UK Athletics hosting ‘Kentucky United for Tornado Relief’ telethon on WLEX on Tuesday
A telethon to raise funds to help victims of the tornadoes that hit western Kentucky will be held Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m., UK announced Monday.
Titled “Kentucky United for Tornado Relief,” the telethon will donate proceeds to the American Red Cross, UK said.
The telethon will be held in the Kroger Field Recruiting Room beginning at 4 p.m., with live spots intermingled with regular programming. The telethon will be broadcast fully on WLEX-18 during the 7-8 p.m. hour.
UK coaches and athletes will be guests throughout the event.
After Kentucky’s men’s basketball game at Notre Dame on Saturday night, Coach John Calipari said a telethon was in the planning stages.
“My team is looking forward to taking your calls Tuesday, and I know the entire athletic department is, too,” Calipari tweeted Tuesday. “Coaches, athletes and everyone from @UKAthletics want to be a part of this, and I hope — no matter what the donation is — you can be a part of it, too.
“Our sole focus the last 24 hours has been on putting something together to provide immediate aid.”
Donations can be made by calling (833) 510-0030 from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday or online at https://redcross.org/donate/cm/wlextv-pub.html or by mailing a check to:
American Red Cross
Attn: Kentucky Tornadoes
1450 Newtown Pike
Lexington, KY 40511
Donations are now being accepted online and quickly totaled more than $20,000 shortly after the site was announced.
Calipari led a telethon to raise funds after an earthquake hit Haiti in 2010 and again when flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 did extensive damage in the Houston area.
As with those efforts, “we will match any money raised from the telethon,” Calipari tweeted.
Mayfield, Ky., was especially hard hit with reports of numerous deaths.
“If it wasn’t that far, we’d probably take a drive out there,” Calipari said after Kentucky’s game at Notre Dame on Saturday.. “But it’s a little far for them at this point when they have finals and stuff going on.”
Another fundraiser
UK quarterback Will Levis is organizing an autograph and photo fundraiser. All proceeds will be donated to tornado relief in western Kentucky.
Several football players and possibly men’s basketball players are expected to participate.
This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 12:49 PM.
