There are plenty of stars on the practice tee and on the green, but you probably don’t know the names of the real stars at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell.
They are the men and women who love golf, and are taking time out of their schedules to make a difference
“Everyone that volunteers knows that all the hard work is going towards the charities,” said volunteer Mary Beth Russell.
Russell is one of 4,200 volunteers. She has been helping out at the championship for more than a decade because of her love for the sport and the fans, and her support of the overall mission.
“There are so many volunteers that have been here all week,” said Russell. “And they want to help out and know that their good work is going to be helping out the community.”
“Look at how beautiful it is. What a beautiful day. It’s usually raining!” said Sharon Garrison from Farmington.
The weather hasn’t cooperated for the championship in the past few years as well as it did Saturday.
And John Gould is appreciating its beauty. He’s continuing his family’s tradition by bringing his daughter just like his dad would bring him when he was young.
“Everything’s always for charity, so that’s why we support it,” said Gould.
Tournament Director Nathan Grupe says giving back is at the heart of the championship. Last year they raised close to 1.2 million dollars and supported more than 100 charities across Connecticut and New England.
“The more people volunteer, the more we can do that, the more sponsors will come out. The more money we can raise,” said Grupe. “So, we try to be very open about what we’re doing”
They’re raising green on the green and making a difference right in our backyard.
Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut