ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 2, 1996 TAG: 9611040022
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: applause
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: KENNETH SINGLETARY
The New River Valley chapter of Professional Secretaries International came out on top in the recent annual spelling bee sponsored by the Rotary Club of Montgomery County.
The chapter won the bee in earth-shaking form, spelling "tectonics" correctly. First National Bank placed second and Columbia Montgomery Regional Hospital finished third. A team from the New River Current, separated from their computer spellcheckers, bowed out in an earlier round, misspelling "lacteal" (definition: of or like milk; milky).
But it is literacy students and volunteers in the New River Valley who were the big winners, the sponsors say. The bee raised about $6,000 for local literacy efforts and Rotary service projects.
"I thought it went great. I think people had a good time. We raised more money than we ever have in the past," said Reed Kennedy, an administrator at the hospital and the Rotary Club's secretary.
Ann Scanlon, a member of the winning team and president of the local chapter of Professional Secretaries International, said the event was lots of fun, but also a little nerve-wracking. Her spelling acumen, she said, was a product of her Catholic-school education.
Teams paid $200 each to enter, and during the competition participants who were confronted with words they didn't know could "buy" them for $5 in the hopes of drawing easier words. (For the record: the Current's team did not buy any words, perhaps against better judgment. The secretaries bought once.)
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: The winning team (seated - left to tight): Kim Kirk, Annby CNBScanlon and Carolyn Kirk (unrelated). color.