I’ve devoted a lot of words recently to describing how much the Luke Air Force Base community does for our city.

It is a $2.1 billion, recession-proof economic engine that directly or indirectly accounts for 20 percent of Peoria’s economy. On top of that, Luke personnel volunteered more than 100,000 hours in the surrounding communities last year alone.

But as I made the point again and again, I couldn’t help but think of President Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address, in which he implored us to, "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."

As a city, Peoria already works hard to give back to the military community. We are vigilant about making sure development in the West Valley doesn’t threaten the base’s mission. We send our officials to Washington to make the case for Luke’s importance. Most recently, we negotiated with Cox Communications to make the Pentagon Channel available to cable television subscribers across the state.

But we also have the opportunity to give back on a more personal level.

The fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan has left some of our military personnel with severe injuries requiring long-term medical care. Family members who wish to remain by the side of a loved one must pick up the tab for travel, lodging and household expenses.

And when military families lose a loved one in the line of duty, they frequently face devastating financial hardship. Unforeseen expenses add to their stress, often forcing them to restructure their lives and manage day-to-day bills -- all while mourning.

The Arizona Legislature created the Military Family Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to family members of military personnel killed or wounded in the line of duty while deployed from a military base in this state or serving as members of the Arizona army or air national guards.

The money comes from Arizona tax credits or direct contributions from citizens wanting to support our military community. Administered by the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services, the fund was established in 2007 with a goal of collecting $1 million. But by early September, the balance was only $88,184.

The Legislature created the state tax credit as an incentive for all of us to help stock the fund. If you donate, you can claim a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your state tax bill -- up to $200 if single and $400 if married and filing jointly or the amount of state tax you owe, whichever is lower.

State Veterans’ Services Director Joey Strickland says that supporting the Military Family Relief Fund will go a long way toward showing our appreciation, as a state and nation, for their sacrifices.

With the holidays and the end of the tax year approaching, I urge you to consider supporting this worthy cause. The tax credit is nice, but the spiritual reward for helping those in need – those who have made life-altering sacrifices for our freedom – is priceless.