Don't let Halloween candy waste away: send it to service men, women overseas

Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
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Kids get their candy at Trick or Treating in the Park in Goodlettsville in October 2022.

The Sumner County Health Department wants your child's extra Halloween candy for U.S. service men and women stationed overseas.

Officials are encouraging families to trade in their excess Halloween candy Nov. 1-4 as part of an annual Treasure for Treats Candy Exchange program, where kids can hand in their candy and choose from a variety of toys, games and activities from the department’s Treasure Chest.

“We are facing a national crisis with the increase in the number of obese children. With the Treasure for Treats incentive, we hope to change the behavior of our children in Sumner County,” Sumner County Health Director Hal Hendricks said in an earlier statement.

“This is a project that the health department, Hope Clinic, Salvus Center and area Chambers of Commerce are embarking on to encourage parents and children to reduce excessive caloric and sugar intake while increasing physical activity.”

Aiming to decrease kids’ sugar intake and increase their opportunity for physical activity, the candy exchange program also works to provide sweet treats to troops stationed overseas.

Kids are asked to select 5-10 pieces of their favorite Halloween treats to keep for themselves and exchange what’s left for items from the Treasure Chest such as jump ropes, balls, hula hoops and more.

Candy collected by the program will become part of care packages sent to troops stationed overseas.

To date, more than 170 pounds of candy has been collected since the program’s inception four years ago.

To exchange your Halloween treats, visit any of the following locations Nov. 1 – 4:

  • Gallatin Chamber of Commerce(615) 452-4000118 W. Main St., Gallatin, TN 37066

  • Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce(615) 824-2818100 Country Club Drive, Unit 104, Hendersonville, TN 37075

  • Portland Chamber of Commerce(615) 325-9032106 Main St., Portland, TN 37148

  • Hope Family Health Services(615) 644-20001124 New Hwy. 52 E, Westmoreland, TN 37186

  • Salvus Center(615) 451-0038556 Hartsville Pike, Unit 200, Gallatin, TN 37066

  • Sumner County Health Department – Gallatin Clinic(615) 206-11001005 Union School Road, Gallatin, TN 37066

  • Sumner County Health Department – Hendersonville Clinic(615) 824-0552351 New Shackle Island Road, Hendersonville, TN 37075

  • Sumner County Health Department – Portland Clinic(615) 325-5237214 W. Longview Drive, Portland, TN 37148

Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com or (615) 517-1285.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Leftover Halloween candy? Send it overseas to service men, women