Few people would want to reminisce on their elementary days competing in the school spelling bee. However, members of the Auburn-Opelika area will be reliving it July 28.
The Public Relations Council of East Alabama is hosting its eighth annual Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee this evening at Saugahatchee Country Club.
Doors open at 5 p.m., and the competition starts at 5:30 p.m. Each ticket includes one cocktail and hors d'oeuvres.
"There are lots of golf tournaments and other kinds of fund raisers," said spelling bee co-chair John Atkinson. "But, it's the only spelling bee in town, so since it's unique, it's fun to be involved with."
Tickets are available at the door or from any PRCA members for $15.
"It kind of a nontraditional spelling bee," said Pam Powers-Smith, the spelling bee co-chair. "It's usually not quiet, and people are heckling one another. It's lots of fun."
The competition has two-person teams that compete to spell words as quickly as possible for two minutes.
Powers-Smith said there are notable teams that enter the competition each year, including the city of Auburn officials, East Alabama Medical Center and the Opelika-Auburn News.
"Our teams are a lot of fun because they normally dress up in costumes appropriate to their business," said Powers-Smith.
The PRCA has asked and confirmed three local prominent figures to be judges this year: Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, news anchor Elizabeth White and Opelika-Auburn News Editor Wayne Snow.
Audience members have a chance to win door prizes which Powers-Smith said are valued at $200.The evening will also challenge the audience to compete and win a prize and trophy.
The Spelling Bee raised around $5,000 last year and has made $36,000 over seven years to benefit the Lee County Literacy Coalition, Powers-Smith said.
"It is amazing," Atkinson said. "There are a lot of smart people around here, but even in a county like this, there are people that have that need to learn to read. It's just great that the literacy coalition do that for them."
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