Pelosi to
celebrate 20 years in Congress at National AIDS Memorial

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trading the pen and paper for the rake and trowel this Saturday, celebrating her 20th year in Congress with a day of manual labor at the National AIDS Memorial in her native San Francisco.

Pelosi has been a longtime supporter of the Memorial, nicknamed the "Grove," and was instrumental in passing the 1996 legislation that designated the site as a national monument.

"The National AIDS Memorial Grove stands as a monument to all that we have lost, but also all that we have held onto--our hope, our optimism, our steadfastness and determination to fight against this disease and for the people who have it," said Pelosi in a press release. "In this beautiful city, we turned heartache into hope by creating the Grove, by continuing to tend to this garden, and by treasuring the memory of those we have lost."

The National AIDS Memorial began as a grassroots project in 1989 by local residents who wished to create a living tribute to those affected by AIDS. (The Advocate)