GREENFIELD — Jim Kessler was confident he knew how to spell the final word given in the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library’s Spelling Bee Fun-raiser last year.
Kessler’s team “Dispel Doubters” was on the clock, with just 30 seconds to spell out their word. The team was looking to defeat opposing team “Intrepid Spellers” and win for the second year in a row.
According to Kessler, his teammate had spelled the word but like a big league pitcher shaking off his catcher, Kessler said no and offered his own interpretation.
“Last year, we got the word ‘tourniquet,’ which I can now tell you is spelled T-O-U-R-N-I-Q-U-E-T,” he said.
Kessler added the letters “T-E” to the end of the word, going against his teammate and losing the spelling bee. He thought it was spelled similar to another word with French roots, “etiquette.”
“I subsequently found out it is derived from French, but was Anglicized,” he said.
In other words, no “T-E.”
Kessler and his three-person team will be one of several participating in the third annual Spelling Bee Fun-raiser, happening Thursday, June 14, at 6 p.m. at the Second Congregational Church on Court Square. The event is an extension of Bee Fest, the ninth annual celebration of bee culture in the city happening Saturday.
The event will pit teams of three against each other, spelling a myriad of words from the Merriam-Webster unabridged dictionary, in hopes of being named this year’s top spellers.
Clarita Shaffer, one of the organizers of the event, said it is not meant to draw in money for the Friends but instead is a way to bring the community together.
“What we want this to be is a fun community tradition put on by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library,” she said.
Teams will have 30 seconds to spell words given out by head judge and emcee Jack Golden,a Greenfield “garbologist” and entertainer who teaches children about trash and recycling around the country. Words will get progressively harder for the teams and those who spell a word wrong will be eliminated, until one team is left.
Winners will receive a jar of honey, while second and third place teams will get beeswax candles — fitting prizes for a spelling bee during Bee Fest. The prizes are donated by Warm Colors Apiary from South Deerfield.
Teams are urged to dress up as well, since there will be a costume contest. Items will also be raffled off, including baskets with beer, wine and honey-based treats and refreshments will be provided. All money raised will be used to cover the costs of the event, Shaffer said.
Shaffer said 14 teams have competed each of the first two years the event has been held but predicts a greater turnout due to the amount of teams already signed up. The event has no age range, though organizer Cyndie Rothschild suggests a minimum age of 13 to participate. The participants’ age ranged from middle school-age to retirees during last year’s event, according to organizers.
The event costs $15 per team and teams are urged to register by June 9, though teams arriving on the day of the event will be allowed to compete. Email fgplspellingbee@gmail.com for more information and to register.