Bowling Green community mourns the loss of philanthropist Denny Wedge

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green is mourning the loss of a major figure in the philanthropic community.

Paul Wedge, better known as Denny, passed away Thursday at the age of 85. Denny was an avid donor in the Bowling Green community, including to Western Kentucky University, where the athletic advising center is named after him and his wife Carol.

However, one of the most prominent nonprofits he donated to was Kids on the Block.

Staff tell us he helped provide vans for the group to travel all across the commonwealth and perform for kids.

They also hope everyone follows in Denny’s footsteps by turning this tragedy into triumph.

“I just hope anyone watching is just reminded that bad things happen to everyone at some point in their life… and if you can somehow create a legacy or just give something back to someone and just try to… bring something good out of something really bad,” Ashley Reynolds, director of Kentucky Kids on the Block says.

She also mentioned after Mr. Wedge’s son passed away in 1989, they decided to help Kids on the Block by donating a van every few years.

Regina Pedigo, a puppeteer who we also spoke to, says without this generous donation, they wouldn’t be able to travel across the commonwealth to provide important messages to the community.