Kids can share through Candy Collection Program

Dental Health 9 years ago Becky Zak Less than a minute to read

The Sheboygan County Dental Access Committee is planning an Operation Gratitude Candy Collection Program with the endorsement of Healthy Sheboygan County 2020, Sheboygan County Activity and Nutrition Coalition (SCAN), Sheboygan County Dental Society, along with the participation of several area schools.

Candy and dental hygiene products can be dropped off at several locations throughout the county on the days following Halloween.

The program was started by dentist Dr. Chris Kammer, from Middleton, Wis., who wanted to make a difference in service member's lives by collecting Halloween candy from local children and donating it to troopsoverseas.

The program offers children the opportunity to give back to others. In Sheboygan County, the program has been collecting candy and dental hygiene products since 2011.

While the global sugar consumption increases annually, parents need to be very watchful of what their children consume. Too much candy can lead to weight gain as well as cavities.

In some cases, the wrong types of candy can lead to broken teeth or damaged braces. Kids should still dress up, go out, have fun, and yes, even eat some candy. However, after picking out the best of their stash, they will probably have pounds of it left, and nobody needs that much candy.

The committee will determine a total weight for all the candy collected before we decide how we will ship it to Operation Gratitude in Van Nuys, Calif.

Operation Gratitude annually sends over 150,000 care packages filled with snacks, entertainment, letters, hygiene and hand-made items, to U.S. service members deployed overseas. For more information or to request a package for a family member serving overseas, visit www.operationgratitude.com/.

Local drop off sites include Just Kids Dental, Midwest Dental, St. Nicholas Hospital, Advanced Dental Care, and Joseph and Joseph Dental. Community assistance may be needed as we determine the mode of shipping.

---Please contact Becky Zak, chairperson of the local Operation Gratitude effort, and member of the Sheboygan County Dental Access Committee, if you think you can help. She can be reached by calling 459-3784 or emailing rebecca. zak@sheboygacounty.com