A tale of two communities: Maui and Stevens Point

While short sleeves and sun hats are standard attire at The Sentry, parkas and knit stocking caps are common outdoors in January in central Wisconsin, site of our home office and where about half of our associates live.

Climate differences aside, among the things we at Sentry love about Maui are the cultural similarities the island community shares with Stevens Point and the rest of central Wisconsin—we're alike enough to feel comfortably among family when we visit.

With deep agricultural roots, Maui and Wisconsin are largely rural. We share an understanding that conserving natural resources is vital to health and future prosperity.

We both offer:

• Local, sustainable, farm-to-table initiatives and restaurants

• Numerous farming operations for important agricultural products (dairy, corn, and soy in Wisconsin; sugar cane, coffee, and pineapple in Maui)

• Educational tracks—at the universities of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and Hawai‘i Maui College—designed to teach sustainability and how to balance natural resources with human needs

Communities flourish when we embrace the unique creative spirit of our local artists through educational opportunities that enrich the lives of locals and tourists alike. Community-supported venues and organizations that put special emphasis on local art in similar ways include:

• On Maui, the Maui Arts League, Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Maui Academy of Performing Arts, Maui OnStage and the Historic lao Theatre, and Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center

• In Stevens Point, the Annette and Dale Schuh Riverfront Arts Center, Gallery Q artists cooperative, Smith Scarabocchio Art Museum, Edna Carlsten Art Gallery, and Stevens Point Sculpture Park

Our communities are known for great golf courses with distinctive beauty and playability. Traveling players put them on destination golf lists. At Sentry, we’re proud to be affiliated with two championship-level courses:

• The Plantation Course, where PGA TOUR professionals play The Sentry.

• SentryWorld^® in Stevens Point, where we hosted the USGA U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in 2019, and the USGA U.S. Senior Open in 2023.

Being title sponsor of a signature event on the PGA TOUR on Maui provides us an opportunity to shed our snow boots in winter. It lets us join together in the love of the sport and extend the scope of our charity—and the Sentry community—to a special place. Maui, despite its many differences when compared to central Wisconsin, still feels very much like home. Or, as they say on Maui, “hale.”

See how students on Maui and in Stevens Point came together to provide artwork for face coverings at last year’s edition of The Sentry. As you dive deeper, learn more about our connection to golf and how it makes a difference.