Campus News

Stay Dry With New Umbrella Loan Program UK Campus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 29, 2016) — Forget your umbrella - ella - ella?  No worries if you're on the University of Kentucky campus on a rainy day. LoanBrellas is here to keep you dry.

Some 800 umbrellas, in 80 display units have been placed in 21 locations throughout UK's campus.  They are on loan for rain emergencies.  Visit  http://uknow.uky.edu/sites/default/files/umbrella_map_2.jpg to view the locations.

LoanBrellas is the brain child of David Bertram, vice president of Campus Marketing and Digital Media for UK Sports & Campus Marketing, part of JMI Sports, which holds the multimedia contract for UK. The LoanBrellas project was developed in partnership with sponsor Coca Cola.

"JMI's role on campus is to develop sponsorship opportunities that provide meaningful benefits to students, faculty, staff and visitors to UK.  It is in that spirit that my daughter Katherine and I came up with an umbrella sharing idea," Bertram said.  "The concept is simple — if you are caught in the rain without an umbrella, then borrow one of ours, but please return it to one of 80 convenient bins around campus when you are through with it." 

"This is a practical and helpful program for the UK campus community and one that we appreciate JMI launching," said Eric Monday, executive vice president for finance and administration.

The full size umbrellas are branded with the UK LoanBrellas logo as well as that of Coca Cola. Bertram said they hope to place additional umbrellas very soon with a new sponsor, as well.   

"To the best of our knowledge, we are the first college campus to launch an umbrella sharing program," Bertram said.  "We certainly hope it becomes a permanent and successful program, but much of that depends on how well people embrace the concept and kindly return the umbrellas for the next person to use." 

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT:  Kathy Johnson, 859-257-3155, kathy.johnson@uky.edu