6th annual Celebrity Spelling Bee set for Nov. 8

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Is spelling a lost art with the advent of spell-check on every computer? Local celebrities will hope not as they take to the stage to try spelling their way to victory in the sixth annual Celebrity Spelling Bee on Thursday, Nov. 8, sponsored by the Whitfield Education Foundation.

The Celebrity Spelling Bee will be reminiscent of the traditional competitions held in schools across the country and will feature 19 local community leaders vying for the title of “Champion Speller.” Emcee for the evening is Dr. Jennifer Patel of the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic.

The contestants who will be putting their spelling skills to the test are: Zack Adamson, Jonathan Barlow, Mandy Blankenship, Lawrence Brownlee, Kaye Clark, Jimmy Densmore, Darby Gooding, Allen Hammontree, Shanda Hickman, Frank Hogshead, John Hutcheson, Maj. Douglas McClure, Will McDaniel, Brad Norris, Kyle Ray, Ricky Robertson, John Upton, Adam Ware and Paige Walters.

A dinner begins at 6 p.m. and the spelling competition starts at 7 p.m. at the Dalton Convention Center. Tickets are $40 and include both the dinner and the bee.

“As a lover of education, but not a particularly strong speller, this should be a wonderful evening of fun and humiliation,” said Barlow, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Dalton. “I am a strong supporter of the children in our surrounding area to have the best opportunity to learn. The funds collected by the Whitfield Education Foundation will be given back to the teachers in the form of innovative teaching grants.”

The celebrity spellers are willing to risk possible humiliation in the name of education, a cause all deem vitally important. Each of the spellers have a connection to Whitfield County Schools — many are alumni or have children or grandchildren who have attended a county school. Some of the spellers are supporters of education who have worked in partnership with the school district through their community affiliations.

“The event promises to be an evening filled with lots of fun and friendly competition as our celebrities go head to head to see who will be the last man standing in the spelling bee,” said Smitty Barnett, executive director of the Whitfield Education Foundation. “Guests can expect an old-fashioned spelling bee just like you remember from school .Spellers will be given words in rounds and the last speller remaining during the final round will be declared the winner. Our winner will take home the coveted spelling bee trophy, a special prize package and the bragging rights to go along with it.”

Celebrity spellers also compete in raising the most money for the event. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor, purchasing tickets for the event or just making a donation to the Foundation should contact Smitty Barnett at (706) 217-6756 or at wef@wcsga.net. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased online at wefga.org or at the Whitfield County Schools Central Office, 1306 S. Thornton Ave.

Foundation sponsors for the event include: Caylor Industrial Sales, Chattanooga Allergy Clinic, Ford of Dalton, Georgia United Credit Union, RK Redding Construction, Shaw Industries and Textile Rubber & Chemical Co. Inc.. Presenting sponsors include Belhaven University, Dalton Utilities, Engineered Floors and Oriental Weavers. Monies raised will be used to award innovative teaching grants.

The Foundation’s goal is to present $50,000 annually to teachers in Whitfield County Schools in the form of grants for special projects designed to engage students to enhance learning.