In late August the Kansas Wesleyan University Athletic Department hosted the eighth annual Night with the Yotes fundraising event.

According to KWU, the event at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center set a new high mark for gross funds raised surpassing the record total set in 2017.

Night with the Yotes welcomed over 650 guests and raised over $116,000 in funds that will directly benefit student-athletes at Kansas Wesleyan.

“I continued to be inspired by the great support of the Salina community for Kansas Wesleyan University, as illustrated by the generous donors and supportive patrons of this event,” said Mike Hermann, vice president and director of athletics. “Nearly every business in Salina contributes in some way to this event. I also appreciate the good work of our advisory committee, which includes community supporters, alumni plus athletics and university staff members.”

Part of the funds raised will go directly towards offsetting the costs of the lease of a new 37-passenger bus to transport student-athletes safely and comfortably to competitions. Over $19,000 was generated toward the bus.

Kent Lambert (’72) was the recipient of the Gerald Lilly Award at this year’s Night with the Yotes event. Lambert has provided tireless support to Kansas Wesleyan during his life. He graduated from KWU and played golf for the Coyotes, and has never stopped being one of the top supporters of the Coyotes. He has served on many committees at KWU, including committees to support the construction of the Kansas Wesleyan Student Activities Center and the Graves Family Sports Complex. He has also served on the KWU Board of Trustees and the KWU Foundation Board. He is currently a Trustee Emeritus.

First held in 2011, Night with the Yotes serves as a key fundraising event for KWU Athletics. In addition to offsetting the cost of meals during breaks when the dining hall is closed, the funds also help to offset expenses such as equipment purchases, facility enhancements and providing an outstanding experience for Coyote student-athletes.