Many people are used to seeing Knights of Columbus selling Tootsie rolls by the bucket to raise money for people with intellectual disabilities. But how did this tradition start?
According to Chicago Catholic, the annual nationwide fundraiser began more than 50 years ago in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park.
In the late 1960s, Raymond Berg, a Knight of Columbus and member of Father C.C. Boyle Council 4698 in Tinley Park, approached the rest of his council with an idea. According to Chicago Catholic, Berg had a child with intellectual disabilities, and he wanted to see if his council could do anything to help other kids with special needs and their families. The rest of the Council agreed to the plan.
One member had a connection to Chicago-based Tootsie Roll Industries and asked the company if it would allow the Knights to give their products to people who donated to support people with disabilities. The company was interested, and upon the Illinois State Council of the Knights of Columbus’ approval, the Father C.C. Boyle Council held its first Tootsie Roll fundraiser in 1970. It raised $30,000 in the first year.
The practice of using Tootsie Rolls as an incentive for charitable giving soon spread to other councils across the state and eventually to the rest of the nation.
Now that it’s a national campaign, Tootsie Roll drives raise money to help people with intellectual disabilities all over the country. In 2018, for instance, the Knights spent 75 million man hours raising more than $185 million via the campaign, according to Detroit Catholic.
According to Chicago Catholic, the Knights purchase the candy at full price, but Tootsie Roll Industries prints special wrappers for the annual fundraiser.
Lance Bertolli, grand knight of the Father C.C. Boyle Council, said that funds raised by their council are used locally, helping cover the costs of parish special religious education programs, according to Chicago Catholic. He also said that the whole council enjoys the annual drive. Many religious education teachers of students with disabilities also volunteer to help with the drive.
“There is no doubt that the street drive in middle September is the main event for our council,” Bertolli told Chicago Catholic. “To see my brother knights out there dodging traffic in heat and rain and really putting forth a tremendous effort to fill up one can after another with donations is heartwarming to see.”
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