Students donated candy from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4 to contribute to the Artemis Center’s drive for Treats for Troops, a program created by Soldiers’ Angels that makes candy care packages for veterans. Over 40 pounds of candy arrived in four days.

Member of the Artemis Center’s Service Squad Ella Dorfman (’25) said the drive was meant to promote sustainability and service by repurposing leftover candy from Halloween for the benefit of others.  

“It’s important to give back,” Dorfman said. “We don’t want to waste something that often is sitting in our houses instead of giving it to people who need a little ounce of joy in their lives.”

Senior Lexie Horizon has been on the Service Squad since she was in 10th grade. She said the Service Squad started the drive with veterans and their families in mind. 

“Veterans serve our country and protect us every day,” Horizon said. “If we can put a smile on their faces and give back in any sort of way, we love to help.”  

The Service Squad partnered with Soldier’s Angels for the first time this year. In previous years, they worked with Operation Gratitude to host the annual post-Halloween candy drive.

“Now that we’re in the post-pandemic world, we’re trying to restructure really great traditions surrounding service,” Shirk said. “Operation Gratitude wasn’t accepting candy, so…we came across Treats for Troops. We thought that their mission was something that aligned with what we wanted to do, which was to help bring joy to soldiers all across the globe.”

In addition, Shirk said outreach to the school community was an important step in preparing for this drive.

“A lot of what we’re focusing on is getting the word out, educating [and] PR work, like putting up posters,” Shirk said. “The key for successful drive is communicating at home and with the student because if it doesn’t resonate with the student, maybe it’ll resonate with parents or vice versa. It’s a team effort.”

The Treats for Troops drive is not the only drive the Service Squad will host this year. They also facilitated a Thanksgiving drive in collaboration with PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) from Nov. 14-16. Items collected included boxed mac and cheese, canned vegetables and grocery store gift cards to purchase turkeys. Horizon said school-hosted initiatives might be smaller, more localized ways to participate in service, but they can still make a large impact. 

“Smaller acts of service like drives help the student body make a difference in larger communities,” Horizon said. “Community service can feel stressful and daunting, however, through school wide events, students make a difference by working together to achieve a common goal.”

The Service Squad’s goal was to collect 20 pounds of candy by the end of the Treats for Troops drive. Ultimately, they collected over 40 pounds, exceeding their goal twofold. Shirk said the positive turnout boosted the Service Squad’s confidence in their overall mission.

“When you see great support, it makes us think all the hard work is worth it,” Shirk said. “There [are] so many families and students excited to give back. It just keeps us motivated and excited about the job we have, which is leading and inspiring students to get involved.”