Mission accomplished: Candy delivered

With Covid-19 still circulating, this was the second year in a row that Sunnyside Health Care Center could not open its doors to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

But Sunnyside residents and staff came up with a sweet idea to save Halloween. They filled bags of donated candy for the 366 students at nearby Churchill Elementary School Thursday. In fact, they collected so much candy from Sunnyside, Community Memorial Hospital and Raiter Clinic employees that they were also able to donate to three area preschools: Our Redeemer, Li'l Lumberjacks and Li'l Thunder.

Sunnyside director of life engagement Toni Hubbell said they went from 20 pounds of donated candy the first week to a grand total of 188.1 pounds by the end of the month-long collection period.

"I had people coming up and giving me cash or candy, including some family members for the residents," Hubbell said, adding that the most they'd collected in previous years was 120 pounds. "Everybody was really into it this year. And everybody understood why we couldn't do trick-or-treat, having unvaccinated kids around vulnerable adults would not have been an option."

She said resident Joe Burbel was the MVP of candy bags: he was knocking on her door every day the last week to make more candy bags.

"When we got back after delivering the candy last week, Joe came in and said, 'I need a hug,'" she said. "He told me, 'I just had the best week, I had so much fun putting candy together. Anytime you want to take a roadtrip, I am in.'"