Local ladies are making a big difference in the lives of military families simply by clipping coupons.

"They've already helped us," Jean 'Coupon-Cutting Queen' Ingle said. "It's our turn to help them."

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, a dedicated group gathers at a table in a side room of Legends Park Assisted Living Community in Coeur d'Alene. With careful eyes and scissors at the ready, they inspect newspapers and magazines for manufacturers’ coupons.

"It’s a big need, especially for your military families that are newly in the military that are lower ranks, like your E1s, E2s, E3s. It’s huge," said Sandy Hoctor, Legends life enrichment director. Hoctor spent six years in the Navy and more than 20 as a Navy wife. "They don’t make a lot, not until you start making rank and you start going up and your pay increases."

Since the Legends ladies began their coupon-clipping crusade about three months ago, they've racked up about $25,000 in savings. Ingle and Legends Park in May were recognized by national Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary President Colette Bishop for their commitment to this task.

"It was quite a shock," Legends resident and Army wife Ingle said with a soft chuckle. "I didn't expect anything."

The program through which these super savers are assisting military families is cleverly named "Troopons," a program of the American military charity Support Our Troops.

The coupons are separated into four categories — food, non-food, baby and pet — and sent to Troopons headquarters, where they are distributed to commissaries stateside and abroad. The shoppers are free to go through them and take the ones they need.

The coupons help stretch military families' money, especially abroad. According to the Troopons website, $1 U.S. is only worth 66 cents in England, 76 cents in Germany and 90 cents in Japan. A Troopons survey reported more than 60 percent of military families use the Troopons several times a month and one-third use them each week. Overseas commissaries will even accept ones that are a few months expired.

“I think it’s a great thing,” said Legends resident Ellen Jordan, whose late husband served in the Army. "I’ve used them.”

The Legends coupon squad was introduced to the program by VFW Post 889 Auxiliary President Beverly Hanson, whose Auxiliary members have been participating for about six years.

"I thought they were just going to help us a little," Hanson said of the Legends ladies. "It has now snowballed into a fabulous program. I figure by the end of the year we're going to be doing a half a million dollars. They did $10,000 worth in three weeks."

The Lt. George Farragut Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution also contributes to the cause, Hanson said. They recently brought 12 pounds of coupons over for the Legends ladies to clip.

“Most of our ladies here are wives of ex-military," Hoctor said. "They know how hard it is."

As well as serving a patriotic purpose, coupon-clipping time at Legends provides a social outlet for the residents. Everyone is welcome. They share stories and visit while they make an otherwise tedious task an enjoyable one.

"It’s just such a good cause and I feel good about it,” said Clarice Carter, who has lived at Legends about two years. "I enjoy doing something. I don’t have to go back to my room and just sleep."

Legends is happily accepting Troopons from the community. Hanson and the ladies hope the program will expand to other senior living facilities in the area.

"It’s very relaxing and I think I just enjoy doing it and getting together with the girls,” Ingle said. “It’s just a nice thing to do.”

Legends is located at 1820 N. Legends Parkway, Coeur d'Alene.

Information: supportourtroops.org/troopons