BUCKLAND — Amid a sense of post-election fatigue, the community came together to cheer on the Consonant Caregivers, Revved Up for Great Education, The B-52s, and many more spelling teams that competed in the 11th annual Mary Lyon Foundation Community Spelling Bee.
Spelling judge and senator-elect Adam Hinds had to cancel at the last minute because he was asked to meet with Senate President Stan Rosenberg.
Altogether, 30 teams competed, with Cash Cow winning the Grand Championship Round by correctly spelling “paraphernalia.”
And the three Perennial Artists from the Shelburne Artists Co-op handily won the Best Costume trophy by dressing up like the Shelburne Falls’ Bridge of Flowers.
Mary Lyon Education Foundation founder Sue Samioriski wasn’t in the spelling contest, but she and her husband, Henry Samioriski, who died in September, were awarded a special plaque in appreciation for their work to benefit local education.
Six teams competed in each round; then those winners competed in a championship round. Those winners were: Round 1, Robert (very) Strong WoodWORD; Round 2, Safety Bees; Round 3, Consonant Caregivers, Round 4, Cash Cow.
The annual Community Spelling Bee, which includes many local sponsors, raffle prizes and a silent auction, is one of the largest fundraisers for West County education. This year, Mary Lyon Foundation was able to give $8,000 in mini-grants for educational programs in the schools.