Friday, March 13, 2009
Scrabble teams gird for war of words
The Thursday event will benefit adult literacy in the region, and 40 to 45 teams are expected.
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Thursday evening, more than 2,000 Scrabble tiles will be used to craft words of all shapes and sizes in an effort to benefit adult literacy in the Roanoke Valley.
This event, the fourth annual Scrabble tournament, is co-presented by Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley and the Roanoke Public Library Foundation.
Annette Loschert, the executive director for Literacy Volunteers, called the tournament "a hilarious, fun-filled evening." It includes a light supper and dessert. She expects 40 to 45 teams to register.
Loschert said she hopes the event will raise literacy awareness for businesses and residents in and around the Roanoke Valley.
During this tournament, the traditional game of Scrabble is played. Three players will make up each team, and teams will face off against each other for a 40-minute round or game, Loschert said. Winners from the first round will continue to play against other winners in a final round.
The only deviation this tournament takes from the regular board game is in the "flags." Green flags will be raised for rule clarifications. Loschert is the referee in this department and will attend to any questions teams may ask about the rules. Yellow flags can be raised to buy a "dictionary peek." And red flags might be raised to challenge a word.
The official Scrabble judge, George Kegley, handles those red flag requests. A retired Roanoke Times editor, Kegley worked in the word business for 44 years and considers this job an easy one. He's also armed with a dictionary to help.
"It's pretty simple what I do," he said. "I simply go over the book [dictionary]."
Winners of the final round will go home with a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card. Prizes also will be awarded for the most outrageous word played and the most creative team name.
Other fundraisers held by Literacy Volunteers include annual book sales and author events. Because of the Scrabble tournament's financial success, it has become the organization's primary fundraiser. It has brought in about $12,000 each year, through donations and entry fees.
Literacy Volunteers has supported adult literacy in the Roanoke Valley since 1985. It began helping adult English for Speakers of Other Languages students in 1993.
Kegley guessed that he has volunteered for the organization for 20 years and also serves as a board member.
"Well, I think it's so worthwhile," he said. "It's a very fulfilling kind of thing to help people do."
