American (heart). All my medical costs were covered by my German public health insurance policy. Everyone gets sick at some time in their life, which is why everyone will need health care sooner or later. When everyone pays in to such a health insurance plan, costs will come down and everyone will benefit.

Allowing children of undocumented immigrants to attend universities as in-state residents is logical ( "A flawed compromise," March 8). All involved are participating members of society and will ultimately make Maryland look good. When we read that U.S. schools are slipping in the global arena, imagine having bilingual youth moving up to assume responsibilities that will lift up the whole nation. I often hear Americans say we are only as strong as our weakest link. Well, here is a chance to remedy that.

Having read your editorial on right-to-work laws, I was amused by your use of such comparisons as "nations don't make taxes optional" ("Right to earn less," Dec. 13). People should have the right to work without having to pay someone else for the privilege. Years ago, a speaker at a seminar out West commented to a group of CEOs that "if you have a union, you asked for it. " Which I believe is true. Profit-sharing and other opportunities should be available to all workers. If sales go up, everybody should benefit; if they go down, everyone should get less.

Baltimore and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake are to be commended for the revisions to the city's zoning code ("Transforming Baltimore," Nov. 16). The new, simpler code is a departure from the Euclidean zoning (named for a landmark Supreme Court zoning decision) that Baltimore had for 80 years and will better reflect market realities. The new waterfront, maritime, transit, transportation, hospital and campus districts recognize the unique physical and design characteristics of these areas.

It's only June, but it might be time for the Orioles to start seriously pondering the mystery that is Jeremy Guthrie. The veteran cornerstone of the starting rotation is 2-8 and — by all accounts — much better than that dismal won-loss record. He is a solid guy and a solid presence in the Orioles clubhouse. He's also a dependable innings eater who preserves the bullpen and handles the swings and errors of his outrageous fortune without public complaint or self pity. In other words, what's not to like, and yet you can make the case that the July 31 deadline for making trades without waivers can't get here soon enough, both for Guthrie and the team.

Over on the Unleashed blog, Jill Rosen has the information about a dining out benefit for Baltimore Barcs, which cares for the city's homeless animals. Pierpoint is Tuesday's participating restaurant, donating ten percent check of checks from diners who make a reservation under BARCS. The week's remaining participants are MaGerk's in Federal Hill on Wednesday, Miguel's Cocina y Cantina in Locust Point on Thursday and 30 East at the Stalking Horse in Federal Hill on Friday.

If former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hoped she could segue quietly into private life as she pondered a presidential bid in 2016, that fantasy has been abruptly harpooned in the resurrection of the political squabble over the terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's hearing into the failure of the Clinton-led State Department to respond in a timely fashion has made clear that the issue will haunt her and any political aspirations she may have between now and the next presidential election.

Downtown Towson is on the cusp of a building boom that will transform this suburban county seat into one of the most dynamic, cosmopolitan communities in Maryland. All the elements are in place for this transformation. Towson has two institutions of higher education, Towson University and Goucher College, that not only provide world-class learning but also a work force that stabilizes the commercial core. Residential developments like Towson Green will make sure the downtown area does not become a ghost town after sunset and on the weekends.

Got blood? Time to help your community. On Wednesday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday ,May 16, from 3 to 7 p.m., the Hampden Family Center, 1104 W. 36th St., is partnering with MedStar Health, which owns Union Memorial Hospital, for a blood drive. If you have questions or wish to make an appointment, call the Hampden Family Center at 410-467-8710. At Minás Gallery & Boutique, 815 W. 36th St., there is an ongoing silent auction to benefit the House of Ruth, and the final bids and closing reception takes place on May 17 from 7 to 10 p.m. This auction brings together works from a number of excellent Baltimore artists, with all of the proceeds going to support one of the nation's leading domestic violence centers that helps thousands of battered women and their children every year.

The O'Malley administration has notified state employees in same-sex relationships that they won't be able to include domestic partners in their health insurance anymore. If they want coverage, they'll have to get married. The policy change is the result of the new Maryland law allowing same-sex marriage, which took effect Jan. 1. The thinking is that offering health coverage to an unmarried same-sex partner doesn't make sense anymore, officials said, particularly since an unmarried heterosexual partner doesn't have the same right.

Six military veterans from Maryland pleaded guilty to fraud charges this week in a scheme to obtain federal military benefits and state tax breaks with faked documentation claiming they were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, according to the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office. The veterans allegedly paid thousands of dollars in cash to David Clark, the former deputy chief of veterans claims in the state Department of Veterans Affairs Office, in exchange for $1.4 million in fraudulent benefits and tax breaks, prosecutors said.

Former MLB player Bill Ripken will headline a new charitable gala in Columbia May 9. The Grand Slam Gala also will include live and silent auctions, and athletic challenges. The Baseball Factory, a Columbia-based player recruitment and development operation, launched the gala event to support its Factory Foundation, a nonprofit designed to assist underprivileged student athletes. Dress is casual, and attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite jersey or hat. Food will be provided by Clyde's, with desserts from Elkridge Furnace Inn, Georgetown Cupcakes and Milk 'N Cookies.

The Carroll Hospital Center Foundation said it has received $5 million towards a an effort to raise $22 million to benefit medical services. The Taneytown-based Kahlert Foundation donated the money to be used to support improvement efforts at  Carroll Hospital Center and Carroll Hospice. It is the first multi-million dollar gift the hospital has received in its 50-year history. The fundraising effort, “Campaign to Cure & Comfort, Always,” will support five key areas: the cancer center, a community education and wellness center, emerging technology, endowment funds and cardiovascular and stroke prevention and treatment.

As the campaign to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights advances across the Midwest, taxpayers — whom the abolishment of such rights is alleged to benefit — deserve a complete accounting of what they also stand to lose. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has characterized public sector workers as the "haves" to the private sector's "have nots. " This should strike all but the most removed from working people as absurd. Since when have teachers, social workers, nurses, cops, firefighters and sanitation workers been the "haves" of the American economy?