by Mary Ellen Zangara Special Writer
MANVILLE — Candy, candy and more candy. What do you do with all that candy Halloween candy that the kids come home with after spending hours of trick or treating?
This year, you can use the treats from your children and help others.
The Manville Dental Group LLC on Washington Avenue is having a candy buy back for unwanted, unopened candy, offering $1 for every pound brought into the office. Manville Dental Group will buy back up to 5 pounds per person.
”As supporters of Give Kids a Smile, a national event sponsored by the ADA that donates free dental care to children and stresses the importance of dental care, we wanted to keep good oral healthcare on the minds of children all year round,” Dr. Gary H. Small said. “We hope to buy back as much candy as possible in order to keep cavities out of the mouths of our children and give a treat to those serving our country.”
The candy buy back will take place through the month of November and the candy collected will be donated to Operation Shoebox, where it will be shipped to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Operation Shoebox has a packing event scheduled for Nov. 15 so all the candy collected by then will be included in the boxes sent to the soldiers overseas.
”After deciding to hold the candy buy back, we quickly realized that we would need to find something to do with all the candy we would collect, “ Dr. Small said. “Halloween is a holiday that the entire community becomes involved with giving candy to trick-or-treaters. Why not continue the generosity of the holiday and donate the candy to an organization that supports our troops who give so much to us?”
Candy that is collected through the end of the month will still be given to Operation Shoebox for later shipment to the soldiers.
Parents will have an extra incentive to get their children to donate some of the candy: there will be a raffle drawing for various prizes from local businesses that parents and guardians can enter when they bring in candy.
Winners will be drawn on Dec. 5th and some of the prizes include a free Pizza from Manville Pizza, two free lunches for two from Gatto’s Sports Cafe’, a free child’s hair cut from Sole’s Unisex Salon, $20 gift certificate to Pizza and Pasta, gift certificate to New Fortune Chinese Restaurant, free watch battery from The Jewelry Exchange and more.
Nicole Kurz the coordinator of the event is very excited about the collection.
”The candy buy back is a great opportunity for us to not only get involved with the community, educate parents and children about the importance of oral healthcare but also supporting our troops,” she said. “I was amazed at the amount of support I received from the local businesses of Manville.”
Ms. Kurz distributed more than 30 flyers to be hung in store windows and received many donations to be used as raffle prizes.
”You get such a great feeling when you get involved with your community, and it’s a great compliment that everyone has been so eager to help us with the success of this event,” Ms. Kurz said.
For more information about the candy buy back you can contact Ms. Kurz at the Manville Dental Group at 908-722-6500.
Donations can be dropped off ice at the dental office at 7 Washington Ave.
Visit www.opshoeboxnj.org for more information about Operation Shoebox.

