Trade Halloween candy for cash and support troops

Piles of candy may be littering the floors Wednesday morning, so instead of getting a stomach ache there is a way to give back and make some money.

Several businesses around the Tri-Cities are taking part in “Operation Cash for Candy,” which helps our troops fighting overseas.

Kids taking part can drop-off Halloween candy in exchange for money, one pound of treats equals one dollar, then the candy is given to a local Veteran group.

“It is part of a larger operation that they have, which is called ‘Operation Thank You,’ where they are sending care packages to the troops. What they’ve told us is that often these treats wind up in the hands of the military where they use them to go out and befriend the local citizens,” said event organizer Lee Ostler of Center For Dental Health in 2016.

Kids who drop off their candy can also write a quick note or draw a picture thanking our troops for their service.

The event collected a record breaking 1,500 pounds of candy in 2016, enough to fill the back of a pickup truck.

We’ve included a list of drop-off locations below or you can get more information on the Operation Cash-For-Candy website.

Center For Dental Health

1518 Jadwin Avenue, Richland
Phone: 509-946-6566
Nov. 1, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Nov. 6-8,  8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Oasis Physical Therapy

Pasco
6825 Burden, Pasco
Nov. 1-2, 6-8th, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Kennewick
4303 W. 24th Ste B
Nov. 1-2, 6-8th, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Richland
2415 Garlick Blvd Richland
Nov. 1 and 6-8th, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 2nd, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

1020 Queensgate Drive, Richland
Nov. 1 and 6-8th, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 2nd, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lifetime Dental
2469 Queensgate, Richland
Phone: 509-628-1144
Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th

Badger Mountain Dental 

482 Keene Rd., Richland

Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th, 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m.

Columbia Basin Pediatric Dentistry
7501 Deschutes Pl, Kennewick
Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th, 8:00 a.m.-4 p.m.

Anderson Dental
4303 W. 24th Ave, Kennewick
Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th, 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m.

Advanced Endodontic Care

Kennewick
10505 W Clearwater
Phone: 509-735-9735
Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th, 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m.

Walla Walla
901 W. Main Street
Nov. 7-8th, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Dentistry for Kids

Richland
39 Columbia Point Drive
Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th, 8:00 a.m.-5 p.m.

Columbia Basin Oral Surgeons
512 N. Young St, Kennewick
Nov. 1-3rd, 6-8th, 7:00 a.m.-4 p.m.

Orchard Hills Pediatric
705 Gage Blvd., Ste 300, Richland
Nov 1st-3rd, 6th-8th 9am-5pm

Westcliffe Family Dental
475 Keene Rd. Richland, WA 99352
Nov 2 9am-7pm Nov 3rd 8am-4pm
Nov 6 8am-5pm Nov 7th 9am-7pm