Knights of Columbus releases fundraiser totals

Pella's Knights of Columbus recently handed off their last donation check, and with that, they also released their total fundraised dollars for the Campaign for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities.

The total fundraised was 20,304, which has been donated to the Pella Community and Pella Christian special education departments, the Christian Opportunity Center and the Special Olympics.

All the checks have been hand delivered, with the last check being presented to the Pella Community School District special education department during a home basketball game on Friday, Jan. 5.

The fundraiser began in August with a week-long telethon, where the Knights of Columbus called Pella area businesses for the campaign. Donations were collected outside of Walmart, Hy-Vee and Fareway as volunteers and local sports teams handed out Tootsie Rolls in exchange for donations toward the campaign.

"We fundraised into September and into October," said Joe Lickteig, member of the Knights of Columbus and one of the coordinators for the fundraiser. "This last fall was our 19th year participating in the campaign."

The next Campaign for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities will begin around the first week of the 2018-19 school year.