The Knights of Columbus will host their annual Tootsie Roll giveaway and Special Olympics fundraiser this weekend at the Fred Meyer on Rainier Avenue.

Knights’ volunteers will be wearing their bright yellow aprons at each location. Last year approximately $100,000 was raised through participating Knights of Columbus councils across Washington State.

“Our Tootsie Roll giveaway will bring a smile to each shopper who receives a free one. There is no obligation to get a Tootsie Roll,” says Richard Bray, a member of the Knights of Columbus in Renton, “but if you do donate, you will get a great feeling knowing a disabled person will be helped through Special Olympics.”

The event is scheduled from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and through the day Saturday and Sunday.

The vision of Special Olympics is to help bring all persons with intellectual disabilities into the larger society under conditions that they are accepted, respected and given the chance to become useful and productive citizens.

Volunteers from the Knights of Columbus at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Renton will be handing out tootsie rolls and collecting donations.

Nationally, the Knights of Columbus Campaign for People with Disabilities has been in existence since 1970, with 47 states participating this year. In Washington, the program is operated by the Knights under “Columbus Charities,” a 501(c) (3) corporation.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic, Fraternal, Family, Service organization with nearly 1.7 million members worldwide. Last year its volunteers gave 70 million hours of volunteer service in the U.S. For more information about the Knights of Columbus, visit: www.kofc.org.

In Renton the Knights of Columbus also helps at the ARISE homeless men’s shelter, serves an annual breakfast at the Renton Senior Activity Center, raises funds for needy Haitian children and does many other charitable works.