Wrightstown Team Wins Community Spelling Bee In New Hope

NEW HOPE, PA — The exciting final round of the Community Spelling Bee on Friday, October 7

featured Bill’s Honeybees against the Singing Spellers, Bari/Basso Cordiani and the Bookworms.

Blessed with excellent spelling skills and a bit of Irish luck, the Bookworms emerged as winners
by correctly spelling the word “shillelagh.” (In case you’re wondering, a shillelagh is an Irish
walking stick.)

Representing the Church of Holy Nativity in Wrightstown, the Bookworms were led by the Rev. Lisa Keppeler, joined by the church’s treasurer, Bob Brodrecht, and assistant organist Belinda Ash.

Hosted by the Board of Trustees of The Free Library of New Hope & Solebury, the Community
Spelling Bee, was held Friday, October 10 at New Hope-Solebury High School. Twenty teams of
three adults competed to help raise funds for the library’s operating budget.

“Winning a spelling bee has been on my bucket list ever since the final round of my 6th grade
spelling bee, when I transposed two letters out loud while spelling a word that I knew,” said
Keppeler. “It was a real team effort. Belinda’s British upbringing and education and music
background, combined with Bob’s engineer/STEM education and career made a big
contribution.”

Completing the Bee’s winning circle were The Beezamis, a family team comprised of June, Jim
and Phillip Nezamis, who won “Best Costume” for their sartorial bee-inspired costumes,
handmade by June. Additionally, Bari/Basso Cordiani, featuring Jason Gersh, Eric Muth and Jim
Peters of the male a cappella group Cordus Mundi, were named the top fundraising team.