‘Trimming For The Troops’ Helps Deployed Soldiers’ Families With Yardwork

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Family members who have loved ones deployed with the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team have a list of daily things to worry about, but yard work doesn’t have to be on that list.

Now, a wounded veteran has started a volunteer effort known as “Trimming for the Troops.”

While Rochelle Sanders and her children are at a weekly homeschool group session.

Volunteers are working hard mowing and weed eating her family’s yard.

“It’s such a blessing to know there are people out there who care,” Sanders said.

Rochelle’s husband, Waygon, is deployed with the 155th, as part of “Operation Spartan Shield.”

Scott Burns wanted to help families like Rochelle’s, so the wounded Marine veteran started “Trimming for the Troops.”

Volunteers mow and weed eat yards of deployed service members for free.

“Husbands, brothers and sons, cut yards for their families, but when they are gone, it’s left up to wives and daughters, and we didn’t want them to have to go pay somebody to go do it and we figured this would be a good way to kind of help out while they’re gone,” Burns said.

Initially “Trimming for the Troops” was focused on helping family members whose loved ones are deployed with the 155th, but the outreach has taken on a life of its own.

“I talked with a young lady from “Keep Tupelo Beautiful. We’re discussing doing it for elderly veterans and maybe just for elderly people who may need it and can’t afford to pay somebody to do it so we’re just trying to figure out how to make that work,” Burns said.

Rochelle says the outreach also impacts the family’s budget in a positive way.

“I would probably have to pay somebody to do it, we’re always doing activities and trying to cut the grass while having two little ones running around and making sure they’re safe and out of the way would be pretty difficult,” Sanders said.

Members of the 155th should be back home by next spring.

“Trimming for the Troops” is looking for more volunteers.