Monday Informer: Drives to provide free school supplies

Edie Schmierbach, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·3 min read

Aug. 22—School supply drives for local students are being organized by local organizations and businesses.

Supplies needed include colored pencils, markers, glue sticks, whiteboard markers and erasers.

—Functional Chiropractic Rehab, Suite 120, 1901 Madison Ave., and YWCA, 127 S. Second St., Mankato, are partnering in an effort to collect school supplies for more than 35 families.

Donations may be dropped off in boxes at either partner's location through Thursday.

Families facing financial hardship also may pick up school supplies at YWCA's Back to School Bash at 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday near Shelter 2 at Sibley Park, 900 Mound Ave. Attendees also may participate in free games, crafts and other activities.

—United Way is hosting a school supply drive at businesses throughout the region through Sept. 2 through an initiative by Greater Mankato Area United Way.

New school supplies may be donated at the following sites: Mankato Family YMCA, Snell Motors, Store It, all in Mankato; North Mankato Taylor Library; Lake Crystal Area Rec Center; Maggie J's in Mapleton; Jay Zender State Farm in St. Peter; Thrivent in Waseca; Frandsen Bank in Waterville.

Players needed for benefit

Team slots remain for Greater Mankato Area United Way's eighth annual Human Foosball Tournament noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 10.

The event is a benefit for United Way's 55 programs.

Event volunteers are needed throughout the day to help with tasks such as scorekeeping and refereeing.

Presented by Scheels, the 32-team tournament will be played on the 500 block of Mankato's South Front Street. The street will be blocked off between Cherry and Warren streets to make room for the tournaments four foosball courts.

Teams must have a minimum of five players. Players must be age 16 or older. Those under 18 must have parent/guardian signature.

There is no admission fee for spectators.

The registration fee is $600 per team. To register, go to: MankatoUnitedWay.org/human-foosball.

People interested in volunteering may call 345-4551 or visit: GetConnected.MankatoUnitedWay.org.

Fort Ridgely group seeking members

The Friends of Fort Ridgely plans a reorganization meeting 7 p.m. Aug. 30 in the upper picnic shelter at Fort Ridgely State Park south of Fairfax.

The meeting's purpose is to determine interest in reinvigorating the group that provides volunteer support for the park and the historic site on its grounds.

COVID-19 restrictions and other circumstances prompted the organization to go on hiatus for a few years.

For more information, contact Paula Weier at 426-8184.

Master Gardener applications available

Applications are open for the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener volunteer program.

Master Gardeners bring science-based horticulture knowledge and practices to Minnesotans and promote healthy landscapes and community.

This year training will be all online over 14 weeks. To become a Master Gardener, individuals commit to completing online training and providing 50 hours of volunteer service in their first year.

Oct. 1 is the application deadline. For more information or to apply, go to: z.umn.edu/MG_info or call 612-625-9864.

The University of Minnesota has trained thousands of Master Gardeners; each year, they contribute more than 140,000 hours of service in Minnesota communities.