Sheriff’s ‘Treats for Troops’ accepting candy donations
The Oakland County Sheriff’s office is giving new meaning to collecting Halloween candy this year: by asking residents to donate it.
According to a press release, the Sheriff’s office is hosting its 11th annual ‘ Treats for Troops’ Halloween candy collection from Monday, November 2 through 4 p.m. on Friday, November 6 at its substations and headquarters, located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Building 38E, in Pontiac. The event is being held to send thanks, encouragement, and sweets to American troops overseas.
Donated candy must be individually wrapped, and no chocolate is allowed.
“Treats for Troops is a great way parents can participate in a community service project with their kids while showing our troops we support them back home,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in the release.
Addresses for the substations are as follows:
• Headquarters, 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Building 38E, Pontiac, 48341
• Brandon Twp. Substation, 15 South St., Ortonville, 48462
• Commerce Twp. Substation, 2401 Glengary, Commerce Twp., 48390
• Highland Twp. Substation, 165 N. John St., Highland Twp., 48356
• Independence Twp. Substation, 6560 Citation Drive, Independence Twp., 48346
• Orion Twp. Substation, 2525 Joslyn Road, Lake Orion, 48360
• Oxford Twp. Substation, 310 Dunlap Rd., Oxford, 48371
• Rochester Hills Substation, 750 Barclay Circle, Rochester Hills, 48307
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has discouraged door-todoor trick-or-treating this year, leaving many families wondering how to still have a safe and fun Halloween.
The Sheriff’s office outlined what constitutes a low, medium and high risk activity in another press release, which it issued with the other release.
“There aremany creative ways to celebrate Halloween while still observing the preventative common-sense rules like hand washing, wearing protective masks, and keeping at least six feet of distance from others,” the Sheriff’s office said in the release.
Low risk activities include pumpkin carving, Halloween decorations, virtual Halloween costume contest with friends, scavenger hunt trick-or-treating at your own house with people you live with and watching a Halloween movie at home.
Medium risk activities include socially distant outdoor Halloween costume parade with protective masks and visiting a pumpkin patch where masks are worn, and physical distance is observed. High risk activities include traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating, trunk or treats where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots and attending crowded indoor costume parties or haunted houses.
A full list of low, medium and high risk activities can be found on the CDC’s website. Oakland County’s Health Division has also issued a guide to celebrating Halloween safely during the pandemic. If families are still opting to trick-or-treat, however, the Sheriff’s office is asking residents check the Michigan Sexual Offender Registry, to avoid houses where a sex offender may reside. The Registry is available on the Sheriff’s website.