Napa dental office collects 155 pounds of Halloween treats in buyback

By NATALIE HOFFMAN
Register Staff Writer

More than 155 pounds of candy filled and spilled over the sides of a portable sandbox at Silverado Dental Care after approximately 40 Napa children participated in a Halloween candy buy-back program.

Revisiting a program launched in 2005, Silverado paid children $1 per pound for their Halloween candy on Thursday and Friday.

“We had such a crowd that there were people waiting. ... We also gave them all toothbrushes and toothpaste,” said Lee Ann Blazer, office manager at Silverado Dental Care.

Blazer said the business offered the program to discourage excess sugar consumption and to promote healthy smiles. “The parents all thought it was awesome and the kids were really excited. ... A brother and sister were going to take their (candy) money and spend it at Target,” she said.

American soldiers in Iraq will receive the candies and pass some of them out to Iraqi children, said Susan De Wet, who collected the treats as a member of We Support Our Troops. De Wet said the non-political organization aims to bolster the spirits of American soldiers by sending them some of the comforts of home.

Marjorie Dixon, executive director for the Silverado-Napa County Chapter of the American Red Cross, said De Wet has sent more than 300 boxes of goods to servicemen in Iraq since January. The American Red Cross pays to ship the items after De Wet collects them, she added.

“We Support Our Troops works with the Red Cross to send items to our soldiers in Iraq. ... I’ve sent items over since the beginning of the war,” said De Wet.

Her son, Marine Maj. Gary De Wet, 39, served a tour of seven months in Iraq in 2006 and collected soldiers’ names so items could be delivered to them, she said.

“I just got the (Silverado Dental Care) candy today,” De Wet said Monday. “I couldn’t believe how much we got.”

De Wet and Sue Burns, another member of We Support Our Troops, are boxing up the candy for shipment. It takes between seven and 10 days to ship items to the troops by priority mail, said De Wet.

Shaunna Olson, a Napa resident whose children participated in the candy buy-back, said she wanted to teach her son and daughter to give to others.

“My kids didn’t need that much candy and we knew it would be going to the soldiers in Iraq. I really made sure the kids were aware that the candy was going there and explained that to them,” she said.

Haley Olson, 8 and Ryan Olson, 6, both parted with four pounds of candy and are each $4 richer, she said.

“They were so excited. Of course they knew they would get money for it ... Also, we’re into helping others and I try to stress that with them. ... Showing them a picture of the kids in Iraq really helped with that. At their age they don’t get the whole thing, but when they see pictures, they can relate,” said Olson.

When her children arrived at Silverado Dental Care on Friday, she said, they dumped their candy in the container and watched the sweets pour over the sides.

“Ryan is saving for a Nintendo and my daughter already has one, so she is saving for Nintendo games,” Olson said.

Blazer said Silverado Dental Care will offer the Halloween candy buy-back program again next year.

How to help

The American Red Cross ships items including writing utensils, greeting cards, personal hygiene products and more to American troops stationed in Iraq. To acquire a list of what the troops still need — or to make a monetary donation — contact the Silverado-Napa County Chapter of the American Red Cross at 257-2900.

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