FeedManiac Monday: Cool Halloween Candy Idea
November 2, 2009 in Elementary Educators, Halloween Books, Making Personal Connections, Maniac Mondays Tags: Helping Children in the World, Leftover Halloween Candy, Maniac Mondays
photo by Terren in Virginia www.flickr.com
I heard the coolest idea on the news this morning. There’s this dentist in East Central Illinois (where I live) who is offering kids $1.00 for every pound of Halloween candy they bring in to him for a two-hour time span a couple days this week. I think this is such a great idea for health reasons: for the kids’ bodies, their teeth, and their stomachs; but especially to help Mom and Dad from eating all the candy the kids don’t like, right?
But this dentist doesn’t stop there–he is also giving $1.00 to the Crisis Nursery in Urbana, IL for every pound of candy the kids bring in. Oh, and all that candy doesn’t go to waste. This is even a better idea yet–he sends it to the U.S. soldiers in Iraq! 
photo by BL1961 www.flickr.com
So, what does this have to do with you if you are a parent, teacher, or librarian living nowhere near East Central IL? Well, on this Maniac Monday, my brain started spinning, and I just thought this would be a cool idea to pass on. You could make this work in your classroom, school, or home so easily. Here are a few ideas:
1. Box up your candy and send it to a U.S. soldier. Operation Gratitude has information on how to send care packages. (This is a great idea for any children who have allergies but go trick-or-treating anyway just for fun. They can send their candy overseas and save parents from gaining extra pounds. 
2. Ask students to bring in their candy they have left and weigh it. (Math lesson, anyone?) Ask students to bring in a non-perishable food item for every pound of candy they have. Donate the food to a local food pantry.
3. If you have money to spend, then you can do an idea like the dentist above. If you need some charities to send money to, you can find plenty on this page on this blog: Helping Children and Teens Around the World.
Here’s a book, Harriet’s Halloween Candy, about Halloween candy. This book can give you a chance to open up a discussion, without preaching, with your child or your class about sharing Halloween candy and eating too much of it! When I taught full time, I remember one third grader, who enjoyed too much candy the night of Halloween. She threw up all over the computer keyboard in the back of my room on November 1. Oh the joys of teaching the day after Halloween!
Does this dentist’s idea give anyone else any ideas? What have you done with your leftover candy in the past? Let us know! Save us all from the beginning of the holiday-eating season and help some children in return.
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Michelle S. from Facebook says:
“I’ve been paying my daughter for her candy since she was 3. Then my husband takes it to work and she gets to buy herself a toy.
She does get to keep 10 pieces for herself and she much prefers a new toy to tons of candy.”
Great idea, Michelle. Thanks for sharing!
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Yes Margo
Your lovely feature on WOW did make me rush over and read your blog and YES Margo your mention of parents eating the surplus of kids sweets left over at Halloween has shamed me as I sit here with a handful of eyeballs and squishy pumpkin faces on hand while I blog. I hope you have time to hop over to have a squizz (English expression) at my warts and all story at http://www.butterflydiaries.wordpress.com. I am still in the newbie stages so need all the love I can get. Please read it, comment and pass it on XX
November 4th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Recently, there has been a great deal of investigation by the
American FTC against blogs and website owners
for not stating their advertising income, or potential
connections with ad networks.
What are your personal ideas concerning how this could potentially effect
the blog community?
November 4th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I read recently that the FTC was not targeting people like me–who review books–that was never their intent. SO, for all the book reviewers out there, it’s not going to affect them much. I usually say anyway where I got the book–if I bought it myself or got a copy from the publisher/author. The FTC rules are going to affect more people who are blogging for a large company such as a household products company, receiving a bunch of free products, and are supposed to be giving favorable reviews. Really, all the companies and bloggers need to do, to my understanding, is reveal the relationship and the companies need to allow bloggers to tell their actual opinion of a product. Thanks for your question!
Margo