Dietrich is president of the DC Metro Chapter of Operation Homefront, which is hosting a golf tournament for wounded veterans Monday at River Creek Club in Leesburg. What motivated you to work with veterans? My husband served twice in Iraq, and a friend of mine was interested in starting up a local chapter. So I came out of retirement as a stay-at-home mom. I felt strongly that there was a great opportunity to help mobilize the community to meet the needs of real people with real needs — make a difference for wonderful people who have encountered a major challenge. It’s a very difficult time for military families.
Can you tell us about Monday’s tournament? This is our fifth annual Wounded Warriors golf tournament. It is a fundraiser to care for the families and military members, deployed or wounded. We are hosting Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir. We invite them out to play with community sponsors and enjoy a great day along the Potomac.
Why golf? I’ll tell you one of the things that touched my heart. We did a summer fest a few years ago, and a group with the Professional Golf Association came out and was working with some of the warriors that had lost one or two legs. What was interesting was watching these young kids master their balance. When you watch these kids with that military perseverance — “I’m going to conquer this attitude” — there’s real satisfaction there.
What can the community do to help? We all know the economy is tough. For many military families, it’s difficult to make ends meet even when things are going well. I think that one of the greatest things the community can do is remember we have a significant number of troops who are still deployed with families back home who need food or help with the utility bill. Those looking to make donations can call us at 703-421-9033. – Brian Hughes
