Olive steps down from MRA position
Jane Olive has been president of the Mantorville Restoration Association (MRA) for almost ten years before deciding to step down this year.
Olive became involved with MRA in the early 2000’s because of her husband John Olive who was already a part of the association when she moved to town.
When Olive first started dating John, she didn’t know how to get to Mantorville. “I lived in Rochester,” she said. “I said to my dad ‘I’ve been invited out to Mantorville, how do I get there?’” After stopping at someone’s house for directions, she found her way.
The first time Olive and her daughter really met anyone in Mantorville was when there was an ad in the DCI looking for actors for a Christmas show. “We went down to audition and we ended up in the play,” Olive said. “That was kind of the beginning of getting involved a little bit.”
Olive has been in several melodramas since, the most recent production she starred in was “Nutcracker’s Nuts.”
In 2005, Olive spearheaded redecorating the inside of the opera house through MRA. “I like the opera house,” she said. “I think it’s because I’ve spent more time in there because I’ve acted in there and also because I painted every square inch of it on the inside.”
Olive became the president of MRA in 2015. “Right after I became president we donated all the tools for robotics at K-M,” she said. “We try to keep the schools and the youth activities in mind when we’re asked for donations.”
MRA fundraises through events such as the Mulligan Stew and Merry Hour, while also having charitable gambling and bingo.
The Mulligan Stew takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and Merry Hour is sometime in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both events partner with the Hubbell House.
All of the proceeds from the fundraisers goes towards keeping six buildings running and other donations for the schools and theater.
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