BOISE, Idaho —The Idaho Golf Association is excited to announce the recipient of the 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award: Karen Edwards. The VOY Award is given to individuals who go above and beyond in helping the IGA and those who participate in its services. The IGA’s volunteers are asked to do a plethora of tasks: live scoring, coordinate events, Course Rating, and more.
Edwards was a stalwart all year as she volunteered for nine of the 14 qualifiers and championships the IGA hosted this past season. If the event was in or near the Treasure Valley, she was there—that’s even including the U.S. Four-Ball Qualifier at Desert Canyon GC in Mountain Home! Edwards often worked multiple days and double shifts for many of these events. As a championship volunteer, she served as a shuttle driver and as a live scorer. Edwards gave off her time and talents in whatever capacity she served in. She also fit right in with the IGA Staff and its other volunteers.
Edwards volunteered at the following events:
-U.S. Open Local Qualifier (shuttle driver)
-U.S. Junior Qualifier (shuttle driver)
-U.S. Amateur Qualifier (live scorer)
-U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier (shuttle driver)
-U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier (live scorer)
-U.S. Four-Ball Qualifier (live scorer)
-IGA Senior Amateur Championship (live scorer)
-IGA Senior Tournament of Champions (live scorer)
-IGA Tournament of Champions (live scorer)
The IGA’s Manager of Rules & Competitions, Nicole Bird, said: “[Karen Edwards] was very deserving of the Volunteer of the Year Award for 2023. She attended most of our championships and qualifiers this year to help with live scoring, shuttle driving, and anything else we needed.”
"She's very dependable and loves chatting with all of the players to learn where they're from and how they are playing,” Bird further stated. “The players enjoy interacting with [Karen] because she's always so cheerful and helpful out on the course. We love having [her] volunteer at our events!”
Her service will continue to be of great value to the IGA for many more years to come.
The IGA would like to congratulate Edwards again on a job well done this year and express its gratitude toward her and all the other volunteers who sacrifice time away from other meaningful things in their lives to give back to the game they each love.
For those interested in volunteering next season, please send an email to Nicole Bird at nicole@idahoga.org for championships, Nicole Rutledge at nicole.r@idahoga.org for Course Rating, and Cecilia Baney at cecilia@idahoga.org for the Idaho Junior Tour.