Lodi office collecting letters for military members

Every year, Lodi-based Kids Care Dental & Orthodontics holds their “candy buy-back,” purchasing Halloween candy from children at $1 per pound and donating it to an organization of their choosing.

The office decided to donate the candy to the men and women of the U.S. military stationed overseas this year, according to practice manager Krista Luiz. They contacted Move America Forward, a Sacramento-based nonprofit organization that will ship the candy in care packages.

“We collected 98 pounds of candy,” Luiz said. “When I went to drop it off, I was shown the facility and they let me know that each care package contains a handwritten letter.”

After touring the facility earlier this month, Luiz felt that sending letters along with the candy would be a good way to show gratitude to the service members who cannot return home for the holidays.

Many of Kids Care’s patients and employees have family members who have served or are currently serving in the military, Luiz said.

“It touched on everyone’s hearts,” she said. “We decided that it would be a good idea to collect as many letters as we could and give them to Move America Forward so they can include them in the care packages.”

After telling patients about the letter-writing drive last week, Luiz said she began posting on social media and the office’s website on Monday to inform the general public. She also distributed fliers to local businesses.

“We have 25 letters so far, but we’re going to be collecting until Dec. 12,” she said. “Ultimately, we want to collect over 100, if possible.”

When she spoke with Move America Forward’s manager, Luiz learned that the service members who receive the care packages will write back to those who include a return address with their letter.

“That’s kind of fun,” Luiz said. “You could get a pen pal out of it if you wanted to.”

Anna Cuevas, a patient coordinator with Kids Care, shared Luiz’ enthusiasm for sending letters of gratitude to service members.

“They’re doing something great for us, and it’s a way for us to give back,” Cuevas said. “You hear stories about what they go through and it just touches my heart.”

Registered dental assistant Ashley Duarte’s husband is a Navy veteran, she said, and her brother is deployed in Iraq with the Navy.

As a result, she said, she understands how difficult it can be for service members who are stationed away from home during the holidays.

“Some guys don’t have families, so just getting a letter from somebody back home who’s thinking about them makes their time over there a little easier,” Duarte said.