The City of Santa Monica will hold a Community Outreach Workshop next Thursday, May 2 from 5-7 pm at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium East Wing.
The aim of the workshop is to gather feedback for the Woodlawn Cemetery, Mortuary and Mausoleum Commemorative Wall, which will recognize Santa Monicans who served in one of the country’s military branches and who perished while on active duty during war time.
In describing the genesis of the project, Santa Monica City Council member Bob Holbrook said, “It would be a nice idea to commemorate these people so that when Memorial Day services are held, people can remember those who were lost, husbands, sons and daughters of Santa Monica.”
Although the City has already collected the names of more than 90 people, the workshop is a first opportunity to reach out to local veterans groups and residents to get input on the criteria for inclusion and to collect additional names of people who should be included on the wall.
The inclusion criteria represent an approach that reflects the desire to honor all those from Santa Monica that died while serving in war – no matter what the circumstance.
The City has already received a number of pledges of support to fund this project, which will be built with private contributions.
The City will provide the land and will maintain the wall.
The community can also provide feedback and inform them of names via the internet by visiting http://www.smgov.net/Departments/Cemetery/content.aspx?id=38782.
More information about the project, how to donate, and a preliminary design for the Commemorative Wall will be available at the Annual Memorial Day Observance at Woodlawn Cemetery, Mortuary and Mausoleum on Monday, May 27 at 11 am.
For more information about the Annual Memorial Day Observance, contact the Woodlawn Cemetery, Mortuary and Mausoleum at 310.458.8654.
