Candy Drive for the Troops
By JJTD
STUDENT CANDY DRIVE FOR TROOP CARE PACKAGES A BIG SUCCESS
(Falls Church, VA)- Students at Belvedere Elementary School recently completed a candy drive with over 225 pounds of treats collected for troop care packages. The candy was donated to Neighbors International Foundation (NIF), a nonprofit organization based in Great Falls, Virginia, who will start assembling and shipping care packages this week to soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The project, lasting for the two weeks after Halloween, was sponsored by the PTA, and the Student Council Association (SCA). Students promoted the drive on the daily edition of the Belvedere News Network, providing updates as the amount steadily grew. Parents were also notified via email and flyers.
This was the first time the school has participated in this project. “We weren’t sure what to expect,” states PTA member Jenna Caudillo, “But on the first day the collection box was overflowing and from then on the candy continued to pour in. It exceeded all expectations.”
“The students really embraced this idea and got excited about it. I had students coming up to me in the halls and handing me a few pieces of candy, telling me they want to share with the troops,” notes Belvedere School Counselor Stephen Fitzgerald. Other students made comments such as, “I want to lift their spirits”, and “I want to show them that we still care about them by sharing our candy with them.”
Some students included notes with their bags of candy, decorated with stickers and drawings. Other students wrote letters as part of a classroom activity. A picture of the SCA in front of the school with the overflowing bins of candy will also be sent with the care packages.
NIF, created in 2004, routinely sends care packages and letters overseas. The packages also include requested items such as beef jerky, Easy Mac, instant coffee, phone cards, protein bars and batteries. They anticipate sending packages to over 50 units containing the donated candy, with each unit totaling 100 people or more.
Sharon Rainey, NIF Founder and President says, “We always hear back from the troops with their sincere thanks. It lets them know we’re thinking of them. Furthermore, the Halloween candy reminds the soldiers of home as well as their childhood. Soldiers also enjoy sharing the candy with local children as a gesture of friendship and goodwill.”
“This program truly benefits everyone- the children experience the joy of giving back, the parents can feel good about a healthy alternative to excess candy, and the troops truly appreciate the support,” states Jenna Caudillo. “This was such a great success, I hope this becomes an annual program.”
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