Candy Buy-Back in Mineola Proves Giving is Sweet

For the last 11 years, the day after Halloween has been a day of giving at the Mineola orthodontic practice of . Treats here are taken back instead of giving, as hosting a Halloween candy buy-back has .

Children visited the office all day on November 1 to have their Halloween candy weighed, earning a dollar per pound and for every pound collected, Weiss & Luccarelli matched it dollar-for-dollar for a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“(It) has become a real holiday around here,” office manager Diane Gismervik said. “The kids look forward to donating to a good cause and they know they’re in for a treat when they come in and see us all dressed up. They leave feeling really good about their donation.”

To add to the festivities, the entire practice channeled the 50’s dressing as characters from “Grease” with doctors playing the lead roles of Sandy and greaser Danny.

For 12-year-old Emma, donating her candy seemed like a good idea.

“I know I’m not going to eat it all,” she said. “I’m glad to help the veterans.”

Justin, age 8, also said he felt good about his donation, although he did admit saving some of the candy he liked.

Parent Michele Zaransky made the trip with her daughter Julia, who donated over seven pounds of candy because she wanted her to know her donation counts.

“Julia is a Brownie and enjoys community service,” Zaransky said. “We have so much; it makes sense to help others.”

Over 550 pounds of candy was collected this year resulting in a donation of $1,100. The practice has donated over $21,000 over the years to Make-A-Wish.

The candy will be donated to Mineola-based and to the Homeless Veterans Stand-Down scheduled to take place at the Marine Base on Stewart Ave in Garden City on November 21. The practice has donated over 600 tubes of toothpaste for comfort kits which will be distributed that day.

The Veterans Stand-Down is an opportunity for veterans to meet with federal, state and local agencies for assistance. Additionally, veterans are provided with food, shelter, clothing and health screenings as well as a hot Thanksgiving meal.

According to Kenneth English, Deputy Director of Emergency Services for the American Red Cross on Long Island, over 300 veterans are expected.

“We’re proud to continue supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation and to have the opportunity to help community members in need, especially our veterans,” Luccarelli said.

To make a donation to the Veterans Stand-Down, contact Kenneth English at englishk@usa.redcross.org.