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Longtime TOC volunteer eager to return to Kapalua

Smith

The Sentry Tournament of Champions always runs with the help of volunteers positioned all over the Kapalua Plantation Course.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable is Kay Smith, a 79-year-old who will be making her 10th appearance as a volunteer near the first tee when the tournament runs Jan. 4-7. She is actually making a comeback after missing last year’s event, breaking a string of nine straight.

“Last year, I had broken my ankle and had my foot in a boot and I was afraid that if I got caught in the rain I would be sunk, so I did not volunteer last year,” Smith said via phone from her home in Wisconsin.

Smith said it was her mission to get back to the event this year, especially with Sentry Insurance taking over as the title sponsor — her daughter, Stephanie Smith, is the vice president in charge of marketing and branding for Sentry.

“Steph has known about my volunteering and how much I’ve enjoyed it all these years,” Kay Smith said. “So when they were looking at doing this sort of thing, she credits the fact that my volunteering led her to propose the idea that Sentry Insurance be the sponsor for the Tournament of Champions.”

The Smiths also spend a significant amount of their year on Maui, centered around Kay’s commitment to the TOC.

“It’s the greatest,” Kay Smith said. “There’s nothing like getting up early in the morning and taking that drive from Kihei up to Kapalua. It’s beautiful, except of course when it’s raining, and then it’s interesting, too. I think the thing that is such fun is that there’s just a great team of people that I work with.”

Kay Smith has her favorite spot nailed down.

“I always have been stationed on the first hole,” she said. “My favorite spot is the crossover. That’s a great spot to be because as people come in you see people from Wisconsin, with Green Bay (Packers) and (University of Wisconsin) Badgers shirts on, which makes it fun for me.

“Interacting with the people is what I love the most. People are there to have a good time and they’re in a wonderful mood. And, of course, you couldn’t be in a more wonderful place.”

Volunteers are still needed for next month’s event.

There are various fields that perspective volunteers can be grouped, including on-course marshal, Shotlink laser operator, Shotlink walking scorer, admissions and information, on-road transportation and on-course transportation.

Registration is available at goo.gl/DGS7v8 or visit sentrytournamentofchampions.com and click volunteer.

More information is available by calling 665-9160.

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

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