Orthodontist Dr. Jason Bourne has first-hand experience repairing the damage that can be caused by many types of Halloween candy, and several years ago he devised an idea to reward his young patients for steering clear of hard, chewy candy and thus avoiding orthodontic problems.

Knowing that a little cash can be a powerful incentive for youngsters, Bourne offered to buy back his patients' Halloween candy, with a matching donation going to local organizations serving children.

After Halloween this year, the two offices of Bourne Orthodontics collected over 1,400 pounds of candy, paying out $2,800 to youngsters to enforce their good habits. A matching donation of $2 per pound, an additional $2,800, will be donated to local charities, including the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, and Hopelink of Shoreline, an organization that helps low-income and in-need individuals and families in the area.

The mounds of collected candy will be donated as well, with the majority of the sweet treats to be sent to our troops serving overseas after being sorted and packaged by Arlington local Mary Welsh.

This year the candy will benefit other efforts as well. Christian Ministries in Africa plans to take some of the candy with them on the next trip to Nairobi to give small amounts to the local children, while providing HIV/AIDS education to the Kenyan people. Another portion of the candy will be used by Heartbeat: Serving Wounded Warriors, and put in the Christmas stockings of 1,000 wounded servicemen and women at the VA hospital and Fort Lewis hospitals. The last portion of candy will be sent to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and used as special treats for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Since its inception in 2004, the Bourne Orthodontics Halloween Candy Buy-Back has collected almost 6,500 pounds of candy, with cash donations of $13,000 benefiting the community.

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