The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

January 22, 2012

Support group for families of deployed soldiers making progress

By Robb Murray Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — A local support group for families of deployed soldiers that started up during the summer hasn’t wasted time in getting to work.

The South Central Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network launched in July with the goal of helping families in Blue Earth, Le Sueur and Nicollet counties. Since launching, they’ve come to the aid of a dozen families in need.

Come March, group organizer Matt Little said, they’re planning on a visit from Gov. Mark Dayton to come and officially recognize the group as a military support organization.

Little, who owns Buster’s Bar in Mankato, said the help they’ve been able to give to families missing a key member due to military service has varied widely.

In one case, a family had a hole in their roof and the group was able to find a contractor who would do it for cost. In Eagle Lake, a mother of twins who lives just shy of the school district’s limit for getting school bus service was going to have to pay roughly $1,000 to have a bus pick up her kindergartners. The group got the bus company to donate half the cost of the busing. Another woman needed costly repair work done to her car, and the group got the mechanic to do it for cost.

Little said the mayors of both Mankato and North Mankato have been supportive, as have members of county boards in the counties they serve. And at a fundraising golf event last summer, the group collected a $5,000 donation from Tee it Up For the Troops.

He also said they’re hoping to make better inroads with the school districts. But overall he’s happy with the group’s progress.

“We’re about 75 percent where we want to go,” he said. “We’re missing a few components, but we’re piecing it together right now.”

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