One of the keys to the success of the big sporting events here in the Coachella Valley is the ability to attract top-notch volunteers. It is a not-so-secret fact that without volunteers, these tournaments would grind to a halt. After all, volunteers are the people work in the trenches and help with everything from parking to general information.
Meet Ellen Roy. She’s an Indian Wells resident who will begin her 20th year of volunteering this week at the local PGA Tour event, now known as the CareerBuilder Challenge, taking place Jan. 19-22. One of Ellen’s jobs is to keep a walking scoreboard, which allows fans to see the tournament leaderboard. The grandmother of four says she does it to help the community—and to meet new people, too.
“I consider many of the volunteers my friends,” she says. “We share the same interest in golf, and I have known some of these people for many years. If you are new to the valley and sitting around feeling lonely, this is a great way to get out of the house and meet some new people.”
Ellen is also competing in PGA Tour Volunteer Challenge. The winner can get up to $10,000 for the charity of their choosing. Roy—along with three other volunteers—is supporting the Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley.
“I have been very fortunate in my life, and I want to pay it forward,” she said. “Two of my grandchildren lost their father when they were young, and they spent a lot of time at the Boys and Girls Club, so I know firsthand how valuable the clubs are. They do marvelous work locally, especially in the East Valley.”
People can vote for Ellen’s team—or for the CareerBuilder Challenge volunteers as a whole—at PGATour.com/volunteer.
Steve Kelly can be reached at svericker12@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @skellynj.
