Hudson Valley’s Great Halloween Candy Exchange Returns

If you have kids and you're going to do the trick or treating thing and you're not sure what to do with all that candy, here is a great idea.

The Great Halloween Candy Exchange is back this year and we hope is bigger and better than ever before.

The candy exchange is set up for parents to drop off some of their kids trick or treating goodies and those goodies will be sent off to the U.S. Armed Forces troops.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro told Hudson Valley News Network, that the Dutchess County Department of Health will join up with All Sport Health and Fitness, The Children’s Medical Group, Learning Insights and Traditional Okinawan Karate for the candy exchange.

Molinaro also said,

Not only does the Great Halloween Candy Exchange program bring a little bit of home to our troops serving overseas, it also gives families a great way to teach their children about sharing, literacy and physical activity.

The Halloween candy exchange will take place on Sunday, Nov. 1 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at various locations throughout the Dutchess County and 2 locations in Ulster County.

It's simple to do. All you have to do is drop off a pound of more of candy to be shipped to U.S. troops serving overseas. For every pound of candy donated at one of the drop-off sites, children will receive a free, age appropriate new book or a free fun pass to one of the sponsors.

Here are the drop off locations:

•Fishkill: All Sport Health and Fitness – 17 Old Main Street
•Highland: Learning Insights, 3548 Route 9W
•Hyde Park: The Children’s Medical Group, 4252 Albany Post Road
•Pleasant Valley: Traditional Okinawan Karate, 2B Maggiacomo Lane
•Poughkeepsie: The Children’s Medical Group, 104 Fulton Avenue
•New Paltz: Traditional Okinawan Karate, 22 North Front St.