My Happy Place - Mankato

04/09/2026

Spring is here and we would love to be able to give someone a Happy Place!! Please message, applying on our website or email at [email protected] with questions.

Meet Steve KretschMy name is Steve Kretsch and I am married to my wife, Alissa. We adopted three wonderful, busy children: Ariana (11), Ryder(7), and Skylar (2). I have been a detailer at Mike’s Collision for twenty years. For a few years now, I have been going to doctors with what I thought was a...

01/15/2026

https://myhappyplaces.org/mhp-mankato-mn/

Applications are working. We are excited to create makeovers in 2026. Please share to help us spread the word.

We are looking for someone with a serious illness in the Mankato/North Mankato area that would benefit from a room makeover. Our goal is to provide a happy space for them during treatments.

Meet Steve KretschMy name is Steve Kretsch and I am married to my wife, Alissa. We adopted three wonderful, busy children: Ariana (11), Ryder(7), and Skylar (2). I have been a detailer at Mike’s Collision for twenty years. For a few years now, I have been going to doctors with what I thought was a...

12/16/2025

As this year comes to an end we want to send Huge Thank yous to all the businesses and individuals who supported My Happy Place in 2025. Your donations allow us to continue to create makeovers for our recipients. Rooms and Rest Furniture and Mattress, Inspired Portrait Photography, Ploog Electric, Circle Inn Bar - North Mankato, Smell the Roses Photography, Design Home Center, Simply Beautiful Homes, LLC, Rickway Carpet, Rayn Photography, Steve Eichberger, Katie Enggren, Holly Johnson, Larry Gluth, Sharon Staples Hohertz, Karin Ambros-Ward, Window World of Southern Minnesota, Holiday Inn Express, Caitlin Albertson, Angie Kimes, Tracy Zins and others I may have missed. We are always grateful for any support.

09/12/2025

We recently discovered a technical issue with the My Happy Place website forms. Unfortunately, it appears that submissions, most importantly, applications, have not been coming through as expected.

Our website developer is working to resolve the problem. In the meantime, if you have submitted an application and have not received a response, please contact me directly. I will send you a form via email to ensure your application is received. [email protected].

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your understanding as we work to correct the issue.

05/25/2025

Huge Thank you to all who helped create a wonderful Happy Place for Steven and his family. Ploog Electric, Rooms and Rest Furniture and Mattress, Design Home Center, Rayn Photography, Steve Eichberger, Katie Enggren, Holly Johnson, Larry Gluth and all the donators and volunteers we are so grateful.

05/12/2025

Makeover week is here!!! So excited to see how it all turns out. Thank you to all the community support. Rooms and Rest Furniture and Mattress, Ploog Electric, Rayn photography, Design Home Center in New Ulm, Steve Eichberger, Katie Enggren!

04/22/2025

https://myhappyplaces.org/donations/donation-form-steve-kretsch/

We are happy to report we were able to secure community support of volunteers and businesses to go a bit out of our area. Volunteers and donations are how we are able to create Happy Places! Please see our next recipient’s story below:

My name is Steve Kretsch and I am married to my wife, Alissa. We adopted three wonderful, busy children: Ariana (11), Ryder(7), and Skylar (2). I have been a detailer at Mike’s Collision for twenty years. For a few years now, I have been going to doctors with what I thought was a blockage in my intestine. I had a blockage years ago and the symptoms were somewhat similar. It wasn’t until I got a colonoscopy in October 2024 that we found out why. On November 20, 2024, we received the news that no one wants to hear. I had stage 3 re**al cancer.

I began chemo on Christmas Eve Day. My second treatment was on my 60th Birthday. After six more treatments(which I received through my port and was given a chemo pump to take home for 46 hours after each treatment) I was then given a month off from any sort of treatment.

April 15th, I began radiation with oral chemo. I will be getting 25 straight weekdays of this treatment. The hope is, that when the radiation is finished, I will be able to avoid surgery by doing a watch and wait. This means that I will have frequent checkups and scans for the foreseeable future.

Cancer hasn’t been all bad (don’t get me wrong, its no walk in the park). It has made our family stronger and more sensitive.

We are very excited to be getting a bedroom makeover from My Happy Place.

03/24/2025

We are still really hoping to help the New Ulm recipient. It hurts our hearts when we have to pass on doing makeovers due to lack of volunteers. Please let us know if you are able to help with a New Ulm bedroom makeover. Makeover week could be April-May. Whichever works in your schedule. Message or email at [email protected]

We need a Designer! Please Help My Happy Place with our next recipient request. We have a need in New Ulm and would love to find a local designer to allow us to help someone a bit out of our area.

03/10/2025

We need a Designer! Please Help My Happy Place with our next recipient request. We have a need in New Ulm and would love to find a local designer to allow us to help someone a bit out of our area.

03/02/2025

https://myhappyplaces.org/donations/donation-form-mary-jane-hollerich/

Mary Jane and family loved their new family room makeover! Simply Beautiful Homes, LLC went above and beyond our expectations with the custom fireplace and bar. Also Rooms and Rest Furniture and Mattress with another extremely generous furniture donation. Big thanks as well to Ploog Electric, Inspired Portrait Photography, Rickway Carpet for all their amazing help they provided to bring a Happy Place for the Hollerich family.

03/01/2025

Thank you for all your support Sherry with your talent to capture memories at Inspired Portrait Photography. Can’t wait to see them displayed at the reveal tomorrow.