Write a commentThere will more than word play going on at the seventh annual Diane Falise Memorial Scrabble Fest set for 6-9 p.m., Sept. 20, at the Oswego Elks Lodge 271.
Meg Henderson, coordinator of Oswego County Opportunities' Literacy Volunteers program, has watched another aspect of friendly competition develop over the past few years, as team themes and costumes have emerged as popular side activities.
"I am amazed by the creativity and effort that our Scrabble Fest teams put into their team names, costumes and even props," Henderson said. "This has added a whole new level of fun and excitement to our annual fundraiser."
For example, in 2012 some of the team names included The Bad Spelars, the Merry Word Makers, The Last Word, the Spell Checkers, the Word Pyrates, Tile Queens, the Scrabbled Eggs, Spellbound and the Wickedly Wordy Women.
"We're planning a nice prize for the team with the best team spirit this year," Henderson said. "It's always a difficult decision for the judges. Remember, creativity and enthusiasm are very important for showing off your team spirit!"
The fun, fast-paced competition draws teams from all over the county, Henderson noted. Teams consist of four players, who work together to create words during three turns in each of the four 20-minute rounds of play. Team scores will be tallied and the top three teams will be awarded prizes. To add to the fun of the event, there will be special prizes for the most pledges raised (team registration is not considered pledge money) and for team spirit.
In addition to the Scrabble competition, Henderson said there will be a silent auction featuring items donated by local merchants who support Literacy Volunteers of Oswego County (LVOC), a 50/50 raffle and a lottery ticket drawing.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., welcome is at 6:15 p.m. and games begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Entry fee includes light refreshments. The cost for those who want to attend but not compete in the event is $15 and also includes light refreshments. A cash bar is available.
All proceeds from the event will benefit LVOC. For more information on LVOC or to register a team, call 342-8839, visit www.lvoswego.org or visit the OCO website at www.oco.org.
Operating under the auspices of OCO, LVOC provides confidential tutoring services at no cost to the student. Tutoring includes basic literacy (reading and writing), English literacy to improve English speaking, reading and writing skills, and some simple math and computer skills.
"Whether you're playing or just rooting on your favorite team, Scrabble Fest is a great opportunity to get your friends, family or coworkers together for an evening of fun for a very worthwhile cause that may have a tremendously positive impact on a person's life," added Henderson.
