It’s said that success is sweet. That couldn’t be more true for Schatz Orthodontics and Cibolo Green Elementary School, who together, collected one of the larger hauls for Soldiers’ Angels and its Treats for Troops Halloween Operation, so far, this year.

Just six days after Halloween, students and staff at the far North San Antonio school along with Dr. Schatz’s Orthodontics team collected 569 pounds of candy for Soldiers’ Angels to be sent to troops, veterans, and military families around the world.

569 pounds of left-over, uneaten, selflessly-parted-with Halloween candy.

Dr. Eric Schatz and members of his team finish weighing the candy donation.

Dr. Schatz and his RDA, Kristie Jackson prepare to haul candy donations from Cibolo Green.

It took 14 bins and two vehicles to transport the donated candy to Soldiers’ Angels headquarters and packing facility in San Antonio.

“It felt incredible to pull up to the loading dock with such a huge haul,” said Dr. Eric Schatz, Board Certified Orthodontist and Owner at Schatz Orthodontics.

Soldiers’ Angels headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Schatz decided to register with Soldiers’ Angels’ Treats for Troops program for the first time, this fall. Last year, the non-profit, based out of San Antonio, Texas collected nearly 100-thousand pounds of candy from businesses, including many dentist and orthodontics offices, nation-wide. This year, Soldiers’ Angels hoped to collect even more. Upon hearing of the lofty goal, Dr. Schatz and his teeth-loving team had an idea: Why not involve a school full of kids who love Halloween candy, eat Halloween candy, and who may be willing to donate a portion of that Halloween candy for a good cause.

A cause, that many students living in a military city such as San Antonio understand first-hand.

“I see this as a win-win,” Schatz said. “The kids get to acknowledge our military and learn a wonderful lesson about kindness and selflessness and they get to protect their teeth by consuming a little less sugar.”

So Schatz Orthodontics placed 42 bins around Cibolo Green, displaying one outside every classroom. Students, teachers, and administrators were encouraged to drop in their sugary stash for three days following Halloween.

“Oh man! The soldiers will love it,” exclaimed one first-grade boy as the Schatz team put out the bins.

Parting with something that took a lot of time (and probably hills traveled) to collect, however, isn’t always easy for kids. Having five children of his own Dr. Schatz understands this. So Dr. Schatz sweetened the Candy Give-Back by making it a contest and providing the class who collects the most donated candy with a pizza party. In all, the orthodontist would treat six classes plus special education students to a special pizza lunch.

Proud students at Cibolo Green pose with Schatz Orthodontics as they collect candy for Treats for Troops.

And there’s more. Not only did students give back their candy, some students also wrote notes and drew cards for the soldiers. One card read Halloween 2019 – Thank you, candy for you.

How sweet. (Literally).

As a partner with Troops for Treats, Dr. Schatz registered his Stone Oak office as an official Soldiers’ Angels drop-off site for the public, too. Patients gave, as well as complete strangers. Those who handed over their Dum- Dums and KitKats were given sunglasses and small footballs in exchange.

It was a hit.

In less than 48 hours, enough candy to fill two large bins was donated generously via Dr. Schatz’s office.

The oversized haul left administrators at Cibolo Green and the Schatz Orthodontics team feeling really great.

“This was so much fun and rewarding to know that somewhere a soldier or veteran will open up a care package and be surprised with a sweet reminder that they are important and not forgotten,” said Kristie Jackson who works with Dr. Schatz and helped organize the Candy Give-Back.

Dr. Schatz says he looks forward to participating as a Treats for Troops official drop off site again next year and partnering for a second year with Cibolo Green.

“We have a benchmark now as to how much candy we can collect and what we need to beat next year,” Dr. Schatz laughed. “This just might expose my more competitive side.”

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To learn more about Soldiers’ Angels and the many ways the public can support the troops, including a holiday stocking drive, visit its website, here.