BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Athletics jumped into the spring season with hearts ready to serve. Even with midterms on the horizon, the Hilltoppers still found ways to fit community service into their schedule.
WKU Football has been busy serving in the spring semester. The team has found itself helping in multiple elementary schools in the past several weeks. Quarterback Mike White spoke to some of the youngest leaders in Bowling Green at Bristow Elementary’s Leadership Luncheon. Several Hilltoppers showed up to support the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament in February at Moxley Community Center. WKU Football, Softball, Baseball and Volleyball were out in full force at Jesus Prom, a dance to celebrate those in the Bowling Green community with special needs. Athletes danced the night away with their dates at this memorable gathering.
Hilltoppers also had a great time serving and celebrating Read Across America Day, a day to honor Dr. Seuss and his love for reading. WKU Football visited elementary schools around the city along with the Kidz Club, a daycare for children who are medically fragile. After their celebration of reading, the Hilltoppers could go outside for recess and play with the kids.
In addition to WKU Football, the Hilltopper Basketball team made time to serve in the community after its season ended. A few of the players spoke encouraging words to a youth basketball league and stayed to cheer on the teams. WKU Basketball also teamed up with Lady Topper Volleyball and WKU Football to spend time with Life Skills Inc., a care service in Bowling Green supporting people with mental illness, addiction or intellectual disabilities. The squads were happy to shoot hoops in E.A. Diddle Arena, take pictures, and spend time with their friends from Life Skills Inc.
Hilltoppers With Heart, sponsored by Passport Health Plan, was founded in 2011 and is designed to give WKU student-athletes, coaches and staff the unique opportunity to make an impact in the community by volunteering time and talent with numerous organizations including United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs, local schools and many more.
Passport Health Plan is a provider-sponsored, non-profit, community-based Medicaid health plan that has been contracted with Kentucky's Cabinet for Health and Family Services to administer Medicaid benefits since 1997. Medicaid members can choose Passport to be their health care provider, and as of June 27, 2016, there are nearly 17,000 Passport members living in Region 4, which includes Warren County and the campus of Western Kentucky University.
Some Spring Community Involvement Events
-Special Olympics Basketball Game
-Special Olympics Valentine’s Day
-Curbside Ministries
-Brave Hearts, benefitting Norton Children’s Hospital
-Warren County Food Distribution
-Jesus Prom
-Harley Davidson Chili Cookoff
-Life Skills Basketball
-Upward Basketball Games
-Big Red’s Readers
