LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- A local organization making dreams come true for men and women in uniform says it needs help continuing that work.

Operation Open Arms has helped about 3,000 military personnel since it started in 2005. The organization's main goal is to make life as comfortable as possible for service members returning from duty -- and a big part of that costs money.

Doug Meyer, Jose Isa, and Michael Piro are the latest troops to be helped by Open Arms. After an 8-month deployment in Afghanistan, the three Marines spent their time home relaxing in Fort Myers Beach courtesy of OOA.

"They don't want us to come back home and just be stressed. They want to show that there are things to enjoy out here," says Isa.

Tuesday, the friends were treated to a day on the water aboard the Sea Trek, but that was just one of their welcome home gifts.

"We had a limo at the airport and had 48 people there. We've been staying at the Pink Shell for three days now," says Meyer.

A free week on the town, complete with all the luxuries, is what Open Arms strives to offer veterans recently returned from war.

But director John Bunch says pulling out all the stops can get pricey, especially for an organization run out of his home and completely on volunteers and donations.

Their free vacations are typically worth about $4,000. The organization is also known for doing free weddings for service members, which can be upwards of $12,000.

He says any help is appreciated, whether it's a contribution of time or money.

"We'd really like to see the charity survive. Even though we're kind of in an unfair fight," Bunch says.

Bunch says he'll continue that fight as long as troops are overseas.

Piro, Isa, and Meyer say the gesture isn't lost on them.

"The military in general is working hard overseas, so it's nice to come home and see that Americans are actually appreciating us back here," Piro says.

For more information visit www.operationopenarms.org.