Do US Troops Enjoy Getting Leftover Halloween Candy?

Do you know you can send your leftover Halloween candy to US troops stationed abroad? With trick or treating allowed this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expect a deluge of leftover Halloween candy from cavity-conscious communities.

Thankfully, outlets like Sarh K’s Gourmet in Destin, Florida collects them and ship them to awaiting US troops.  

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Halloween Tradition

2021 marks the 13th consecutive year that Sarah K’s Gourmet will undertake collecting leftover Halloween candy from nearby residents.

It will then package and ship these treats to military personnel stationed abroad and connected locally.   

Meanwhile, the candy care package often comes with a photo of the children donors in their costumes. This year, the restaurant will start its collection drive on November 1 until the 6th.

Kids planning to donate are encouraged to write a letter to the troops and attach a picture of themselves wearing their trick or treat attire. 

Sarah K Keeping The Tradition Alive

Sarah K Schriefer, owner, and namesake of Sarah K’s Gourmet announced the resumption of their annual tradition.

“Our community is closely tied to the military, and this is such a fun way to give the troops a little lift during the holiday season,” she said.

“Not only are we helping our servicemen, but also we are teaching our children the values of sharing and donating, as well as fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity,” Schriefer added.

In addition, Schriefer divulged that the candy drive also had an ulterior motive. Collecting leftover Halloween candy prevents adults in the household from eating them. She herself said that she’s prone to taking the leftover candies for herself on occasion. 

Candy Cruise

Once collected and packaged, the candy will head off to US troops with Destin roots. Schriefer takes care of the shipping cost, which usually runs into hundreds of dollars. In addition, donations from the community help a lot in covering the delivery fees. 

As a result of her collection drive, Sarah K managed to collect more than 1,700 pounds of candy throughout the 12-year drive. This averages to about 140 pounds of confectionery each year. 

Do US Troops Enjoy Getting Leftover Halloween Candy?

Schriefer says the best part is the reaction of the recipients. The leftover Halloween candy ends up as a great morale booster for the US service people.

In many cases, the donation and the letters and photos create a bond between the children and the troops. 

“We have had soldiers pen us letters and send emails telling us that this was such an unexpected surprise and such a bright spot in their day,” Schriefer recounted.

Trevor McBride, a US soldier who received a shipment last year, sent a letter of thanks. He wrote: “I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who donated and for the personal notes from children and for sending your own candy from trick-or-treating to my team in a deployment care package from Destin, Florida.

We definitely appreciate all of the sweets & a big shoutout to Sarah K’s Gourmet for putting this all together. Thank you for giving us some holiday cheers!” 

Watch the Operation Gratitude video calling for candy donations this Halloween:

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Do you support the idea of donating leftover Halloween candy to US troops stationed abroad? Do you have a local drive in your area for this?

Let us know what you think of this generous idea. Share your thoughts below.