By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka Adult Spelling Bee is one of those contests in which the audience seems to have more fun than the contestants.
But Jeff Budd, one of the organizers, might dispute that. He has competed in all seven of the spelling contests in past years, taking home the title in one of those years when he partnered with Don Muller as Team Zero.
“We’re not the best of spellers,” Budd said. “But it’s fun to do a fundraiser and I think people keep a sense of humor and don’t get too bummed out if they miss a word.”
Now in its eighth year, the Adult Spelling Bee will be held 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
This year is a special year, with the bee part of the 100th anniversary of the public library in Sitka, and organized by the Sitka Public Library and the nonprofit Friends of the Sitka Public Library. Funds raised will go to the 100th celebration set for April 1.
In the bee, the announcer says the word to spell and uses it in a sentence. A contestant may ask for the language of origin of the word they are asked to spell, When a speller misspells a word, a judge rings a desk bell and the speller is out of the contest.
Adult Services Librarian Margot O’Connell wrote the sentences with examples of a word’s usage.
Budd said that the humor injected into the sentences is always a fun part of the bee.
Participants can compete as individuals or in pairs, with team names encouraged. Among the 16 entrants so far are Team Sapphire Giraffes (Harvey Brandt and his daughter Susan Brandt-Ferguson); Team We Feel Lachrymose (Math Trafton and daughter Zoe); Team Grammatically Correct Iguanas (Anastasia Tefanowicz and Levi Adams).
Contestant Ashia Lane correctly spells a word during the 2022 Adult Spelling Bee at Harrigan Centennial Hall. (Sentinel file Photo)
Team members may consult with each other, but must finish spelling within 30 seconds.
Each team is allowed two “lifelines” – at a price – and no lifelines are allowed when the contest is down to two finalists.
Lifelines vary in price:
– $5 allows the entrant to ask an audience member for help. The audience member spells it once and the entrant must spell it correctly within 30 seconds.
– $10 allows a contestant to phone a friend for help. The 30 seconds start at the end of the request to the friend, and the contestant must get the advice and spell the word within the time limit.
– $20 allows 30 seconds to look up the word in the dictionary, close the book and spell the word correctly.
Robert Woolsey, news director of KCAW-FM, is the pronouncer, and other volunteers serve as spell-checkers, and judges for time and lifelines.
Budd said there’s still time to enter, by calling him at (907) 747-4821, or emailing at jbudd3500@gmail.com.
“Or they can just show up,” Budd said.
“You don’t have to be in the spelling bee – you can come watch it,” he said. “And we have those lifelines. We need the audience to be there to help us out.”
