Amber Hovland, the volunteer coordinator for the event, says, “The 3M Championship would never be possible without all of our awesome volunteers every year. We have about 1,200 volunteers that put in endless hours of work before, during, and after the tournament.” Tournament organizers are always looking for more volunteers and have jobs for almost everyone. Hovland mentions, “The volunteers usually range in ages from 12 to, I think we have a 94-year-old, is the oldest this year. So we try to fit with whatever we can, whether or not you can walk well, you can be out on the course or perhaps driving the shuttles carts to and from the driving range. We have opportunities inside with player hospitality.” Many volunteers come back year after year – in fact some have been working at the tournament since its inception 23 years ago. “We have volunteers that have been here for 23 years. When the tournament was back at Bunker Hills, and I think one of the big things is just the camaraderie between everyone; we’re like a family for this week.” Hovland adds, “They’re here and it’s always something that everyone looks forward to every year.” Ron is one of those long time volunteers. 23 years ago he got assigned to volunteer in the media tent and over the years he has done a little bit of everything. Ron says, “I’m just kind of a do-everything kind of guy. With the media tent, our main objective is to cater to the media and keep them happy- radio, TV, whatever newspapers. And sometimes there are needs to take people out onto the course to certain places to interview certain players and they have certain assignments sometimes.” One year they asked Ron to caddie during one of the pro-am events. Little did he know that he would be carrying clubs for one of the most famous Minnesotans. Ron continues, “Like I said, they asked me to do all kinds of things. They asked me to caddy one year for Jesse Ventura in the tournament. So actually that was interesting.” Ron really enjoys how volunteering at the tournament allows him to see the event from a different perspective than the average fan. “You see things in a whole different light and there are so many different things to do. I’ve been part of the media tent for all those 23 years. Yet, there are other positions that are equally exciting and a lot of fun things and other things that are equally exciting; and a lot fun things and get to, a lot of times, meet the players right up front and personal. Whereas a normal spectator you don’t always get that opportunity.” You can learn more about the tournament’s volunteer program here.
3M Championship Volunteers in the Spotlight
BLAINE, Minn. – (July 30, 2015) – They stopped keeping an official attendance record for the 3M Championship several years ago, but more than 100,000 people are expected on the grounds of the TPC in Blaine this week. To run an event of that size, it truly takes an army of volunteers.
