600 Volunteers Rake 100 Yards for Minnesota Seniors

Every fall in Mankato, Minnesota, 600 volunteers grab rakes and spend a week making sure their older neighbors don't have to worry about their yards.

Vine's annual Rake the Town event runs November 11-15, matching volunteers with homeowners age 65 and older or those with physical disabilities who need help clearing autumn leaves. The program has served the community since 1995 and has only been canceled twice: once for early snow and once for COVID-19.

Paige Schuette with Vine says about 100 yards get raked each year across Mankato, North Mankato, St. Peter, Lake Crystal and smaller communities in the area. Before assigning volunteers, Vine staff visit each home to assess yard size and tree cover so they can match the right sized group to each property.

The volunteer army includes families, church groups, businesses, community organizations and youth groups like 4-H. There's no age restriction, so everyone from kids to retirees can pitch in. Individuals can sign up solo and get paired with a group, or teams can register together and choose which neighborhood they want to help.

The event has evolved over time to serve more people. After COVID, Vine shifted from one big Saturday to a full week format. Now volunteers choose the day and time that works best for them, and Vine coordinates the schedule with homeowners.

Vine provides rakes, tarps and bags for anyone who needs them, though volunteers can bring their own equipment. Depending on city rules, leaves either get raked to the curb for vacuum pickup or bagged. Vine works directly with local municipalities to coordinate collection.

Sunny's Take

Here's what makes this program truly special: it's completely free for homeowners. Vine asks for donations to cover supplies and staff time, but no one gets turned away if they can't pay. The organization prioritizes helping neighbors over collecting fees.

The simple act of raking leaves becomes something bigger when 600 people show up to help. For older adults, it means staying safely in their homes without worrying about a task that's become too difficult. For volunteers, it's a chance to directly impact someone's life in their own community.

Anyone interested in volunteering or requesting help can visit vinevolunteers.org or call 507-387-1666.