BEE a S-T-A-R

The 15th annual “Spell-A-Round Creek County” fundraiser will be held April 13 at Freddie’s BBQ & Steakhouse to support Creek County Literacy.

Board Member Cynthia Holtwick, Executive Director Melissa Muncy, and Administrative Assistant Debbie ­Marshall invite you to Spell-A-Round Creek County.

Spelling bees have been around since the 1800s, and the first National Spelling Bee was held in 1925 (with the winning word being “gladiolus”). Bees are an exciting and fun way to contend against your peers, but are ­typically only held for children ages 6 to 14. This month, adults will have the opportunity to compete, show off their spelling skills, and support a wonderful cause at the 15th annual ­

Spell-A-Round Creek County spelling bee, benefitting the Creek County Literacy Program (CCLP). The event will be held Saturday, April 13 at 6 p.m. at Freddie’s BBQ & Steakhouse in Sapulpa and will feature dinner, a silent auction, prizes and fun for all.

    Melissa Muncy was ­appointed executive director of the Creek County Literacy Program in January, and she is excited for her first Spell-A-Round. “This event will raise funds for Creek County Literacy to continue offering free ­tutoring for adults, youth and children in Creek County,” she explains. “Businesses, ­organizations and individuals donate time and money to raise awareness of the program by ­creating two and three person teams to square off in a ­multi-round spelling bee. Last year the event raised ­approximately $10,000, and our goal this year is $15,000.”

    The cost for a team of three, which includes seating and ­dinner, team entry, and three event T-shirts, is $175. Once a team pays the entry fee, a list of about 100 words is sent to the team captain. Over 90 percent of the words from the competition are taken from this word list, so study it hard! After a delicious dinner catered by Freddie’s, teams are seated together and given a small marker board. The judge will then give the same word to all teams, who will write the word on the marker board. One point for each correct letter is awarded, and once a wrong ­letter is written, the rest of the letters of the word do not count for points. After an allotted number of words are given, points are tallied and the top three teams advance to the “Ultimate Stinger Round.”   

    An exciting new addition to the bee this year is bribery. If your team does not spell the word correctly, you may still advance by bribing the judges. The amount of bribery money needed to advance increases with each round. “We recommend your team fundraise for bribery money in advance,” says Melissa.

    This will be Administrative Assistant Debbie Marshall’s sixth go-round at the bee, and she said it’s always a whole lot of fun. “Everyone is dressed up in themed costumes, cheering and having a great time.” Adding to the fun, drawings for door prizes will be held throughout the evening.

    The theme this year is “I Want to BEE a Star!”. Attendees and participants are encouraged to dress to the nines like ­glamorous movie stars at an awards show. Prizes will be awarded for Best Team Name, Best Theme Costumes and Best Spellers. The prize for most money raised will be determined after the event. Winning spellers receive trophies, and a traveling trophy is presented to the top team. Last year’s overall winner was “The Wanna-BEEZZZ” of Sapulpa Public Library.

    You can help Creek County Literacy by forming a team, becoming a sponsor, making a contribution, purchasing raffle tickets, donating or bidding on auction items, or becoming a ­volunteer tutor.

    The Queen Bee Presenting Sponsor for 2013 is American Heritage Bank. All proceeds from the event support CCLP’s mission to encourage, educate and equip aspiring readers to overcome the barriers of ­illiteracy. For more information about forming a team or ­becoming a sponsor, please call (918) 224-9647.

    Creek County Literacy Program is also currently seeking garage sale donations for their Indoor Rummage Sale on Thursday, May 2. All proceeds of the sale will benefit CCLP. They are accepting donations of gently-used electronics, household items and toys (no clothing). Please call to arrange drop-off of items at the Library Annex, 15 N. Poplar St. in Sapulpa.

For more information, contact

Creek County Literacy Program

www.creekliteracy.org

About Author Sheryl Sowell

Sheryl Sowell was born and raised in Tulsa, OK. She graduated from Will Rogers High School and received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern State University in 2007. She has worked for Value News as editor, writer and advertising copywriter since 2008. She enjoys meeting and interviewing people for Value News articles, learning about their backgrounds, and helping to promote their businesses and local events. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes and crafts from Pinterest, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with family and friends. Sheryl lives in Tulsa with her fiancé Paul, their daughter Scarlett, and their two dogs, Gunner and Boo.