The recently founded Falcon chapter of the Knights of Columbus presented the first two donations of their short history to local causes in May.ìWe have an annual program called Tootsie Roll drive,î said Council 14785 (Falcon) Grand Knight Pedro Gonzalez. ìWe buy a bunch of Tootsie Rolls and give them to the public, and some people may donate money for them.îMany of the Knightsí fundraising efforts have taken place outside the Falcon Wal-Mart and Big R stores. On May 11, monies raised from the local fundraisers were distributed to the Exchange Club of Falcon and a Peyton area family with a special-needs child.The Exchange Club received a $300 donation. ìThis donation will be used to buy the Childrenís ARK a gas grill,î said Bob Miller, president of the Exchange Club. The club works closely with Childrenís ARK, an accredited Green Mountain Falls-based nonprofit community and residential treatment provider.The Knights also presented $470 to the Ehn family for upbeat and energetic 7-year-old Carsen Ehn. ìWe really appreciate their generosity and support of our family and Carsen,î said Sarah Ehn, Carsenís mother. ìIt can be challenging to have a child with special needs, and everything really does help so we appreciate it a lot.îThe family plans to put the money to good use. ìWe are going to use part of it, at least, for supplies for school that his therapist recommended to help with handwriting and reading,î Ehn said. Carson also needs private lessons to learn how to swim, she added.ìThe main goal of the Knights and this particular Tootsie Roll Drive is to help people with developmental disabilities, whether children or adults, and that is what the cause is for,î Gonzalez said.ìThis is our second year in existence. We are trying to grow and get more involved in the community and help them out as much as we can. That is our goal; that is what we do.îGonzalez said the organization is looking for members. Interested parties must be Catholic men registered with a Falcon area church and in good standing.
