For More Information Contact:
Colleen Pillus
845-486-2000
Email: cpillus@dutchessny.gov
Poughkeepsie, NY… Attention Halloween Trick-or-Treaters! Share some of your Halloween candy with United States Armed Forces troops serving overseas as part of the Great Halloween Candy Exchange and be rewarded with fun prizes of fitness and literacy!
Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro has announced the Dutchess County Department of Health will once again partner with All Sport Health and Fitness, Children's Medical Group, Learning Insights and All Access Dental for the 8th Annual Great Halloween Candy Exchange Program on Friday, November 1st from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. at various locations throughout the county, along with one location in Ulster county.
“The Great Halloween Candy Exchange Program gives families a great way to promote important values of literacy, physical activity and sharing. It also helps bring a little bit of home to our US troops serving overseas,” said County Executive Molinaro. “So share the fun of Halloween by supporting our soldiers and be rewarded with good health and a love of reading.”
The program is simple. Children can donate a pound or more of Halloween trick-or-treat candy to be shipped to U.S. troops serving overseas. For every pound of candy donated at one of the designated drop-off sites, children will receive a free, age-appropriate new book, a fun pass to East Fishkill Golf Center for mini-golf or a fun pass to McCann Ice Arena, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum or All Sport Health and Fitness.
In 2012, more than 2,000 pounds of candy were collected and shipped to troops serving overseas. Children are encouraged to include a friendly letter with their candy donations. Participants who bring a letter will be entered in a drawing to win two free games at HoeBowl or two free passes to Jumpin’ Jakes. Both the candy and the letters are welcome reminders of home for soldiers to let them know how much they are appreciated.
Candy can be dropped off from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. on Friday, November 1st at the following locations:
Joseph F. Heavy, FACHE Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Medical Group stated, “The Children’s Medical Group is once again pleased to participate in this candy exchange. It’s such a great way to have families participate in healthy activities such as reading with their children and fun physical alternatives to TV and video games.”
The Great Halloween Candy Exchange is a community project organized by All Access Dental, All Sport Health and Fitness, The Children’s Medical Group, Dutchess County Health Department, and Learning Insights. Sponsors include A & R Security, Henry Schein Dental, Haddad Cleaning, Herb Redl Properties, Kiwanis Club of Poughkeepsie, Safeguard Printing Promotional & Apparel and United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region. Family fun passes were generously donated by All Sport Health and Fitness, East Fishkill Golf Center, McCann Ice Arena and the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum.
For more information, visit www.dutchessny.gov.
