The Corbin Rotary Club held its regular meeting on Nov. 13 with guest speaker former UK Wildcat basketball legend Jeff Sheppard from the Sheppard Family Foundation.
Sheppard began his speech by sharing exciting news about his daughter, Madison, who is expecting a baby. He announced that he and his wife, Stacey, will soon become grandparents for the first time.
Although Stacey had intended to be a speaker at the event, she was unable to attend because she traveled to Houston the night before to visit their son, Reed, playing in the Houston Rockets game.
“Everybody usually asks how Reed is doing, and he’s really doing well,” said Sheppard. “It’s a massive adjustment to be raised in London, KY, and to make a transition to the University of Kentucky and then a very quick transition away from the University of Kentucky that none of us planned on or expected. Before you know it, we look up and we’re sitting in New York City at the NBA draft and he’s getting his name called and walking across the stage.”
Sheppard thanked the Rotary Club members for their support of his son.
Sheppard talked about the Sheppard Family Foundation, a nonprofit he and his family had been preparing to launch in August, but after seeing the destruction and the number of families displaced from the tornado in May of this year, the Sheppard family pushed their plans forward to begin providing immediate relief.
“Since that moment until today, we have seen an outpouring of support from folks locally, regionally, and nationally,” said Sheppard.
Sheppard described the “power of together,” crediting local churches, volunteers, and community groups for their quick response.
He also shared how the foundation partnered with businesses and used matching programs to stretch donations.
A $40,000 contribution from University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope and his team grew significantly after being matched locally and then again through the NBA’s nonprofit matching system.
“It’s been really neat to be able to be a small part of the rebuild of the community and offer financial resources, but more importantly, to offer some hope,” said Sheppard. “That’s what the foundation has been able to do.”
The foundation plans to continue supporting tornado survivors and to host future back-to-school and Christmas outreach events.
He closed with a story about running his first youth basketball camp and learning a lesson from a young player, that “words don’t mean anything unless your life lines up with them.”
He thanked Rotary members for being people whose actions match their commitment to service.
To learn about the Sheppard Family Foundation or donate to its cause, visit https://thesheppardfamilyfoundation.org.
