Most people’s opinion of a playboy playmate is a hot chick from California, not a modest Midwestern girl from Northeast Ohio.

Miss March 2004, Playboy Playmate Sandra Hubby, recently visited Kent to host a charity event for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Portage County.

After graduating from Norton High School in 1998, Hubby modeled for various agencies, and challenged herself to try out for Playboy at the 50th anniversary search in Cleveland.

“I went up to see if I could do it,” Hubby said. “I wanted to test myself, and I got lucky. Hef picks them out personally. I’ve met a lot of girls and thought ‘Why didn’t she get it?’ but what he says goes.”

Of course, being a Playmate has its perks, but Hubby said she doesn’t let it go to her head.

“I take lightly to things like that,” she said. “It’s fun to work with other girls and Hugh Hefner. He’s a really nice guy.”

Despite the friendliness she was greeted with, Hubby said she was nervous about working with a lot of girls.

“I was nervous about how the other girls would treat me,” she said. “They were all really nice, especially the girls in 2004.”

As Hubby sat and talked at the Bistro on Main, the question on everybody’s mind was “what is it like to do a nude photo shoot?”

“It was very comfortable,” she said. “You’d think it wouldn’t be, but it was very tasteful. You usually work with the same people every time. They do everything to make your feel comfortable. You have a photographer, hair stylist and a make-up artist and that’s it.”

When asked how her parents felt about her occupation, Hubby smirked.

“My mom was all for it,” she said. “I was nervous when my dad found out, but he was very supportive. He was easy, thank God.”

Her best friend, Tanya Thomas, said it’s great that Hubby is in Playboy.

“I’ve supported her since day one,” Thomas said. “I was thrilled because back in high school, she always said she wanted to be a Playmate.”

The support from friends and family makes Hubby’s job and traveling much easier.

Hubby has traveled all over the United States and around the world.

“I would say my favorite place was Australia,” she said. “I was only there for a short period of time, but the people there seemed very nice.”

Hubby said the mid-summer party is one of the best.

“What you see on television is really what you get,” she said. “You walk into the back yard and it’s a completely different world. There are lots of people having fun, and all the alcohol you want.”

At the mansion, Hubby said she has partied with celebrities like Fred Durst, Bruce Willis, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kelly Osbourne.

Hubby said being a Playmate is a job women really need to think about before pursuing.

“Have they thought long and hard about it first?” she asked. “Is it because you want to do it or because your boyfriend wants you to? If it’s for personal reasons, do it, but don’t do it for your boyfriend.”

Although Hubby has lived in California and traveled around the world, she said she is happy to be back at home in Norton.

“I wanted to go home because I’m very close with my family,” she said. “I don’t want to miss out on the little things; they’re the most precious moments of people’s lives.”

Thomas is also glad that her friend is home.

“She is the exact same person that I met years ago,” she said. “She still comes over wearing no make-up, jeans and a T-shirt, asking ‘Where’s the beer?'”

Although Hubby, in her 27 years has experienced a lot of publicity, she said no one should take that too seriously.

“You’re in a magazine, but you’re not Julia Roberts,” she said. “You can’t get a big head from being in a magazine, you’re just more popular.”

Contact social service reporter Katie Alberti at [email protected].