Cullowhee, N.C. – The Western Carolina Athletics Department received a donation of 44 cases of Laura Lynn peanut butter from the Ingles Markets Sylva store on Friday afternoon as part of WCU's "Feed the Cats" Program to help feed Catamount student-athletes who have returned to campus
 
In addition to the generous donation of peanut butter, Ingles is planning to provide a meal to the Catamount football team during the coming weeks of preseason.
 
"Ingles and Western Carolina University Athletics have a relationship that is much greater than being there on game day," said Melissa Leavell, Director of Advertising, Ingles Markets. "It is about coming together to help the student-athletes, coaches, and their entire support team with the extras Ingles can provide. Ingles is happy to help," said Leavell.
 
The "Feed the Cats" program provides supplemental nutrition to WCU student-athletes throughout the year and during the summer months when many of WCU student-athletes condition in Cullowhee. Providing healthy nutrition options is vital to the success of each of WCU's programs. Of WCU's 350 student-athletes across its 16 sponsored sports, more than 100 that have NCAA permissible summer access – including football, men's and women's basketball – returned to campus earlier this month.
 
"Snacks such as peanut butter are a great recovery tool for our student-athletes and we are, again, thankful for the donation from Ingles," said Western Carolina Director of Athletic Performance Evan Barr.
 
Barr and his athletic performance staff in conjunction with Ingles have provided the "Motivation Monday" online at CatamountSports.com during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering at-home workouts and healthy eating tips for WCU fans. Catamount ninth-year head football coach Mark Speir echoed Barr's sentiments on Friday afternoon.
 
"We greatly appreciate our partnership with Ingles and all that they do for the Catamounts from our student-athletes through to the Catamount Nation. Their generosity through today's donation and also providing our football team a high-quality meal this preseason means so much to me, our program, and our entire department," said Speir.
 
Western Carolina football officially opens preseason fall camp on Wednesday, Aug. 5 in Cullowhee ahead of the Thursday night, Sept. 3 season-opener at OVC-member, Eastern Kentucky. Season tickets for all five WCU home football games in 2020 are on sale now through the WCU Athletics Ticket office and are available online at CatamountSports.com, or by phone at (800) 34-GOWCU or (828) 227-2401, Monday through Friday 9 am thru 5 pm. WCU's Priority II ticketing deadline for renewing or purchasing new season tickets is TODAY (Friday, July 31).
 
Ingles Markets is a leading supermarket chain operating in six Southeastern States. With 197 stores in operation, Ingles is headquartered in Asheville, N.C. The company's Class A stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market's Global Market, under the symbol IMKTA. For more information, visit the Ingles website at www.ingles-markets.com.