Funds donated to Semper Fi fund

ALWAYS FAITHFUL- From left, Westlake Village Men's Golf Club president Steve Morrow, Mike Melia and retired Major General Roger Brautigan attend the club's 38th annual Invitational Golf Tournament. The tourney included a fundraiser for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, held in Melia's son's name. Anthony Melia was killed in Iraq in January, 2007. As part of their 38th annual Invitational Golf Tournament in June, the Westlake Village Men's Golf Club conducted a charity event for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, headquartered at Camp Pendleton.

The fundraiser honored Lance Cpl. Anthony Melia, a Thousand Oaks resident who was killed Jan. 27, 2007 while conducting a Marine combat operation in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq.

Mike Melia, Anthony's father, joined 80 Westlake Village Men's Club members for the fundraiser at the Westlake Village Golf Course. Speaking at the post-golf luncheon, Melia thanked the club for holding the fundraiser in his son's name. "My family has spent an enormous amount of time with families of wounded and lost Marines. You will never know how much it means to all that you are thinking of them and willing to help," he said.

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund was established in May 2004. It's a nonprofit organization that's provided more than 8,000 grants in assistance to United States wounded military and their families.

The Westlake Village Men's Golf Club raised more than $3,000 for the fund and plans to include the fundraiser as part of next year's tournament.