Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, will participate in local Memorial Day commemorations on Monday at the Goleta Cemetery, 44 S. San Antonio Road, at 9 a.m., and the Santa Barbara Veterans Memorial Building, 112 W. Cabrillo Blvd., at 11 a.m. She will be speaking at both events.

“As we prepare to commemorate Memorial Day, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends whose loved ones have lost their lives in service to our country,” said Capps. “We also pray for our service men and women and their families, particularly those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we hope for their safe and swift return home. We owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to these brave military personnel and their families. These individuals have answered the call of duty and worked tirelessly to protect our nation and the freedoms it stands for, often at great personal cost. Our service men and women have always stood strong and sacrificed much to protect the values and ideals of our democracy. This Memorial Day, as we enjoy time with our friends and families, let us not forget to honor the commitment and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.”

— Emily Kryder is communications director for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.