Next Community Spelling Bee at Jamesport Meeting House scheduled
The second annual Community Spelling Bee event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 22, at the historic Jamesport Meeting House.
Twenty-five people participated in last year’s contest. That inaugural event raised over $4,500 to restore the 284-year-old meeting house, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Steve Berger, the event’s chairman, said this year’s words are challenging, but are also “kinder and gentler” than last year’s words.
During the first competition, local residents tried to spell words like pourboire (“He left a pourboire for the chambermaid”), kinkajou (it’s some kind of animal) and proselyte (a person converted from one faith to another).
Sarah Bowe of Riverhead won that contest after spelling “bibelot” correctly (that’s another word for trinket).
This year’s competition will be limited to 30 spellers and each speller needs to secure a minimum total of $50 in sponsorships, Mr. Berger said.
“Recruiting sponsors helps make this a true community event and increases the evening’s fun,” he said. “Last year, more than 200 sponsors showed up to cheer on their spellers.”
To compete in the spelling bee, visit jamesportmeetinghouse.org/site and click on “Second Annual Community Spelling Bee.”
For more information, call (631) 722-0008.
