Mendham Dentist Sends More Than 900 Pounds of Halloween Candy To American Troops Overseas

Overwhelming support of candy buy-back and donation program enables Jockey Hollow Dentistry to support two military-related charities.
By: Jockey Hollow Dentistry
 
MENDHAM, N.J. - Nov. 19, 2014 - PRLog -- Almost a half-ton of candy and treats is on its way to American military personnel overseas after Mendham dentist Karen Fenichel (http://www.jockeyhollowdentistry.com/about-dr-fenichel/) bought back Halloween treats from local children and accepted donations from adults. All that candy has been sent to two charities that will add the locally collected snacks to care packages distributed to active-military personnel.

“The response this year is overwhelming!” said Dr. Fenichel, whose practice, Jockey Hollow Dentistry (http://www.jockeyhollowdentistry.com), has been holding the buy-back every Halloween for the last five years. “A local class adopted our program as a project, a neighborhood pooled its extra candy and members of a Long Valley Girl Scout troop sold us candy so they could donate the money to the Market Street Mission in Morristown. We had boxes of candy lining every inch of our hallways!”

Jockey Hollow Dentistry has collected the candy for Operation Gratitude, part of a well-established national program that annually sends care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. service members deployed in hostile regions. The organization anticipates receiving almost 200 tons of candy for troops this year alone.

Dr. Fenichel said the incredible response had her office literally filled with candy.

“You normally won’t find chocolate and sugary snacks in a dental office,” she said. “This year, it was hard to find any corner of our office that didn’t have candy in it!”

All the candy had to be sorted into boxes of chocolate and non-chocolate, she said. Although Dr. Fenichel’s team tried to sort the donations as they arrived, the staff was soon overwhelmed. Instead of calling out the Marines, Dr. Fenichel turned to local Girl Scouts. Members of Troops 219 and 663 of Long Valley and Troop 671 of Mendham Borough came to her aid.

The huge response enabled Jockey Hollow Dentistry to continue its support of Operation Gratitude while, for the first time, supporting Operation Jersey Cares (http://operationjerseycares.org/), a Somerville-based charity that also sends care packages to troops overseas.

“We love and support Operation Gratitude,” said Dr. Fenichel. “But we had enough candy this year to also support a Jersey-based charity. It’s great to be able to share the wealth.”

Trick-or-treaters were invited to bring up to eight pounds of candy to Jockey Hollow Dentistry and sell it to Dr. Fenichel for a $1 a pound. Children had to be 16 years old or younger and accompanied by an adult.

“Halloween means lots of candy all at once,” said Dr. Fenichel. “Children don’t need to eat all the sweets they bring home. Not eating all that candy will prevent a lot of cavities, and sending it to our heroes overseas will give our troops something to enjoy.”

Dr. Fenichel said she became involved with Operation Gratitude five years ago because many of the families at Jockey Hollow Dentistry have members serving in the military.

“Jockey Hollow Dentistry is a family-oriented practice and we develop close relationships with our patients,” she said. “Some of them have children in the service. I know several young men and women who are serving their country and I think of them as we’re doing this. It’s a small gesture to send a little taste of this fun-oriented holiday to them.”

Dr. Fenichel said the candy she collects will serve two other purposes.

“I’m told the troops love getting the candy,” she said. “Packages like these are great reminders from home that we’re thinking of them and that we appreciate everything they’re doing.

“I also understand that the troops enjoy some of the candy, but they also give some of it to the children in the villages where winning hearts is as important as winning military victories,” she added.

Dr. Fenichel says she’s not worried about contributing to dental problems in combat zones.

“A lot of people ask us about that,” she acknowledged. “Service members are older and their teeth are better developed, so they’re not as susceptible to cavities as young children are. In addition, they understand the need to rinse, brush and floss after eating the sweets.”

Dr. Fenichel is the principal at Jockey Hollow Dentistry (http://www.jockeyhollowdentistry.com/), a general dentistry practice in Mendham, N.J. A graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Dr. Fenichel welcomes patients of all ages.

Contact
Doug Fenichel, APR
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Source:Jockey Hollow Dentistry
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Tags:Jockey Hollow Dentistry, Mendham dentist, Karen Fenichel, Operation Gratitude, Operation Jersey Cares
Industry:Consumer, Medical
Location:Mendham - New Jersey - United States
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Page Updated Last on: Nov 19, 2014
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