17th annual event features keynote on creating change together

Mankato — Registration is open for Greater Mankato Area United Way’s 17th annual Women with Heart Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, August 5 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

Individual tickets are $40; table of 8 is $300. Call United Way at 507-345-4551 or register online at www.mankatounitedway.org/women-heart.

Presented by Pioneer Bank, this year’s luncheon features a keynote by leadership development coach Jolly Corley, M.S. on the theme of “Together We Rise.”

The event includes lunch, door prizes and powerful discussion as women unite to make a difference.

The 2026 Women with Heart chair is Jen Wendland of Exclusively Diamonds.

Further opportunities for discussion and connection include the returning Pre-Event Social from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Civic Center lobby and the annual After Party from 1 to 3 p.m. at Number 4.

Support of Women with Heart attendees is vital to Greater Mankato Area United Way’s campaign, which launches in Mankato on Tuesday, July 28 with a community kickoff & 95th anniversary celebration event from 4 to 6 p.m. at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. A ribbon-cutting ceremony by GMG Ambassadors will take place at 3:45 p.m. before the Kickoff event.

Last year, Women with Heart had more than 800 women attend, pledging a record of over $300,000 to the campaign. Greater Mankato Area United Way’s 2027 campaign goal is $2,500,000 to support 75 programs and initiatives serving more than 65,000 people in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet and Waseca counties.