Wild Competition at 7th Annual Putnam Adult Spelling Bee

BREWSTER, NY – Putnam area businesses, organizations and residents came together to support Putnam Family and Community Services at the 7th Annual Putnam Adult Spelling Bee.

Teams of spellers, cheerleaders and spectators from across the county – and beyond! - formed 25 teams and vied in a rousing competition for the championship trophy. County Supervisor MaryEllen Odell kicked off the competition by reading the first round of words. Veteran emcees, Bill Hammond of Edward Jones and local singer-songwriter, Cat Guthrie, then took over to lead the teams through 11 rounds of spelling challenges before moving to a single elimination championship round.

The Akzo Nobel Bees claimed the championship by correctly spelling the word ‘trypanosomiasis’, a noun meaning ‘a sleeping sickness, disease caused by parasites transmitted by insects.' The Putnam Hospital Putnam Pirates took second place honors after a ‘neck and neck’ final round that went longer than any previous year. The Akzo Nobel Bees and the Patterson Library Ninjas were both recognized with the Judge’s ‘Most Enthusiastic Cheerleaders’ award after a ‘cheer off’ which still left the Emcees unable to choose one over the other.

Other teams who donned colorful bee costumes, capes, masks, and team tee-shirts in the spirit of rousing competition included teams from Mahopac Library, the PFCS Board and Staff, Camp Herrlich, Kent Fiscal Watch, the Brewster/Carmel Garden Club, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, MHA of Putnam, Patterson Rotary, Putnam County Women’s Bar Assoc., Putnam Ridge, and the Putnam County Dept. of Health.

Volunteers from Edward Jones, United Way of Westchester & Putnam, CAP of Putnam, the Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, and the PFCS agency itself partnered to make this increasingly popular event a great success.

The funds raised by this event and its generous sponsors, including Akzo Nobel, PFCS Board Members, Putnam Hospital Center/Health Quest, MHA of Putnam, Putnam Ridge Nursing Home, South Putnam Animal Hospital, Meridian Benefits Consulting, O’Connell & Aronowitz, Brewster Ford, NCADD, PCSBbank and others, help to support the comprehensive range of services offered by Putnam Family & Community Services, dedicated to bringing hope and healing to people of all ages all across Putnam County and surrounding areas. (www.pfcsinc.org)

PHOTO: The Akzo Nobel Bees took top honors once again as the Champion Spellers at the 7th Annual PFCS Adult Spelling Bee. Their Cheerleader team also tied for Most Enthusiastic. Top row from left to right: Nick Wolf, Michael Engel, Diane Russo, Cheryl Mahoney, Christine Gorsuch. Bottom row from left to right: Xiaowen Hou, Theresa Hart, Jessica Cabrales, Richard Scatigno. Photo Credit: David DeRita