John Calipari will tour the state next week signing autographs for tornado relief

Remember that statewide tornado relief tour that John Calipari teased last month? It’s happening next week. Starting Tuesday, John Calipari will travel to Kroger locations across the state to sign autographs, take pictures, and give fans an opportunity to donate to the victims of December’s deadly tornadoes in Western Kentucky. The tour will stop in Louisville, London, Somerset, Georgetown, and Morehead.

“Big Blue Nation is a family and there is nothing like it,” Calipari said in a release from UK. “When one of us is hurting, we are all hurting. When the tornadoes hit western Kentucky last year, we made a commitment as a program to not forget about the recovery and to be supportive for as long as it takes for them to get back on their feet. I appreciate Kroger stepping up and partnering with us on another opportunity to provide some relief to our friends in the western part of our state.”

There will be no charge for autographs or pictures, but fans are asked to please consider donating a gift card that can be given to those in need in western Kentucky and help them with the rising cost of gas, groceries, clothing, school supplies, etc. Kroger’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation will also continue to accept donations that will go directly to local food banks.

Fans are invited to bring their own item to be autographed, but a limited number of special edition posters, designed specifically for this Kroger tour, will be available on-site, free of charge:

Fans encouraged to sign Calipari’s Joe B. Hall tribute program

Calipari also wants the BBN’s autographs. After Joe B. Hall’s death in January, Calipari paid tribute to the former Kentucky coach by carrying a rolled-up program in his hand when he took the court for each game. He continued the tradition for the rest of the season. As part of the tour, Calipari is inviting fans to fill the pages of his own program that he will carry with him throughout the season as a tribute to Hall and the Big Blue Nation. The program will be on-site at every Kroger location during Calipari’s stop for fans to sign.

Here are the dates, times, and locations for each stop:

Tuesday, July 12: Louisville
Kroger
12450 LaGrange Road
Louisville, Kentucky 40245
1:00pm – 2:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 13: London
Kroger
1732 West Highway 192
London, Ky 40741
1:00pm – 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 14: Georgetown
Kroger
106 Marketplace Circle
Georgetown, Ky 40324
1:00pm – 2:30 p.m.

Friday, July 15: Somerset
Kroger
50 Stonegate Center
Somerset, Ky 42501
1:00pm – 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 16: Morehead
Kroger
300 Kroger Center
Morehead, Ky 40351
12:00pm – 1:30 p.m.