Augusta - The numbers that will appear on the first Gold Star family license plates were drawn by the Secretary of State this morning.

The gold star plates are given to family members of military men and women killed in action and also to family members of 9/11 victims.

Secretary of State Charles Summers randomly drew the numbers for the first 53 gold star plates issued in Maine.

The chips that were drawn came from a Yarmouth based company that donated the tokens.

The families who receive the gold star plates will also get the chip that was drawn as a keepsake.

Secretary of State Summers says drawing the numbers in a lottery was the only fair way to do it. "Numbers can mean different things to different families and there may be two families who want the same number," Summers told reporters after the ceremony. "In order to be equitable we decided to use a lottery system. Much similar to what selective services did back in World War II and to the early 1970's."

Summers, who's a Navy veteran, says these plates are long overdue in Maine.

Maine had been one of only three states not to offer gold star plates until now. Anyone interested in applying for a gold star plate can contact the Bureau of Veterans Affairs at 430-6035

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