Ready for this year’s Tootsie Roll Drive are Knights Steve Sudhoff, Dave Smolen and Jerry Nelson, joined by Community Living representatives of Cardinal Services, Mark Warren and Curt Gatke. (Photo provided)

This Friday and Saturday, more than 100 local volunteers will be at Warsaw intersections and storefronts for the annual Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive. The goal is to support people with intellectual disabilities living in our community.

Volunteers collect donations and give Tootsie Rolls in exchange, routinely collecting $15,000 to $20,000 over the course of the two days. All funds support the Special Olympics of Kosciusko County and the Community Living Program of Cardinal Services.

Community Living is a residential program allowing people with disabilities to live in their own apartments or homes and participate in the community. A person receives only the level of support they require, and live as independently as they are able.

Cardinal currently supports 75 individuals in a Community Living setting. Two of these are Mark Warren and Curt Gatke.  Along with a third gentleman, they have been sharing a home in Warsaw for many years. The three men also work together at CCI Manufacturing assembling parts for Chore Time-Brock.

Recent cuts in funding have had deep and serious effects on residential programs like Community Living. The funds raised through the Tootsie Roll Drive will go directly to support people to live in our community. People like Mark and Curt.