The Tootsie Roll Drive Returns After a Year Off

The Knights of Columbus Cardinal Stritch Council #4620 were out on the streets again on August 7th for their annual Tootsie Roll Fundraiser. Every year the national Catholic organization collects donations for local charities to help people with intellectual disabilities in the Crown Point area. The Stritch Council collected with the Knights of the new St. Matthais Council #16945 of St. Matthais Church.

Last year’s Tootsie Roll Drive was cancelled because of COVID-19 concerns. The councils were able to go out in August of 2021 to collect in August of this year, taking advantage of the first weekend of the Lake County Fair, which is also returning from a pandemic shut down of last year,

This year proved to be no exception as Council 4620 collected over $1600.

Groups of Knights were stationed at grocery markets and street corners throughout Crown Point giving out Tootsie Roll candies in return for donations of spare change. Traffic was backed up for blocks at some intersections as the Knights took whatever moneys motorists were able to give.

This year, the Cardinal Stritch Council #4620 shared the collection with the Indiana Chapter of the Special Olympics and Father Blaney’s Share Foundation.

The Cardinal Stritch Council has been serving St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Anthony’s Nursing Home in Crown Point since the 1950’s and is over 100 members strong.