Community Corner

Dentist's Program Good for Soldiers and Smiles

Dr. Zachary Potts is buying back trick-or-treat candy and sending it to the troops.

Moorpark dentist Zachary Potts is doing something good for the troops while doing something good for children’s teeth (and perhaps their parents’ waistlines). Potts, through Operation Gratitude, is buying trick-or-treat candy from kids and sending it to military personnel through the nationwide program.

Potts, who said his own parents wouldn’t have been able to get his candy from him as a kid, is buying candy at a rate of $2 per pound and had collected about 21 pounds by mid-afternoon Tuesday, the first day of this year’s event.

Operation Gratitude, which last year collected 125 tons of candy, hopes to fill 60,000 holiday care packages for the troops that will also include lip balm, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, socks, protein bars, DVDs, CDs and other items.

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Potts has had many children visit in the three years he's been participating in the buy-back program, but one that he remembers best was a child who came in last year.

"We asked what he was going to do with the money and he said he was going to buy candy," Potts recalled.

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This year's event started Tuesday and will continue the event Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 4217 Tierra Rejada Rd. (in the Vons shopping center).


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