Knights preparing for annual "Tootsie Roll Drive"

Brooklyn Park, MN - The weekend of April 26-28 is scheduled for the 22nd annual Tootsie Roll Drive. More than 10,000 volunteers will hand out more than 20 tons of tootsie rolls at local churches and businesses throughout Minnesota. Last years drive collected $392,833 and was distributed to over 270 organizations that work with people with mental retardation.

Special Olympic Minnesota (SOMN) is the largest recipient of funds because the Minnesota Knights of Columbus are the sole sponsor of the annual Fall Bowling Classic. This annual event is a trip to the Twin Cities the Special Olympian Athletes really look forward to. Last year 956 athletes and 388 coaches representing over 70 teams from across Minnesota participated. The Knights of Columbus are the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world with over 1.6 million members. With the latest figures available, in 2000 the Knights donated $110 million to charity and 55.5 million hours of service.

Father Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882. Father McGivney could become the first U.S. born priest to be canonized. The canonization process formally began in 1998 following notification by the Vatican to the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT, that the cause for sainthood was approved to proceed.