1,000 military families treated to free vacations in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. - Some 1,000 military families were in Florida over the weekend, part of an all-paid vacation to celebrate and honor active duty members, veterans, and Gold Star families.

It's part of Westgate Resorts' "Westgate Salutes Military Weekend 2023" giveaway – and is the 12th year that the resort has hosted such an event. Over those years, more than 26,000 vacations have been awarded to military families, according to the resort.

For three days, Dec. 1 - 3, families from across the country were able to enjoy hotel accommodations, meals, live music and entertainment, as well as connect with resources important to military members, including PTSD assistance.

Nilsson Garcia, who served in the Army, was one of the veterans vacationing in Florida, and said the impact goes way beyond a free trip.

"The experience has such an impact because you get to meet military veterans, families,  from all across the country," she said.

For Henry Cerritos, who served in the armed forces for more than 26 years, including a tour in Iraq, he said the trip allows camaraderie with other service members.

"I see a lot of individuals who have done the same thing. Even though you retire from it, you still feel the group cohesion," he said.

Much of the trip has been spent relaxing and reflecting on their time in the service, Garcia and Cerritos said.

"It's amazing to see, not only all these families together, but the age span," said Donna Gatto, Henry's spouse.

"You see these older veterans. You know they have seen things that were so different from what even my husband saw," she said.

Garcia said he's even connected with people he was stationed with – some from 20 years ago.

Mark Waltrip, COO of Westgate Resorts and a military veteran, helped pay for the weekend. He said the goal was to allow military families a brief weekend to relax and enjoy time with one another. 

"It's really about taking care of our service members, and their families, starting at the beginning with the fair, the entertainment, the food, and some will hang around for a couple of days and just go enjoy the beautiful bright lights of Orlando."

The 2024 dates have not been announced yet.

How do you enter?

In the fall, military families can enter via https://www.westgatesalutes.com. After the entry window closes, 1,000 families are randomly selected and contacted, according to the website.