Sentry Tournament of Champions generates $345K for charity

Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii – More than a dozen Maui nonprofit organizations benefited from the 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions. Checks totaling more than $345,000 were presented to the charities today at Hale Makua Health Services in Kahului.

Sentry Insurance Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, Stephanie Smith, joined by Sentry Tournament of Champions officials and nonprofit representatives, announced that $345,870 was distributed to the community organizations.

“What makes the Sentry Tournament of Champions truly special is this community that we play in, and the people that make this event the success that it is, from our sponsors, to our fans and volunteers, to everyone here today and in the Maui community,” said Alex Urban, executive director of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. “This event has such a profound impact, and we take pride in our ability to support these local organizations that help the island of Maui in so many impactful ways.”

With this year’s donations, the tournament has generated more than $6.6 million for community charities since it moved to Maui in 1999.

The designated beneficiaries of the 2019 event were:

• Boy Scouts of America

• Friends of the Children’s Justice Center

• Hale Makua Health Services

• J. Walter Cameron Center

• Ka Lima O Maui

• Lahainaluna High School Foundation

As part of their relationship with the tournament, these designated beneficiaries assisted in promoting the event, offsetting costs, providing volunteers and much more.

New this year, Sentry Insurance announced two significant charitable donations to the Maui community. In January, the company donated $25,000 to Maui United Way, an organization helping to address Maui’s most vital needs through the impact areas of education, income (sustainability) and health.

“Giving back to the community is deeply ingrained in Sentry’s culture,” said Pete McPartland, chairman of the board, president and CEO of Sentry. “Even though Maui is one of the most beautiful places on earth, there are many people here who need help and support. This is Sentry’s way of helping to take care of the community that has taken such good care of us the past few years.”

To further their year-round presence in Maui, Sentry Insurance implemented a scholarship program for Maui public high school students—up to a dozen per year—to attend the University of Hawaii and its affiliated Hawaii Community Colleges. The scholarship program is designed to promote local workforce development.

In support of introducing the game of golf to Hawaii’s youth, donations were also made to Hawaii State Jr. Golf Association, Maui Jr. Golf, Lahaina Jr. Golf and Spare for Change, which offered custom fitted clubs to kids free of charge at this year’s tournament.

Several other local nonprofits also benefitted from the tournament through its Golf for Maui Charities program, which gave 501(c)(3) organizations the opportunity to promote the sale of tickets to this year’s tournament and receive 100 percent of the net proceeds.

As a thank you to Chris Berman, who lives on Maui for much of the year, for his assistance in promoting the Sentry Tournament of Champions, donations were also made to the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury, Connecticut, a favorite charity of Berman’s late wife.

The tournament also made a donation to Friends of the Pu’u Kukui Watershed Preserve, to help support their important environmental work that benefits all of Maui.

The 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions returns to The Plantation Course at Kapalua from January 1–5, 2020. All four competitive rounds will be broadcast on GOLF Channel. Fans are encouraged to follow the tournament on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get updates and a behind-the-scenes look at the tournament preparations.