Sweets4Troops

10/06/2025

2025 Sweets4Troops - Making Deployment a Little Sweeter

DeKalb (IL): Halloween and the holidays are a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick-or-treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving overseas. Almost every year there seems to be more candy left over and parents and kids seem willing to share and support our military members.

Again this year, Sweets4Troops.com will be collecting any leftover and unwanted candy. These sweets and treats will be sent as a part of Holiday Packages for Military personnel serving at various locations worldwide. Local agencies will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships. In addition to treats, we are seeking groups, schools, or organizations that would like to send thank-you notes to military members for serving and protecting our country.
In 2014, local DeKalb businessman and veteran Michael Embrey started the first “Sweets4Troops” program and collected over 250 pounds of candy. For the last couple of years, Sweets4Troops has collected over 1,000 pounds of treats each year for military support groups, as well as local retirement homes where veterans reside.

Sweets4Troops is proud to announce the local DeKalb American Legion Auxiliary organization will again be hosting and promoting the “Sweets4Troops” program. Co-Chairs Sarah Newby and Cindy Hupke welcome any donations. In addition to collecting treats and candy, any thank-you notes or cards to the troops will be accepted (please make letters and cards generic as "Thank You' or "Thank You for your service" and not tied to a holiday). Any financial donations will be used to purchase additional treats.

If you or your company/organization has any leftover candy after Halloween (and are trying to stay on that Diet), please bring any unwanted and surplus candy and treats to one of the following drop-off locations in DeKalb County:
* DeKalb Fire Department, 7th Street (700 Pine Street) in DeKalb
* Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* DeKalb American Legion Post 66, 1204 S. 4th St. DeKalb, * Le Print Express, 1950 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* County Liquors, 625 E State St in Sycamore
* FunME Events Office, 650 Peace Road-Suite F, DeKalb,
* Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce, 113 North Geona Street, Geona
Donations are accepted from October 15th through November 15th.
Thank you one and all for supporting our troops. www.Sweets4Troops.com
Please check us out on Facebook. www.facebook.com/p/Sweets4Troops-100064553055270
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Newby, at 815-751-2424 or email: [email protected]
Cindy Hupke, at 815-540-7364 or email: [email protected]
Michael Embrey, at 815-761-1263 or email: [email protected]
NOTE: If you would like to partner with this project or provide special services, please contact: Michael Embrey, at 815-761-1263 or email: [email protected]

Thank You ..... Michael Embrey, USAF Veteran

Michael Th. Embrey, CHO/EAD-MSEd.
The FUN Companies - FunME Events
Music Festivals To You - Broadway To You
815-756-1263 - [email protected]
*** A Veteran-Owned Business ***
Member: ABA, SKAL, IFEA, IATAN, American Legion, AMVETS, & DeKalb CVB, Destination DeKalb
Be the person your dog thinks you are.

09/16/2024

2024 Sweets4Troops - Making Deployment a Little Sweeter

DeKalb (IL): Halloween and the holidays are a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick-or-treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving overseas. Almost every year there seems to be more candy left over and parents and kids seem willing to share and support our military members.
Again this year, Sweets4Troops.com will be collecting any leftover and unwanted candy. These sweets and treats will be sent as a part of Holiday Packages for Military personnel serving at various locations worldwide. Local agencies will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships. In addition to treats, we are seeking groups, schools, or organizations that would like to send thank-you notes to military members for serving and protecting our country.

In 2014, DeKalb businessman and veteran Michael Embrey started the first “Sweets4Troops” program and collected over 250 pounds of candy. For the last couple of years, Sweets4Troops has collected over 2,000 pounds of treats each year for military support groups, as well as local retirement homes where veterans reside.
Sweets4Troops is proud to announce the local DeKalb American Legion Auxiliary will again be hosting and promoting the “Sweets4Troops” program. Co-Chairs Sarah Newby and Cindy Hulke welcome any donations. In addition to collecting treats and candy, any thank-you notes or cards to the troops will be accepted (please make letters and cards generic as "Thank You' or "Thank You for your service" and not tied to a holiday).
If you or your company/organization have any leftover candy after Halloween (and are trying to stay on that Diet), please bring any unwanted and surplus candy and treats to one of the following drop-off locations:
* DeKalb Fire Department, 7th Street (700 Pine Street) in DeKalb
* Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* DeKalb Amerian Legion Post, 1204 S. 4th St. DeKalb, * Le Print Express, 1950 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* County Liquors, 625 E State St in Sycamore
* FunME Events Office, 650 Peace Road-Suite F, DeKalb,
* Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce, 113 North Geona Street, Geona
Donations are accepted from November 1 through November 15.
Thank you one and all for supporting our troops. www.Sweets4Troops.com
Please check us out on Facebook. www.facebook.com/p/Sweets4Troops-100064553055270
For more information please contact:
Sarah Newby, at 815-751-2424 or email: [email protected]
Cindy Hupke, at 815-540-7364 or email: [email protected]
Michael Embrey, at 815-761-1263 or email: [email protected]

NOTE: If you would like to partner with this project or provide special services, please contact:
Michael Embrey, at 815-761-1263 or email: [email protected]

10/24/2023

2023 Sweets4Troops - Making Deployment a Little Sweeter

DeKalb (IL): Halloween is a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick-or-treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving overseas. Almost every year there seems to be more candy leftover and parents and kids seem willing to share and support our military members.

Again this year, Sweets4Troops will be collecting any leftover and unwanted candy. These sweets and treats will be sent as a part of Holiday Packages for Military personnel serving at various locations worldwide. Local agencies will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships. In addition to treats, we are seeking groups, schools, or organizations that would like to send thank-you notes to military members for serving and protecting our country.

This year the DeKalb American Legion Auxiliary will be hosting and promoting the “Sweets4Troops” program. Co-Chairs Sarah Newby and Georgia Stanley welcome any donations. In addition to collecting treats and candy, any thank-you notes to the troops will be accepted.

In 2014, DeKalb businessman Michael Embrey started the first “Sweets4Troops” program and collected over 250 pounds of candy. For the last couple of years, Sweets4Troops has collected over 3,000 pounds of treats for military support groups.

If you or your company/organization have any leftover candy after Halloween (and trying to stay on that Diet), please bring any unwanted and surplus candy and treats to one of the following drop-off locations:
* DeKalb Fire Department, 7th Street (700 Pine Street) in DeKalb
* Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* DeKalb Amerian Legion Post, 1204 S. 4th St. DeKalb, * Le Print Express, 1950 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* County Liquors, 625 E State St in Sycamore
* FunME Events Office, 650 Peace Road-Suite F, DeKalb,
* Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce, 113 North Geona Street, Geona
Donations are accepted from November 1 through November 15.
Thank you one and all for supporting our troops. www.Sweets4Troops.com

NOTE: The Ferrero Group (DeKalb Location), an industry leader in U.S. confections and one of the fastest-growing confections companies in the world, donated ten (10) cases of candy this week to the “Sweets4Troops” project. Thank You to Georgia Stanley for making this happen.

For more information please contact:
Sarah Newby, at 815-751-2424 or email: [email protected]
Georgia Stanley, at 815-751-1805 or email: [email protected]
Michael Embrey, at 815-761-1263 or email: [email protected]

11/03/2022

2022 Sweets4Troops - Making Deployment a Little Sweeter
DeKalb (IL): Halloween is a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick or treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving overseas. Almost every year there seems to be more candy leftover and parents and kids seem willing to share to support our military members.

In 2014, DeKalb businessman Michael Embrey started the first “Sweets4Troops” program and collected over 250 pounds of candy. For the last couple of years, Sweets4Troops has collected over 3,000 pounds of treats for military support groups.
Again this year, Sweets4Troops will be collecting any leftover and unwanted candy. These sweets and treats will be sent as a part of Holiday Packages for Military personnel serving at various locations throughout the world. Local agencies will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships. In addition to treats, we are seeking groups, schools, or organizations that would like to send thank-you notes to military members for serving and protecting our country.

If you want to donate candy please contact Michael Embrey at [email protected] or PM ME... we still have the Sycamore Fire Department and DeKalb Fire Department as drop-off points.

10/29/2020

2020 Sweets4Troops - Making Deployment a Little Sweeter

DeKalb (IL): Halloween is a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick or treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving overseas. Almost every year there seems to be more candy leftover and parents and kids seem willing to share to support our military members.

In 2014, DeKalb businessman Michael Embrey started the first “Sweets4Troops” program and collected over 250 pounds of candy. For the last couple of years, Sweets4Troops has collected over 3,000 pounds of treats for military support groups.

Again this year, Sweets4Troops will be collecting any leftover and unwanted candy. These sweets and treats will be sent as a part of Holiday Packages for Military personnel serving at various locations throughout the world. Local agencies will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships. In addition to treats, we are seeking groups, schools, or organizations that would like to send thank-you notes to military members for serving and protecting our country.

If you or your company have any leftover candy after Halloween (and trying to stay on that Diet), please bring any unwanted and surplus candy and treats to one of the following drop-off locations:

* DeKalb Fire Department, 7th Street (700 Pine Street) in DeKalb
* Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore * Le Print Express, 1950 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* County Liquors, 625 E State St in Sycamore
* Papa Johns Pizza, 203 W Lincoln Hwy. in DeKalb
* Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce, 113 North Geona Street in Geona (NEW)

Donations accepted from November 1 through November 18. 'Social Distancing' and 'masks' are required at drop-off points.
Thank you one and all for supporting our troops

NOTE: Michael Embrey is a former USAF military veteran and involved in various veteran support programs and organizations. He is CEO/EAD of DeKalb (IL) based FunME Events and Broadway To You. See web site for additional information.

www.Sweets4Troops.com

11/08/2019

Thank You B95

Per Sweets4Troops: Halloween is a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick or treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving

11/01/2019

2019 Sweets4Troops - making deployment a litter sweeter

DeKalb (IL): Halloween is a special time of year for kids (young and old) to have fun and go trick or treating. But there are few Treats and too many Tricks for our U.S. Military members serving overseas. Almost every year there seems to be more candy leftover and parents and kids seem willing to share.

In 2014, DeKalb businessman Michael Embrey started the first “Sweets4Troops” program and collected over 250 pounds of candy. In 2018, Sweets4Troops collected 3,000 pounds of treats for military support groups.

Again this year, Sweets4Troops will be collecting any leftover and unwanted candy. These sweets and treats will be sent as a part of Holiday Packages for Military personnel serving at various locations throughout the world. Local agencies will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships. In addition to treats, a couple of local schools also sent thank-you notes to military members for serving and protecting our country.
If you or your company have any leftover candy after Halloween (and trying to stay on that Diet), please bring any unwanted and surplus candy and treats to one of the following locations:

* DeKalb Fire Department, 7th Street (700 Pine Street) in DeKalb * Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore * Daily Chronicle Newspaper, 1586 Barber Green Road in DeKalb * Le Print Express, 1950 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore * County Liquors, 625 E State St in Sycamore * Papa Johns Pizza, 203 W Lincoln Hwy. in DeKalb * Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce, 113 North Geona Street in Geona (NEW)
Donations accepted from November 1 through November 18. Thank you one and all for supporting our troops.
Michael Embrey is a former USAF military veteran and involved in various veteran support programs and organizations. He is CEO/EAD of DeKalb (IL) based FunME Events and Broadway To You. See web site for additional information.

11/05/2018

11/02/2018

Sweets4Troops Chairman Michael Embrey was interviewed by Rockford TV Reporter Brittany Toolis on how and why the organization got started. Brittany has done stories on Veterans in the past and has several veteran friends. She was excited to tell the story of the success of Sweets4Troops and the growth of the program as well as the mission of the organization. Please watch Rockford TV Channel 17 and 39, 5, 6, 9 and 10 PM.

10/29/2018

Sweets4Troops.com - 2018

DeKalb, IL: If you have Halloween candy left over or want to do something special for Veteran’sDay (November 11), Sweets4Troops.com has an idea just for you. For the past five (5) years Sweets4Troops has collected candy and sweets from a variety of local groups, organizations, schools and stores to send to our military men and women serving our country overseas. These sweets and treats will be sent as part of Holiday Packages for the Military Units. Sweets4Troops.com will forward these treats to military member units serving overseas and select domestic locations through our Veteran partnerships.
Sweets4Troops.com was started by local DeKalb County businessman and military veteran Michael Embrey. There is generally lots of leftover and unwanted candy from the Halloween celebration. Mr. Embrey felt a good give-back was to make the holidays a little sweeter for our military members serving our country by sending treats to our troops.
Sweets4Troops.com is the charity of Kishwaukee Fest, a 501C3 organization. All candies, sweets and donations are given 100% to support groups that will ship the items overseas. The sweets are mixed with a variety of sundry items in separate boxes so that each Military person feels like a gift from home. The organization also includes letters from local school children. Last year the organization collected 950 pounds of candy and over 200 letters for our troops. This year under the leadership of DeKalb American Legion Post 66 Commander Dan Gallagher, additional schools will be contacted to assist with the project.
If you would like to donate candy or sweets, please stop these following locations:
* The FUN Companies – 650 Peace Road-Ste. F- DeKalb,
* DeKalb Fire Department, 7th Street (700 Pine Street) in DeKalb
* Sycamore Fire Department, 535 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
* Daily Chronicle Newspaper, 1586 Barber Greene Road in DeKalb
* Le Print Express, 1950 DeKalb Avenue in Sycamore
Please feel free to contact Michael Embrey if you have any questions at [email protected]. Collections will be from November 1-15. Thank you for making someone’s holiday a little sweeter.

11/30/2017

I would like to thank all the wonderful people in DeKalb County that dropped off 950 pounds of treats and sweets for the www.Sweets4Troops.com program.
When I started this program 4 years ago, I never envisioned it would grow with not only the quantity and quanity of candy and sweets, but with the number of families and youth organizations that signed and included notes and cards of appreciation to those serving. One Father dropped off a bag of candy and a hand written letter (in a graphic child style) from his 7 year old thanking the troops for their service, and also signed by his 3 year sister. It was so touching, I made several copies to send along. We also received cards and notes from school groups, scouts and organizations. Another gentleman stop by my office with a small bag of candy and apologized for not having more, but he had lost his job and still felt the need to help. I would be remiss in not thanking the organizations that hosted drop off Boxes to collect the candy: DeKalb Fire Department, Sycamore Fire Department, FunME Events, Daily Chronicle, and lePrint Express. Also a special thanks for the Daily Chronicle for providing ads and lePrint Express for providing printing. If you have not served in the military, you don't know the feeling of getting that BOX of Treats from home, and more important notes from strangers that care. Last year we collected over 950 pounds of candy to send to the troops and with donations still coming in, we should beat that number this year. In closing, a reminder that when you see a veteran with his/her hat or jacket with their branch markings, please say ...'Thank You for your service', and when you see a currant military member in uniform, shake their hand and say 'Thank You' for serving and keeping our families safe.

11/27/2017

Thanks for the SWEETS

I would like to thank all the wonderful people in northern Illinois that dropped off treats and sweets for the www.Sweets4Troops.com program.
When I started this program 4 years ago, I never envisioned it would grow with not only the quantity and quantity of candy and sweets, but with the number of families and youth organizations that signed and included notes and cards of appreciation to those serving. One Father dropped off a bag of candy and a hand written letter (in a graphic child style) from his 7 year old thanking the troops for their service, and also signed by his 3 year sister. It was so touching, I made several copies to send along. We also received cards and notes from school groups, scouts and organizations. Another gentleman stop by my office with a small bag of candy and apologized for not having more, but he had lost his job and still felt the need to help. I would be remiss in not thanking the organizations that hosted drop off Boxes to collect the candy: DeKalb Fire Department, Sycamore Fire Department, FunME Events, Daily Chronicle, and lePrint Express. Also a special thanks for the Daily Chronicle for providing ads and lePrint Express for providing printing. If you have not served in the military, you don't know the feeling of getting that "BOX of Treats" from home, and more important notes from strangers that care. Last year we collected over 950 pounds of candy to send to the troops and with donations still coming in, we should beat that number this year. In closing, a reminder that when you see a veteran with his/her hat or jacket with their branch markings, please say ... 'Thank You for your service', and when you see a currant military member in uniform, shake their hand and say " 'Thank You' for serving and keeping our families safe".