Christa Parker and Tricia Bombardiere spend a lot of time together. They work together, they cry together and they laugh together.

 

Lately, a lot of the laughter comes from making gnomes together.

 

Not just any gnomes though, gnomes that are the driving force behind a Team Bridgeport fundraiser for a cause near and dear to both of them – Wreaths Across America.

 

“Because of COVID we had to come up with some sort of fundraising for Wreaths Across America,” Parker said. “In the years past we would do Starving Artist or Hammer and Stain or do the parades, Family Day, Police Night, that kid of stuff and set up a table. Because of COVID, we can’t do that. We had to come up with something different.”

 

Bombardiere is the Bridgeport Cemetery Manager, while Parker is an administrative assistant at the cemetery.

 

National Wreaths Across America Day is an event in December dedicated to remembering the sacrifices veterans have made in wars since the American Revolution. National Wreaths Across America will be on Saturday, December 18, 2021 and is observed on a Saturday in mid-December each year.

 

Parker implemented the Wreaths Across America program at the Bridgeport Cemetery in 2015 after the 2014 death of her son, Private First-Class Garrett Parker, a Bridgeport High School graduate and athlete who went on to serve his country through the U.S. Army. It was her passion that the gravesite of every U.S. military member buried at Bridgeport Cemetery would be decorated with a wreath during the holiday season.

 

National Wreaths Across America Day is an event in December dedicated to remembering the sacrifices veterans have made in wars since the American Revolution. This year’s National Wreaths Across America will be on Saturday, Dec.18, 2021 and is observed on a Saturday in mid-December each year.

 

There was no typical ceremony in 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic but it still took place as a drive-thru event. To see a photo gallery of the 2020 drive-thru ceremony click HERE or HERE

 

As of last Friday, there were 1,635 veterans buried at the Bridgeport Cemetery and the Wreaths Across America planning doesn’t really take a day off. This is where the Hometown Hero Gnomes enter the picture.

 

Parker and Bombardiere are the gnome makers and they basically run marketing and distribution right from the same gnome workshop. Now, this isn’t a normal fundraiser, where a gnome is made and then simply sold. It’s slightly more complex than that and as it turns out significantly more enjoyable.

 

In-depth details on how to purchase a gnome can be found on the Hometown Hero Gnomes Facebook page, which can be accessed HERE

 

Basically, any interested party needs to join the Hometown Hero Gnomes Facebook group and when a gnome “drops,” the first person to respond with “Sold” gets the gnome. There is then a time limit to purchase it (the gnomes are generally in the $20 to $30 range) then arrangements are made to pick up the gnome – usually at the Cemetery Office.

 

“These gnomes are hot,” Bombardiere said. “You have to be pretty fast to get them.”

 

The drop process for the gnomes stems from the fall when the PlayStation5 went on sale.

 

“Anytime a store was in stock a tactical nuke would go off and you would have to hurry up, get to Best Buy, get it in your cart and check out,” Bombardiere said. “We did this for eight weeks for my son and finally got one. I think it’s addictive, it’s challenging, it’s competitive and it’s fun.”

 

Parker said they were still in dropper mode when it became time to launch the Hometown Hero Gnomes.

 

“You have to comment “sold” first,” Parker said. “You have to be fast. But every now and then we will do something like if you already have one, ask to please let somebody else get one that way we give somebody else a chance because some people are faster than the others

“We just drop whenever we can. There are no set times, so whenever that drop notification pops up, the first person who comments “sold” usually gets it.”

 

Parker said they also occasionally give away free ones and there is an option to be a Hometown Hero Angel where somebody can pay for one and it goes to one of the members of the group.

 

Certain colors seem to sell even faster. Camo is popular as are ones dressed in colors of the local high schools or WVU.

 

Parker said every gnome is different and every gnome has its own personality.

 

The gnome makers even have their personal favorites. Parker’s is a camo clad gnome named “Parker,” while Bombardiere’s is one with a red and white striped hat named “Bomb.”

 

After the first two weeks of the fundraiser, 200 Hometown Hero Gnomes have found new homes and the rate doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

 

“Really it depends on how we keep the group engaged,” Bombardiere said.

 

She added that there are plans for a twice-a-month selling of “In Memory of” gnomes where the first 10 people who comment on the post can bring in a t-shirt to be used for a gnome.

 

In addition to raising money for Wreaths Across America, something else pleasant has happened that was perhaps unexpected. Adults, sometimes strangers even, are interacting on social media and having a good time with no arguments.

 

“It’s fun because not everybody in the group knows everybody,” Parker said. “They are all interacting and I think that’s a great thing. Everybody is being so friendly and encouraging and it’s so nice.

 

“The gnomes are gone within in minutes. It’s kind of fun to watch. I do like the fact that everybody is coming together as friends. It’s maybe a 10-minute break from COVID or the new president or from the weather. Everybody is laughing.”

 

Bombardiere added, “With this fundraiser, I see us bringing in different people for Wreaths Across America. And that is awesome. These gnomes have been fun for everybody and they are creating awareness for Wreaths Across America.”

 

Parker said it takes about 15 minutes to make a Hometown Hero gnome. A lot of the work is done on weekends when they prep the bodies then hats and fur get added in an assembly line fashion.

 

Regardless of how long it takes, friendship seems to be a key ingredient in the process.

 

“We’ve always made a great team. We’ve even gotten to the point where we finish each other’s sentences. We think the same. When we are back there together or somewhere making the gnomes, we do a lot of laughing.

 

“We’ve gotten attached to these gnomes. They kind of name themselves. After we put them together and look at them, they really look like a ‘George’ or a ‘Henry.’ We do photo shoots with them. We crack each other up.”

 

To join the Hometown Hero Gnomes Facebook Group, click HERE

 

For more information about Wreaths Across America, click HERE

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of Parker (left) with "Parker" and Bombardiere with "Bomb." Bottom three photos courtesy of Hometown Hero Gnomes Facebook page.