The volunteer who flies the flag higher, longer, more diligently and with more verve than virtually anyone else has been accorded the high honor of being named the 2018 Dr. John Proos Volunteer of the Year following a spectacular Championship run at the 79th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores.
At the conclusion of Sunday’s Championship, the PGA of America named Regina Ciaravino from St. Joseph as the recipient of the 2018 Dr. John Proos Volunteer of the Year Award. Ciaravino served as a committee chair for the Championship Office volunteer committee and was selected for the award by the 2018 Championship Executive Committee, led by General Chair Sam Abdelnour. She was selected from the 1,700 individuals who served as volunteers for this year’s Championship, many of whom were serving as four-time volunteers at Harbor Shores.
General Chair Abdelnour says, “Regina went above and beyond the traditional description of a Championship volunteer, and has done so every year she volunteered at Harbor Shores.” He notes, “Months before the Championship began, Regina took control of all volunteer communications and found a way to rally an army of 1,700 volunteers from around the country. She sat at the right hand of the PGA Volunteer Operations Manager for two weeks prior to the Championship and put in tireless hours to make sure the team was prepared for success. Her efforts were, and continue to be, immeasurable.”
A four-time volunteer at Harbor Shores, Ciaravino was nominated by the executive committee for her proactive leadership, her dedicated work ethic and unwavering commitment to her volunteer position. Over the past year, Ciaravino assumed responsibility for all volunteer communications by managing the official Championship Volunteers Facebook page. She kept volunteers informed and engaged and served as an extension of the PGA of America Championship team. Her volunteer shift was much longer than most as she began working with the PGA on May 14, one full week ahead of typical volunteer positions, and clocked more than 100 total hours throughout the month of May. She was a steady presence in volunteer headquarters and remained on-site at Harbor Shores for more than 10 hours a day.
Representatives from the PGA of America and KitchenAid named Ciaravino with the award on Sunday, May 27, during the Champion’s Toast following the conclusion of the Championship. For her efforts, Ciaravino will receive a signed pin flag plaque signed by 2018 Champion Paul Broadhurst, along with a volunteer experience and accommodations to the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. She will also receive pass holder privileges at Harbor Shores for the 2018 season, which includes unlimited golf and use of the practice facility, a 15-percent discount on merchandise and a 10-percent discount on food at The Grille at Harbor Shores.
The PGA of America will begin accepting volunteer applications for the 2020 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at SrPGA.com in early 2019. At the conclusion of the 2018 Championship, 1,000 individuals have already registered to volunteer locally when the event returns to Harbor Shores for the 2020 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
