Supporting troops on a budget

Angel Sharon Trombley is the Angel Bakers Team Leader and has been adopting soldiers since 2006. In that span of time she’s also been laid off from her job… twice. But even amidst financial challenges, she’s found a way to keep supporting her soldiers. “I don’t think my soldiers ever knew I’ve lost my job,” she says. “Financial hardship is not necessarily a good reason to stop. You can do it, you just have to get creative and put in a little extra effort.”

Sharon has developed several strategies for keeping the care packages outbound, from winning Angel Forum contests, to adjusting her definition of care packages and taking advantage of freebies online. She says the most important thing she learned is that it really is the thought that counts.

One of the biggest things Sharon does to keep her soldier cared for when money is tight is to search the Angel Forum for contests and offers from other Angels. For example, she always plays Fairygories, a contest held on the SA forum every month (the usual prize is a care package for your soldier). Another contest was recently put on by a fellow Angel, who offered to send a care package for the soldier of the first Angel who could correctly answer a list of questions. Sharon also keeps her eye out for Angels who offer to send things to your soldier for you. For example, one Angel recently had lots of homemade maple syrup and offered to send it to the soldiers of any Angel who asked; Sharon was sure to jump on the offer immediately. Once when she was in dire straits and couldn’t send anything, she even asked the Angel Bakers to include her soldier on their monthly list.

Recognizing what really matters to her soldiers has also helped Sharon keep supporting them. “It doesn’t have to be a big, elaborate box,” she says. “The important thing to them is that you sent something. As long as they get something from home, they’re happy, it seems to me.” One of her most popular care packages was a word puzzle book, individual-sized drink powders, and chewing gum. “He really liked the drink powders,” she says, "and he said he shared the puzzle book with his whole unit."

Sharon is also a savvy shopper. Some of her shopping secrets are keeping an eye out for sales, checking dollar stores and other discount stores (Walgreens has drink powder for a buck), and joining stores that give deals for their regular customers who sign up (such as CVS drug stores). She also searches for free offers and samples online. “Just search for the words ‘freebies’ or ‘free stuff,’” she says.

While she keeps looking for work in her economically-devastated home state of Michigan and to get a bit more money to support her soldiers, Sharon has joined the Greeting Cake Company, which sells microwaveable “greeting cakes.” Each kit includes frosting, decoration, a candle, and a greeting appropriate to the occasion. She says she particularly likes them because they’re perfect for deployed troops who have access to a microwave.

Hats off to Sharon for being tenacious and creative in supporting her soldiers! She’s proof that even in tough times, you can still adopt a hero.