A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD TOMORROW FOR ANDREW JULIAN TIBBITS, WHO DIED ALONG WITH 4 FRIENDS IN SATURDAY?S EARLY MORNING CRASH IN PRUNEDALE. 19 YEAR-OLD ?DREW? TIBBITS IS SURVIVED BY HIS PARENTS, AND BROTHER, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. THE SERVICE WILL BEGIN AT 10 A.M. TOMORROW AT MEHL?S COLONIAL CHAPEL IN WATSONVILLE. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE PREFERRED TO A FUND THAT HAS BEEN SET UP IN THE 5 TEENS? HONOR. IT?S CALLED TAMMY AND THE LOST BOYZ TRUST FUND, AND CHECKS CAN BE MAILED TO THE WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK ON MAIN STREET IN WATSONVILLE.
THEY LEFT LAST MARCH, NOW 300 NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS ARE RETURNING TO CALIFORNIA, AFTER SPENDING THE MAJORITY OF THE PAST YEAR ON ACTIVE DUTY IN IRAQ. THE SOLDIERS ARE FROM THE 81ST BRIGADE, 1ST BATTALION, 185TH TASK FORCE. THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE CONNECTING 14 VILLAGES, RESTORING SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES OF ROADS, RECONSTRUCTING BRIDGES AND REBUILDING A SCHOOL. GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TODAY ALSO RECOGNIZED THEIR DEVOTED FAMILIES FOR THEIR SERVICE. HE SAID EACH NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER WHO DID NOT RETURN HOME WILL CONTINUE TO BE HONORED AND RESPECTED BY ALL CALIFORNIANS. THE MEMBERS OF THE UNIT ARE PREDOMINATELY FROM SAN BERNARDINO, SANTA CRUZ AND FRESNO COUNTIES.
