Mendham Dentist to Buy Kids' Candy, Help Troops Overseas

Halloween means candy. Loads and loads of candy.

It’s a parent’s nightmare, a child’s dream, and the filling of a dentist’s appointment book for years to come.

So how to satisfy all three of those?

For the fourth straight year, Mendham dentist Dr. Karen Fenichel of Jockey Hollow Dentistry, is taking part in Operation Gratitude, a national program that annually sends care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. service members overseas.

But how is the dentist going to fill those care packages?

With your candy, that’s how.

Fenichel is offering $1 per pound of children’s Halloween candy to send overseas in those care packages. Trick-or-treaters can bring up to eight pounds of candy to Fenichel’s practice, located at 5 Cold Hill Road South Suite 8, the doctor said in a statement.

The program is open to children 16 years and under who are accompanied by an adult. Those adults may also donate extra candy, small toys, other items or notes, Fenichel said.

In the past three years, Fenichel has collected about 900 pounds of candy.

“Halloween means lots of candy all at once,” said Fenichel in a statement. “Children don’t need to eat all the sweets they bring home. Not eating all that candy will prevent a lot of cavities, and sending it to our heroes overseas will give our troops something to enjoy.”

The program runs through Friday, Nov. 15.

“I’m told the troops love getting the candy,” Fenichel said in the statement. “Packages like these are great reminders from home that we’re thinking of them and that we appreciate everything they’re doing. I also understand that the troops enjoy some of the candy, but they also give some of it to the children in the villages where winning hearts is as important as winning military victories.”

In 2012, Operation Gratitude sent 60,000 care packages overseas.