NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - In late summer 2007, Erin Moser accidentally came across The Pinup Angels MySpace page. At that time, the volunteer group that raises money to send care packages - and autographed pinup-style photos - to troops overseas was based solely on the West Coast.

Married to a "Coastie," or active-duty Coast Guard man, Erin asked the nonprofit organization how she could help. Instead, they invited her to join and she's now team leader for The East Coast Pinup Angels.

Her pinup name is Miss Lilly Day and she oversees the volunteer work of six girls - two official Pinup Angels and three in training. Melissa Jenson, aka Miss Rose LaRue, lives in North Carolina while the others are southeastern Virginia residents.

"Being a military wife and huge supporter of our military, I jumped at the chance without thinking twice," says Erin, who lives in Newport News, Va. "I saw this as the perfect opportunity to give back to our troops, to show them the appreciation and thanks they so deserve."

This year, The Pinup Angels will be at southeastern Virginia car shows where donations benefit the angels who pose for photos with vintage cars. They also appear at many local military events. So far, Pinup Angels have sent more than 6,000 packages to troops overseas.

"The volunteer work makes me appreciate the little things in life that we take for granted, like taking time out to bake cookies instead of going to the local bakery to buy ready-made cookies," says Erin.

"Plus, my boys and I get to taste test the cookies before we pack them up.

"I've also met so many wonderful people since becoming a Pinup Angel."

Erin and the other angels also receive lots of nice thank-you notes from the troops, ones like the letter that read: "The thing that made my day was getting back and seeing 14 boxes - everyone in the squad loved everything."

The volunteer work also creates a sisterhood among the women, says Erin, because all angels are somehow personally connected to the military - whether it's their husband, brother or friend.

"We take care of each other and it doesn't even matter that there are miles between the East Coast and West Coast girls," she says. "We are family. We share the same emotions and we grow stronger as a family. I love everything about these girls - it's like a party being with these girls."

Even though the girls dress as pinups for their special appearances, Erin finds herself dressing that way all the time.

"It's exhilarating," she says. "I find it really hard to dress down.

I just love the style so much. I'm often accused of being Sandy from the movie 'Grease,' which is pretty amusing."

On the Net

Learn more about the Pinup Angels, a group of East and West Coast women, who raise money to send care packages - snacks, toiletries, recorded TV shows, new movies, cards, puzzles and books - to troops overseas at www.thepinupangels.com.

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Meet the Angels

JENNIFER WHITEMAN

Pinup name: Miss Sugar Baby

Age: 24

Home: Gloucester, Va.

Family: Fiance Sean Kincaid; daughter Cassie, 5

Career: Nurse for her great-grandmother in Williamsburg and volunteering I like being a Pinup Angel because … wearing the hair flowers, rockabilly skirts and petticoats and peep-toe pinup pumps is like being in a fantasy world. I also know the soldiers are overjoyed getting the packages we send; they know there are people who care.

SAMANTHA DELGADO

Pinup name: Sammie Soon

Age: 22

Home: Newport News, Va.

Family: Sailor husband

Career: Housewife

Pastimes: "Big gamer nerd" and help a friend with a website forum for people involved in military relationships.

I like being a Pinup Angel because … the cute things we send lift their spirits and give them a reminder of America. There are so many men and women deployed over there who never get anything from back home.

TIFFANY WINSLOW

Pinup name: Petra D Vine

Age: 30

Home: Norfolk, Va.

Family: Navy husband; three sons, ages 10, 3 and 5 months

Career: Dental assistant

I like being a Pinup Angel because … being a military spouse who deals with family separation, I know firsthand what a simple package means to one person or the entire troop's morale.

CHRISTINI PISCIOTTO

Pinup name: Christine Martini

Age: 26

Home: Suffolk, Va.

Family: Navy husband Vincent; daughter Tara, 9, and son Michael, 7.

Career: Administrative assistant for online marketing company and working toward degree in marketing.

Pastimes: Watching classic movies, going to the beach.

I like being a Pinup Angel because … one soldier told us morale was noticeably up the day they received our packages. I'm personally from Chicago and while I miss my family in Illinois, these girls are my family in Virginia. We even spend our holidays together like a family. I also feel beautiful and girlie when I'm dolled up.

TONI SMITH

Pinup name: Long Legs MaGee

Age: 34

Home: Virginia Beach, Va.

Family: Husband Lewis; son Joshua, 8

Career: Work at Beltone Hearing Aid Center

Pastimes: Cooking out, playing sports and shopping I like being a Pinup Angel because … I love to volunteer and started when I was 13 at the nursing home where my great-grandmother lived. It makes you a better person when you help others.

ERIN MOSER

Pinup name: Miss Lilly Day

Age: 29

Home: Newport News, Va.

Family: Coast Guard husband "TC," or Terry; sons Auston, 9, and Connor, 6.

Career: Mother, Pinup Angel and beaded jewelry designer - www.misslillyday.etsy.com

Pastimes: Helping husband and sons restore a '53 Chevy 210 four-door sedan; they are also members of the Classic Cruisers Car Club. "My older brother and I spent most of our childhood weekends at car shows; my father spend his time rebuilding classic cars and I used to help him work on his '32 Studebaker," she says.

(c) 2009, Daily Press (Newport News, Va.).

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.