For four years, the Oxford community has contributed to a sweet cause that has increased in popularity over time. Lee Family & Cosmetic Dentistry hosted its fourth annual “Candy Buy Back” at its office in Oxford on Monday.
The purpose of the event is to buy candy back from trick or treaters and send the donated candy to troops overseas.
Every year, Lee Dentistry looks forward to their annual candy buyback after Halloween weekend. The event is under the national organization “Operation Gratitude,” which sends care packages to troops overseas.
(William Hunt, 4, traded candy for cash at Lee Family & Cosmetic Dentistry’s Candy Buyback program, where children sold their excess Halloween candy to the dentistry for a dollar a pound. The candy will be shipped to troops overseas | Photo by: Taylor Cook)
This year, Lee Dentistry prepared for the event by setting up tables, chairs and boxes for candy and waiting patiently for children to get out of school and come with their parents to drop off candy at the office.
For every pound of candy, the donor received one dollar and a goodie bag with a toothbrush and other surprises.
Lee dentistry became involved in the national organization because they wanted to help the troops in any way they could. According to front desk hygiene coordinator Buffie Jordan, each year the event becomes more and more popular. Jordan said her favorite part about the event is seeing kids make donations to U.S. troops.
“They get so excited knowing that they get to help someone or give something of themselves and pass it along to the troops,” Jordan said. “I know that makes them feel really good. It makes me feel good to see them excited about it.”
Last year, the office raised 80 pounds of candy, and Jordan hopes to see them raise 100 this year.
Cadet Catherine Bean, senior ROTC member at the University of Mississippi, sat at the donation table representing the Halloween candy buyback. Bean said she thinks the event is brilliant and knows that the soldiers are thankful for the donations.
“This is a chance for them to feel that they are back at home,” Bean said. “It’s a little taste of home with these sweets.”
Bean said she may only be a volunteer for the event, but if she were deployed overseas, she would be appreciative of the Oxford community.
“I am so thankful that we have people in this community to spend the time and donate towards the military,” Bean said.
Ole Miss School of Education professor Joel Amidon has taken his three children to the Halloween buyback for years. Amidon said the event is a tradition for his family and they enjoy not only getting rid of extra candy, but knowing that their family is helping out.
“Anytime that we can have our kids contributing and helping out others is something we want to embrace,” Amidon said. “I am happy that Doctor Lee keeps doing it ever year, and it probably keeps our kids a little healthier too.”
Lee Family & Cosmetic Dentistry are still accepting candy donations.
