Florida non-profit holds Christmas gala for Gold Star Families

TAMPA, Fla. - An organization that helps families of fallen soldiers is holding a gala. The money raised will be used to help children of Gold Star Families.  It is "What's Right With Tampa Bay." 

The Gold Star Christmas Gala at the Tampa Museum of Art is an event sponsored by ‘Believe With Me,’ a non-profit that provides support to Gold Star Families.

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"It feels really good to know that we're making someone who is missing a loved one at the holiday season, give them something to smile about - it feels amazing," Reback said. 

The money raised will be used to buy Christmas presents for Gold Star Children. 

"It's the heart that we put into each and every gift," Reback said. "If a child registers and says, ‘I need soccer equipment and my favorite color is pink,’ then we're going to get that little girl a pink soccer bag that has her initials monogrammed on it with pink hair ties and pink knee-high socks." 

The impact that the gifts are having on the children is immeasurable. 

"They would come running up and give a huge hug and say, ‘thank you so much for our Christmas gifts,’ or ‘thank you so much for helping my daddy send us Christmas gifts every year from Heaven.’ Or the mothers coming up and saying, ‘you make Christmas better every year.’ They look forward to your organization's gifts even more than the things that I purchase for them," Reback said. 

Honoring deserving families who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. 

"This event always serves as a solid reminder. And it's in some ways, it's a celebration of life for what these young men and women did," Reback said. "But in a lot of ways, it's just an evening filled with a ton of Christmas joy and patriotism." 

The non-profit was started in 2015 and has helped thousands of families. The event is being held on Friday, December 7.