The Perennial (spelled correctly) Bridesmaids didn’t even make it to the church this year.
The Morning Star Perennial Bridesmaids, three-times a runner-up by one word at the annual Junction Literacy and Youth Centres Kal Tire Adult Spelling Bee, did not place in the top-three for the first time ever.
We weren’t even close.
The Morning Star settled for 10 out of 15, and Lord knows what place out of the record 22 teams that took part in the immensely (spelled correctly) popular event.
Winners for the second year in a row were the Okanagan College Eggheads, who, according to one team member, “has a team captain that can spell anything.” They got 14 out of 15 (and wait til you see the words!)
Finishing tied for second, with 13, were the Bold ‘N’ Agers, and a team from Bannister Honda, a squad whose lineup included car seller for a day, former school district superintendent Bev Rundell, and Richard Harrison, a Grade 10 Seaton student.
You may have heard of Richard before. He recently finished 18th at the Canadian spelling championships.
Yes, teams add ringers. The Morning Star added Fulton Secondary English teacher Jane Maskell to a stellar lineup that included me, fellow reporters Cara Brady, Katherine Mortimer, Jennifer Smith and Tyler Lowey, managing editor Glenn Mitchell and creative Brenda Giesbrecht.
Teams will also stoop to intimidation tactics:
Bold ‘N’ Ager: “You know why you guys never win? Because you use Spellcheck.”
Me: “Spellcheck?”
Current superintendent Joe Rogers of the school district squad sauntered (spelled correctly) over and reminded Maskell who pays her salary.
Seriously, though, the Bee is used as a fundraiser for the Junction Literacy and Youth Centres’ magnificent (spelled correctly) programs. And it doesn’t matter who you have on your roster. What matters is having fun and helping a great cause.
This year, the event with its record 22 teams raised $23,000.
Beekeeper Betty Selin, co-host of Sun-FM’s Sunrise Show, reads out five words in each of the three rounds.
“You leave here so darn smart,” said Selin.
Teams get a minute to confer before the appointed team captain (in our case, the magnanimous – spelled correctly – Mortimer) has to make the final call.
The Perennial Bridesmaids were feeling like a giddy (spelled correctly) bride after a perfect first round in which we got shenanigan, persnickety, echelon, beneficiary and delirium correct.
Our downfall was the first word of round two: bouillabaisse. We left out the second ‘S.’
We got kaleidoscope and Mediterranean, faltered (spelled correctly) on belligerence and got doughty right (and no, doughty is not the last name of an L.A. Kings’ defenceman. Well it is, but not in this case).
After correctly spelling excruciating and heinous to begin the pressure-filled third round, we messed up Monseigneur (although, and I only state this being the team player I am, I got it right), guayabera (nobody on our team had ever heard of the lightweight open-necked Cuban or Mexican shirt before Wednesday and, apparently, neither had the Eggheads as it was the only word they spelled wrong) and isochronous.
“I got three words right but I still had fun,” said Bridesmaid newbee (spelled incorrectly but you get it) Lowey.
Everyone had fun. See you next year. Like the Eggheads, we’ll don guayaberas (spelled correctly though Spellcheck says it isn’t).
