Groundwork Somerville presents its 15th Anniversary Fundraising Gala and Volunteer Appreciation on Friday, April 3 from 7-11 p.m. at Cuisine en Locale, 156 Highland Ave. in Somerville. Celebrating all night with live music by The Ways and Means Committee, along with prizes, and amazing food.

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Coming up on Saturday, April 11 at 6 p.m., “Under the Roof Benefit 2015” for the Somerville Homeless Shelter’s 30th Anniversary. The Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) will host the dinner at the Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville. To mark this milestone, a number of founding members of the SHC will be in attendance and honored for their initiative, vision, and compassion. While they are still “working to put themselves out of business,” they are committed to helping those in need for as long as there are homeless and hungry people in our community. Visit www.shcinc.org to learn more about the SHC or this event. For questions, please contact Kathryn at 617-623-6111 or kbenjamin@shcinc.org. They hope you will participate in this terrific event.

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Also coming up on Saturday, the 11th, it’s Masonic Open House here in Somerville as well as around the Commonwealth. All lodge buildings will be open from 9 to 3 p.m. King Solomon’s Lodge AF & AM, which was chartered in 1783, is located at 125 Highland Avenue (rear). The Lodge officers will be on hand to welcome and give a tour of the property and explain the historical pieces that the lodge has in its possession. Free parking. Come up the driveway to the main entrance across from the Veterans Post.

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Speaking of the Masonic Lodge, a very special night is being planned for this Friday evening at the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. King Solomon’s Lodge owned the land and built the monument back in 1794. King Solomon’s Lodge, along with MIT lodge and Boston College Lodge, will actually have a degree at the monument and an actual meeting, the first of its kind. The three lodges afterwards will dine at the original home of King Solomon’s Lodge for many years at the Warren Tavern in Charlestown.

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A campaign kickoff and 36th birthday for candidate Lee Palmer, who is going to run for School Committee in Ward 3, the seat presently being held by Adam Sweeting, who is retiring, is set for Sunday, April 12 at the La Cantina Mexicana from 4 to 6 p.m. (https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/leeericapalmer). Checks can be made out to “CTE Lee Palmer” and mailed to 17 Pitman St., Somerville, MA 02143. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN VENUE to La Cantina Mexicana – they needed more space!

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We want to wish the following Villens here and from here a very happy birthday: Happy Birthday this week to Ed Bean up at City Hall. A nice guy, always friendly and smart with figures. Jimmy Halloran, the son of Jim Halloran, is celebrating this week as well. A great guy, now a family man himself. We wish him the very best.  A happy birthday to our good friend, tax advisor and accountant, Diane O’Brien here in Davis Square. She is a great lady, loves what she does and is good at it. We wish her the very best. To another of the Hart family members, a very happy birthday to Rachael Hart-Adams. She’s just like her mom, another nice Hart family member. Happy Birthday to Thomas Graney, who is celebrating this week. Although not from the Ville, happy birthday to Zach Swanfeldt. His family was originally from Somerville. A nice guy who works in family business.

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Keep the date of Sunday, April 26 open at the Somerville City Club. The family and friends of former Ward 3 Alderman Tom Taylor, who passed away recently, is having a “celebration of life” for him. The event will take place at the Somerville City Club, 4-8 p.m. It will also be Tom and Celia’s 25th anniversary on May 12. The invitations went out on Facebook, but if the family missed anyone please feel free to add yourself to this event. The family will need some help with food, drinks, and desserts. This is open to all of Tom’s friends who he had known over the many years.

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ABC News’ chief anchor George Stephanopoulos will discuss Who Do You Believe in the 24/7, Multi-Platform World of News? at the 10th annual Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism at Tufts University on Wednesday, April 8, at 3:30 p.m. The forum, which is free and open to the public, will take place in ASEAN Auditorium in the Cabot Intercultural Center on Tufts University’s Medford/Somerville campus. Stephanopoulos began his career in Washington, D.C. as an aide to an Ohio Congressman and later worked on Bill Clinton’s 1991 presidential campaign. He went on to serve as a trusted advisor in the Clinton administration. He is the author of All Too Human: A Political Education, a number one New York Times bestseller about his work with Clinton. He is also a founding member of the Next Generation Initiative, a nonprofit foundation that helps students develop real-world skills and experiences.

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On April 4, Brass Union will host the fifth annual Music vs. Cancer event to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. For the first time, Brass Union will feature live music entertainment provided by B3 Kings, a Boston-bred funk and jazz band, in addition to other acts and deejays. Brass Union will dish out complimentary appetizers and there will be a silent action, door prize and a 50/50 raffle. For those looking to get their game on, there will be a charity shuffleboard tournament. Brass Union’s Music Curator, Jeff Wallace, will be spearheading the fundraiser. Wallace’s mother, Eileen, is a breast cancer survivor who has been cancer-free for 11 years. A cause close to everyone’s hearts, the donations will help supplement Eileen’s fundraising initiatives for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as she prepares to run her 6th Boston Marathon. Saturday, April 4, 2 p.m. at Brass Union, 70 Union Square, Somerville. $10 onsite donation to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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The Duhamel Education Initiative (DEI) invites you to its annual spring fundraiser, the 19th Annual Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, March 28, 2015 at the First Church Somerville, 89 College Avenue. Each year, the Pancake Breakfast has proven to be a great social affair whose proceeds support a number of special programs for Somerville Public Schools students. Suggested donations are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for children 10 and under. The Pancake Breakfast also offers an opportunity to meet and sample the excellent culinary skills of Somerville’s School Committee. Breakfast will be prepared and served by School Committee members. Reservations for this event are not required. Stop in and bring family and friends. For information about this and other DEI events, and ways you can support the Duhamel Education Initiative, visit www.duhameleducationinitiative.org.