It is a dilemma that many families across the country face following a fun night of trick or treating on Halloween.

After the kids come home and pour out their sweet, delicious loot of candies and confections, parents realize with horror the terrible truth — their household now contains enough concentrated sugar to have their young kids bouncing off the walls for an entire year!

Instead of stockpiling the hundreds of fun-size candy bars, pixie sticks and gumballs inside the pantry like squirrels packing away acorns for winter, area children can donate their amassed Halloween loot to a much sweeter cause — the Treats for Troops program.

As the name implies, the national program collects individually packaged chocolate and non-chocolate candy, packing them inside special care packages and sending them to U.S. soldiers serving overseas. According to its website, Treats for Troops’ care packages reach between 10,000 to 15,000 different troops.

Families here in southwest Michigan can lend a hand to this noble cause, thanks to Michigan Sen. John Proos. From now through Friday, people can drop off excess candy for the program at Proos’ district office, located at 216 Court St. in St. Joseph.

For people not able to make the trip there this week but who still wish to contribute, they can also find out more on how to donate on treatsforthetroops.us.

No matter the method or amount you choose to donate, we encourage our readers to participate however they can in this program.

For those who are serving overseas, it’s the little things that remind them of home that often make the biggest impact on their morale. Be it through playing Xbox with their squadmates or a short Skype call home, it’s important to provide ways for our soldiers to unwind, considering the unimaginable levels of stress that comes with putting your life on the line each and every moment of the day.

And what better way to get a taste of America than by biting into a tasty Snickers or scarfing down a large bag of M&Ms?

Many families, particularly here in Berrien and Cass counties, have members who are putting themselves in harms way to ensure the safety of our country. So not only are you assisting soldiers overseas, but in a way you’re also helping your neighbors.

We hope that Treats for Troops has yet another great year of donations from southwest Michigan and beyond this year. It will be a real treat to see even more soldiers benefit from it.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.