Dr. Raj Dhiman and Riverside Dental's Cash for Candy program raised $1,000 for Delta Hospital and helped promote a healthier Halloween for kids in Ladner.
Over the past five years, the fundraiser has raised a total of $6,500 for Delta Hospital by donating $2 for every pound of Halloween candy collected.
"The Cash for Candy fundraiser is such a great example of our generous and caring business community stepping up for Delta Hospital," says Sharla De Groote, special events manager for the Delta Hospital Foundation.
"They have taken something they are passionate about, and turned it into a successful fundraiser that supports the health of our community. We are so grateful for their ongoing support."
With children of his own, and many young patients frequenting the practice, Dhiman wanted to make sure the health impacts of Halloween weren't overlooked. He created the Cash for Candy program as a creative way of rewarding children for moderating their sugar intake while raising awareness of both oral and general health at the same time.
"We had a lot of families drop by this year to donate their candy," says Dhiman. "Parents were excited to find a healthier alternative for their kids, without taking away the fun and excitement of Halloween trick-or-treating."
Riverside Dental donated the collected candy to the Agape Street Ministries, an addiction recovery centre.
