Olive Garden donates $1000 toward Brother/Sister

The program that brings adult mentors into the lives of children in the Mankato area grew $1000 richer Thursday, Feb. 25 with a gift from the Olive Garden in Mankato.

Olive Garden General Manager Rise' Rapier Wheeler presented the gift to Mankato Family YMCA Executive Director John Kind and the Y's Brother/Sister program coordinator Cheryl Hamond at an Olive Garden luncheon.

"This gift goes a long way toward helping strengthen our Brother/Sister program," Kind said, adding that the program remains in need of adult males to serve as mentors.

The program pairs children in the community with adult volunteers who agree to spend a few hours in healthy social activities with the kids.

"The need is out there for positive role models," Hamond said. "We're grateful that we have good neighbors such as Olive Garden to keep momentum going for kids who need it."