Two packages of Reese's

Trick-or-treating is a tradition that goes back centuries and with the recent popularization of trunk-or-treats, it has never been easier for children to wrack up an impressive inventory of goodies, sometimes more than they or their parents can handle.

Luckily, Ali Wileman, owner of Shali Rose Co., 217 Unit B, Broad St., Montoursville, has come up with a way to offload extra candy while honoring the men and women currently serving the nation.

Just over a year since her ribbon cutting ceremony, Shali Rose Co. is holding their first Treat Our Troops Halloween Candy Buyback.

Wileman, originally from Mifflin County, was aware of other boutiques throughout the country holding similar buybacks, but noticed the lack of such an initiative in the Lycoming County area and took it upon herself to start one.

“My brother is in the First Special Forces Group and the military is big in our family, and we’ve always been trying to find ways to give back,” she explained.

“Who would not be happy to get a bunch of Halloween candy? It’s just a little piece of home that we can send to someone else,” she said.

“I just wanted to initiate a way locally that I was able to give back. I figured I could make a positive impact by sending candy to our troops and introducing people to a new clothing store at the same time,” Wileman said.

“My husband and I are high school sweethearts and went to Pennsylvania College of Technology together, and we just fell in love with Montoursville. It kind of gave us a little taste of home, so we just decided to settle here. And so I’m always appreciative to meet more people in the community,” Wileman said, stressing that she is currently looking for locals with deployed loved ones she can add to the mailing list.

And, she added that she will gladly accept candy that’s not just too much for children, but anyone that might have extra from parties or leftovers from handing out on Halloween night.

To sweeten the deal, anyone dropping off candy will receive a gift in the form of a fidget spinner for the kids and a coupon towards a future purchase from the boutique for the adults.

Wileman, who also works as a registered nurse along with wrangling three young children, said the initiative has seen an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the community.

“I think people are honestly pretty pumped about it,” she said.

“We’ve had people say, ‘we’re thankful for this. We always have way too much,” Wileman said.

“I never understood until I lived in Montoursville, but they go hard here for trick-or-treating,” she said.

“It’s an insane amount, so shipping it to somebody that could truly enjoy it, that doesn’t have access to it, that’s putting their life and their everything on the line for everyone back here, was a no brainer for me,” Wileman said, expressing her hope that this will turn into an annual initiative for the boutique.

Wileman will collect candy from today through Nov. 9, with a goal of shipping it out the week before Thanksgiving.

“They’re going to get a lot of stuff around the holidays, so my goal is to hit them before that, so that things are spaced out,” she explained.

Anyone interested in more information on the Treat Our Troops Halloween Candy Buyback or passing on information on local residents currently on deployment is encouraged to check out the Shali Rose Co.’s Facebook page, email shaliroseco@gmail.com or stop by the boutique during business hours.