Spelling Bee a Success

The RHAM Education Foundation, a recently-created organization that promotes local schools, held its first fundraiser last night. The first Annual Adult Spelling Bee went off with hardly a hitch in the cafeteria, attracting sixteen teams and dozens of spectators. Teams of community members and school administrators, sporting names like the "Phighting Philologists" and "Magic Spell", tried their knowledge against words like "buccaneer", "braggadocio", "daffodil", and "apartheid", among many others. The organizers encouraged the audience to participate, to be entered into an audience raffle.

The Foundation also held a silent auction for gift baskets, massages, gift certificates, and Red Sox dugout tickets donated by local businesses and individuals. They also sold tickets for a 50-50 raffle, in which the proceeds were split evenly between the winner and the Foundation, a total of $203 for each. State Representative Pamela Sawyer presented the Foundation with a congratulatory and supportive message from the Connecticut General Assembly. Both visitors and competitors had a great time, and planning for next year's bee is already underway.

Some of the silent auction items


The Bee judges


The teams arrayed for competition


Spectators enjoying the show

A team in uniform


The victorious team, which won on the word "mistletoe"