Calipari telethon for hurricane victims set Sunday

Kentucky basketball Coach John Calipari announced Tuesday he was working with WKYT and the Red Cross to set up a telethon Sunday for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Sunday’s telethon “Teaming up for Texas” will air live from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on WKYT and UK/IMG affiliates, WKYT has confirmed.

“Can’t stop thinking about everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey. We’re working to partner with @WKYT and @RedCross for a telethon Sunday,” Calipari tweeted. “We will have more details later. For now, let’s keep everyone in Texas in our prayers.”

Over the years, Calipari has helped raised millions for his own Calipari Foundation and other organizations. In 2010, his telethon “Hoops for Haiti” raised more than $1 million for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Another telethon organized by Calipari in 2012 raised $1 million for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Harvey made landfall as a category 4 hurricane on Friday and has since dumped record amounts of rain in Houston and Southeast Texas over the last five days with more expected. At least 18 people have died and more than 13,000 required rescue in the Houston area and surrounding cities and counties. In all, more than 17,000 people have sought refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said.

Also Tuesday, the Kentucky equipment staff answered Houston Coach Kelvin Sampson’s call for college athletics programs to send t-shirts and shoes as part of the relief efforts.

Earlier this week, Calipari said he was checking on his players, past and present, who have ties to the Houston area, which included De’Aaron Fox, Aaron and Andrew Harrison and Marcus Camby. Freshman Jarred Vanderbilt is from Houston. His family drove to Austin, Texas, to escape the storm, Calipari said.

Sunday’s telethon will also stream live at WKYT.com.

In another relief effort announced Tuesday, the Lexington Legends are giving back $1 for each ticket issued to Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Augusta Greenjackets.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross will be at the gates to collect money as fans enter Whitaker Bank Ballpark. The Legends also will donate $5 for every Legends hit, walk, and stolen base during the doubleheader.

The video boards will be showcasing “Text HARVEY to 90999,” the “Text to Give” number for fans to make an automatic $10 donation to the American Red Cross. This code will also be featured on the video boards throughout the Red, White and Boom 2017 Music Festival taking place at Whitaker Bank Ballpark September 1-3.

This story was originally published August 30, 2017 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Calipari telethon for hurricane victims set Sunday."