Saturday May 26, 2007- Assemblymember Mary Salas will dedicate a Veterans Memorial Rose Garden at the Chula Vista Veterans Home.  The rose garden will serve as a permanent tribute to the service men and women from Chula Vista that gave their lives in the defense of their country.

“I have always held our Veterans in high esteem because of the great example I was given by my father and his six brothers who taught me at a young age to respect and honor our Veterans.  A rose garden in remembrance of the heroic Veterans is fitting to signify the beauty of such selfless acts they performed for our nation,” stated Assemblymember Salas.

Ten of the roses are marked with the names of men who died in the line of duty during the Iraq and Vietnam wars.  Fernando Mendez-Aceves, Hospital Corpsman, US Navy, died while serving in Iraq; Alfredo B. Silva, Staff Sergeant, US Army, died while serving in Iraq; Salem Bachar, Corporal, US Marines, died while serving in Iraq; Curtis Spivey, Specialist, US Army, died while serving in Iraq; Richard Bright, Private, US Marines, died while serving in Vietnam; Philip Hunt, Private, US Marines, died while serving in Vietnam; Cleatus P. Kimble, Specialist, US Army, died while serving in Vietnam; Raymond Kincannon, Captain, US Army, died while serving in Vietnam; Rick Oliver, Specialist, US Army, died while serving in Vietnam; Richard Weeder, Specialist, US Army, died while serving in Vietnam.  In addition to the ten service men being honored a special marker will be placed in honor of Command Master Chief Bill Ayers who was the first chair of the Chula Vista Veterans Home Support Foundation.