By LARRY VAUGHT
Last week’s “Kentucky United for Tornado Relief” telethon put together by UK Athletics and WLEX-TV raised over $4 million to benefit victims of the tornadoes that devastated much of Western Kentucky.
Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari has helped organize other charity telethons and was a driving force behind this one. He was especially proud that some of his former players, including many not from Kentucky, donated to help others.
“My guess is when it’s said and done, 25 of them will have given money, and it’s probably a quarter million dollars or more,” Calipari said after the telethon. “I think right now – I didn’t look at the list – but I think it’s about 16 or 17 right now.
“But others have hit me, ‘I’m absolutely in.’ It’s going to end up being 25. And some of them may do it. You know, Jamal (Murray) wasn’t even from this country and he’s like, ‘I’m a part of Kentucky. That’s part of who I am.’”
Several anonymous donors matched funds pledged to the telethon. Calipari said the total devastation in western Kentucky made everyone contemplate what could have happened if the tornado hit their hometown.
“I think that’s why people said, ‘Let’s help. Let’s do this.’ The people that, the matching donors, I just can’t thank them enough. If they want recognition, they will be, but most of them don’t. They don’t,” Calipari said.
Every UK head coach who was in Lexington for the telethon volunteered his or her time — along with athletes even though it was exam week — to take telephone calls that continued even after the event went off the air.
Softball coach Rachel Lawson considered herself lucky to be helping by answering calls to take donations during the telethon.
“I’m grateful for the chance to help in any way,” Lawson said. “So many people need help and this is one small way that myself and other coaches and athletes can help.”
On Saturday, Kentucky football players Will Levis, Wan’Dale Robinson, Josh Paschal and Chris Rodriguez signed autographs at KSBar in Lexington.
Levis, UK’s quarterback, posted on Twitter that $20,000 was raised for tornado relief.
On Sunday, Calipari and former UK players Jack Givens and Darius Miller along with Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman were in western Kentucky helping deliver 10,000 pairs of shoes provided by Manny Olhome and Samaritans Feet for tornado survivors.
Calipari said he would have liked to have brought his team with him to western Kentucky but did not because of COVID concerns.