A dozen teams competed for bragging rights in the 26th annual spell-a-thon Saturday, sponsored by the Morongo Basin Coalition for Adult Literacy. For the fifth consecutive year, managing editor Tami Roleff was on one of the teams competing, and said the final two teams were well matched…
After 10 teams dropped out of the 26th annual spell-a-thon, it was up to the Letterhead Shrikes—comprised of Joe Zarki, Marilyn Lutz, and Tasha LaDoux—and the Word Muses, comprised of Kelly O’Sullivan, Cathy Snodgrass, and myself—to battle it out for first place and bragging rights of being the best spellers in the Morongo Basin. The two teams went nine rounds, spelling words like somnolent, maladroit, paparazzi, deleterious, ubiquitous, emissary, oligarchy, bamboozle, caterwaul, assizes, denouement, capricious, intaglio, elegiac, before the Word Muses missed rubicund. The Letterhead Shrikes correctly spelled it and then corporeity to win the championship. Cathy and the Lascivious Lads of Copper Mountain College once again took first place for highest pledges (about $1400), and the Word Muses took second place for pledges (about $700). All proceeds benefit the non-profit organization that helps adults learn to read.
