Altogether, Hilltoppers with Heart spent more than 400 hours taking part in the community across the week. Over 100 student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff hosted more than 300 new friends from numerous area summer camps on the South Lawn of the WKU campus for Day of Caring alone.
WKU Volleyball Builds with Habitat for Humanity: Photo Album
Every year during the summer session, WKU Volleyball student-athletes and coaches head out to the community to team up with Habitat for Humanity and donate a few hours of sweat equity. This year, the Lady Topper squad split into two groups to put up siding and install second story beams at the Bowling Green build site on Tuesday, July 23.
SO proud of our team today! They didn't just go through the motions, they COMMITTED to the job! Special group making an impact in many ways. https://t.co/qoxtnAH8Ix
— Travis Hudson (@TravisHudsonWKU) July 24, 2019
WKU Basketball Hosts Camp Happy Days: Photo Album
In Diddle Arena on the hardwood, WKU Basketball student-athletes spent time with Camp Happy Days campers playing knockout, shooting around and even showing off some trick shots. Camp Happy Days is an opportunity for any individual ages 6-35 years old with an intellectual and/or physical disability to get out in the community and experience new things while making new friends.
Camp Happy Days spent some time with their friends on The Hill today, the guys over at @WKUBasketball! Always a highlight of the year for everyone involved! pic.twitter.com/GD5oGpvFqU
— Bowling Green KY (@CityofBGKY) July 23, 2019
Today was one of the best days of the year - our visit with @CityofBGKY's Camp Happy Days! #HilltoppersWithHeart | @PassportHealthP pic.twitter.com/fOi676R720
— WKU Hilltopper Basketball (@WKUBasketball) July 23, 2019
WKU Athletics Hosts Ninth Annual United Way Day of Caring: Photo Album
On Wednesday, July 25, WKU Athletics teamed up with US Bank and United Way to put together another highly successful Day of Caring, marking the ninth-straight year of the event. Student-athletes and coaches from WKU Men's & Women's Basketball, WKU Cheer, WKU Football, WKU Soccer and WKU Volleyball along with dozens of volunteers came together on the South Lawn to put together a special day for the hundreds of visitors.
Across four hours of activities, the volunteers from seven different Hilltopper varsity programs were stationed at different stations including volleyball, Styrofoam airplanes, hot air balloons, cheerleading, football, soccer and cornhole boards.
US Bank Family Fun Day on WKU South lawn. This event is a part of United Way's Annual Day of Caring. Catch me Live on Midday for more details! pic.twitter.com/gHbXyPB2gp
— Allie Hennard 13 News (@AllieHennard) July 24, 2019
Having an awesome time with the airplane toss at the @UnitedWay Day of Caring this morning!#HilltoppersWithHeart pic.twitter.com/Up21uY3e9X
— LadyTopperBasketball (@LadyTopperHoops) July 24, 2019
WKU Men's Basketball Pays a Visit to the Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green:
Hilltopper Basketball headed out into the community and teamed up with the WKU Police Department to spend a day with the Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green. In between all the basketball, new friendships were formed as everyone had a blast.
Our guys were pulling out all the tricks in the book to keep the ball away from some tough defenders at @BGCA_Clubs until they got the best of the birthday boy @ToluSmith1 😬😬😬 #GoTops pic.twitter.com/TfpqFjhtrc
— WKU Hilltopper Basketball (@WKUBasketball) July 26, 2019
Cpt. Bailey and PIO Tim Gray, in partnership with @WKUBasketball had a great time today having show and tell, and playing games with the fantastic kids out at the Boys & Girls Club! #wkupd#kidsinspire#communitypolicing pic.twitter.com/1cHulK4Aql
— WKU Police (@wkupd) July 27, 2019
Great to spend some time with the awesome kids at @BGCA_Clubs of Bowling Green today along with @wkupd! #GoTops#HilltoppersWithHeart | @PassportHealthP pic.twitter.com/JCDJvlBU8V
— WKU Hilltopper Basketball (@WKUBasketball) July 26, 2019
Stuff the Bus:
On Saturday, July 27, multiple WKU squads sent representatives to the 15th Annual Stuff the Bus fundraiser including WKU Baseball, Soccer, Women's Golf and Lady Topper Hoops. The Hilltopper programs donated school supplies to help provide for the local classrooms throughout Southern Kentucky.
Stuff the Bus is a community event that focuses on meeting the school supply needs of school-age children to ensure that every child starts the school year the same way. The goal is to give every child the same first day of school experience, regardless of background, home life, or economic status.
@tonyroseshow @StuffTheBusSOKY is a great cause! Great to see kids are going to be prepared for school in a couple weeks! @WKUSports pic.twitter.com/CveImaqVSA
— Adam Gary, PGA (@WKUWomensGolf) July 28, 2019
Miss any of our action volunteering at @StuffTheBusSOKY yesterday? Check out a full recap from @WNKYTV down below!
— LadyTopperBasketball (@LadyTopperHoops) July 28, 2019
We're always excited to give back to our local community here in Bowling Green!#HilltoppersWithHeart ⚪️🔴 pic.twitter.com/CnkCk6b53T
WKU Soccer Stops by Water Night at Curbside Ministries:
WKU Soccer was busy on Saturday, heading over to Water Night at Curbside Ministries following a stop by Stuff the Bus. A handful of Lady Topper Soccer student-athletes teamed up with the ministry to put on the event for refugee kids on Saturday night.
Hilltoppers With Heart Overview:Look at these @WKU_Soccer players out in the community! @chelseamoore___ @oliviastanley23 @knmulz pic.twitter.com/AADfkgbw4R
— Zach Salchli (@SoccerCoachZS) July 27, 2019
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.
