MANKATO — Jake Ward from Forward Minded Media leaps out of his seat, yellow bandana adorning his head, and shouts and cheers his way up to the stage. It’s a scene any regular watcher of “The Price is Right” knows well, but there is no Bob Barker or Drew Carey up front.
Instead, Ward ran up, shook the hand of Jeff “Stunt Monkey” Lang and joined his team. It was all part of the United Way’s 2026 campaign kickoff.
“We raise money to support the lives of those in need in Blue Earth, Nicollet, Waseca and Le Sueur County, through basic needs, health and education,” said Barb Kaus, the CEO of the Greater Mankato Area United Way.
Those funds are raised through their yearly campaigns, the 2026 version of which kicked off Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic Health Systems Event Center, and go to support more than 70 programs across the four counties including Bethlehem Inn of Waseca, Connections Ministry in Mankato and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.
But for this event, the focus was on raising funds as the United Way gathered the community for a fun afternoon filled with community leaders playing versions of game shows, including “The Price is Right” and “Family Feud.”
“It’s just fun. It was great. You know, you feel a little, a little pressure, a little competitiveness to win, but at the same time, you know, it’s like really just for fun and to support a great cause,” said Dain Fisher, one of the game show contestants and owner of Coldwell Banker Commercial Fisher Group.
Fisher said one of his favorite parts of the event was just seeing all the community support that was given to the United Way.
“It’s always pretty humbling to see our community come out and support causes like this and support the United Way, since they’re just such a big part of giving back in our community,” Fisher said.
“It didn’t surprise me that there was a full house, but at the same time, it’s very humbling to see all the people.”
That support is more important now than it has ever been before, Kaus said, as the United Way looks to increase their fundraising goal from last year’s campaign.
“Our goal this year, what we’re raising for 2026, is $100,000 more than last year’s goal because the need is rising,” Kaus said, speaking about the $2,450,000 goal. “(That need) is coming from all aspects of health and education.”
As of their kickoff, the United Way had raised around 20% of that goal, according to a fundraising sign at the event.
The need for additional support was something recognized by everyone at the event, not just those participating in the game show.
“United Way is doing so many good things around our community, and a strong community means so much to me, and so I wanted to come out here and support,” Eric Boelter said.
He works at Community Bank and is a member of the United Way board, and Boelter said that community support has always been there, and it’s something that has kept the United Way going ever since they began as the Mankato Community Chest back in 1931.
Even with that support, however, he notes the work isn’t done.
“United Way has a big goal every year to help support our community in such a great way. … And this year we have so many organizations that come in that want to help,” he said.
“There’s more money that we need to raise to help our community. We’re probably going to be able to raise (it), but we have to keep raising the bar and trying to help new people.”
This year, to help raise that money, the United Way is selling large puzzle pieces, which Kaus said symbolizes the idea that the community and United Way are “united” in working together to provide help where it’s needed the most.
It’s a sentiment Tonya Hobbie, the campaign chair for 2026, summed up in a speech to the crowd.
“These individuals and businesses, volunteers, sponsors and other supporters, we make a lasting difference,” she said. “We are stronger united.”
To learn more about the campaign or to donate, visit the Mankato United Way’s website at https://www.mankatounitedway.org/.