Oct. 12, 2010

WASHINGTON - Victoria Sekely, a sophomore on the Georgetown University women's tennis team, did her part this summer to support the families, especially the children, who lost a loved one serving the country in the line of duty.

The non-profit organization with which she became involved is Families United, which offers support to families of the fallen in the line of duty for the United States. The organization puts together a Weekend of Remembrance every year to bring together families, military officers, elected officials, wounded warriors and dignitaries to pay tribute.

At this year's Families United Weekend of Remembrance, over 2,000 gold-star families, whose members made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States, came together for a Gold Star Family Dinner, a Kid's Reception, a visit to the Arlington National Cemetery, the American Heroes Festival and the launching of the National Gold Star Registry. A searchable, online database of those killed while serving in the military from World War II to the present.

Sekely spent her time at the Kid's Reception, where the children participated in the various events, games and activities. What struck Sekely the most and made her sad while working at the check-in table were the pins that the children wore. Each pin showed the face of the parent that that child lost.

Sekely said it was a great experience giving her time and energy to see that the children who lost parents in military service had a fun time at the Kid's Reception and urged that others give back to the community in whatever way they can.

More information on Families United and how you can help make a difference can be found on www.familiesunitedmission.com.