NATCHITOCHES – Students from Northwestern State University’s Leesville Fort Polk Campus recently delivered candy collected from fellow students and students at the NSU Elementary Lab School to VFW Post 3106 in Leesville. Handling the donation were, from left, NSU student Noah Allain, Post 3106 Quartermaster Paula Baldwin, NSU students Payton Rhodes and Bethany Kay and Post 3106 Senior Vice President Mike Long. Post 3106 will distribute the candy at an upcoming event. Northwestern State University’s University Programming Council partnered with Operation Gratitude – Halloween Candy Giveback Program. The Halloween Candy Give-Back Program has been connecting communities with military and first responder heroes each fall since 2007. Americans across the nation share a portion of their Halloween candy with Operation Gratitude, and they donate it to deployed troops, veterans and first responders with the goal of forging strong bonds between the civilian and service communities nationwide. More than 650 pounds was donated. A portion of the donation went to Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City.
