In the beginning, there were 14 local celebrities willing to stand up for literacy at the 2016 Read To Succeed Celebrity Spelling Bee.
In the end, only one stood.
Ray Broadhead was the “lucky one,” as he put it after the 28-round spelling bee ended.
“I was the lucky one. I feel like Lazarus being rescued,” said Broadhead, headmaster of The Webb School in Bell Buckle.
Broadhead beat back several advances by Jim Chandler from Woody and Jim on 107.5 The River before he successfully spelled “tenacious.”
Chandler said his performance had improved since his last spelling bee in the 8th grade.
“This was wonderful,” Chandler said. “I knew a little of what Read To Succeed does but to learn about the English as a second language classes and helping the young and the elderly. I had no idea how bad the literacy problem is and to see all these people working to solve it is encouraging.”
The Bee was filled with laughs and hundreds of Read To Succeed supporters rallying behind literacy. More than $70,000 was raised for Read To Succeed’s annual fundraiser.
“This year’s bee was such a success,” said Lisa Mitchell, executive director of Read To Succeed. “The community’s support of the bee is overwhelming.”
2016 Read To Succeed Celebrity Bee Spellers, along with Broadhead and Chandler were Terri Sterling Donovan, Sterling Communications; Retta Gardner, Guaranty Trust; Cecilia Herrell, city of Murfreesboro; Marsha Logue, Wilson Bank and Trust; Ashley McDonald, Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue Department; Edwin McKnight, McKnight Advisory Group; Alex Smith, NexTech Studios; Christa Taylor, Carrabba’s Italian Grill; Martha Touchton, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church; Jonah Wells | 6th Grade Read To Bee winner, Jennifer West, Murfreesboro Police Department; Shawn Williams, Nissan North America.
Earl Hull was the pronouncer, with Mason Smith, Diane Mackey and Caroline Lampley judging the event.
A wonderful dinner was provided by Carrabba’s Italian Grill and the winner received a meal for 4 at Carrabbas along with the championship trophy.
Funds from the Bee stay 100 percent in Rutherford County and support Read To Succeed’s adult tutoring program, in-school family literacy programs, ESL classes, and dozens of other events in the community aimed at promoting reading.
This year’s Celebrity Bee included a silent auction that offered goodies from businesses far and wide.
The fundraising goal could not have been met without the support of valued community-minded businesses, individuals and foundations. These funds will support and help expand Read To Succeed’s family and adult literacy programs for the next year.
The night was made a success by generous donations from Nissan, General Mills, Ingram, the Rotary Club of Murfreesboro, Bridgestone, Coggin Family Foundation, Colonial Pipeline Company, Steve & Lara Daniel, Yates Services and other local businesses and individuals.
And it’s not too late to make a donation: $5, $10, $20 or any amount supports Read To Succeed’s programs any time of the year. Visit www.readtosucceed.org and “like us” on Facebook, or call 615-738-7323.
The nonprofit also premiered its annual One Book of Rutherford County. “Flight of Dreams” by Ariel Lawhon is the 2017 choice.
A fictional account of the last flight of the Hindenburg where everyone on board seems to be hiding something, from handsome navigator Max who is madly in love with stewardess Emilie to the enigmatic German officer with everything to lose. Gertrud, a feisty journalist blacklisted in her native Germany, has stumbled onto the scoop of a lifetime, and a brash American and an enterprising cabin boy are not the only ones racing to discover what she’s found before it’s too late.
In the coming months, the One Book committee will announce activities to get the discussion started. And the popular One Book Crossing, in which copies of the book are scattered throughout the community for readers to pick up, take home and read before passing along to other readers, will get underway right after the holidays.
For One Book updates, check with The Read To Succeed website, readtosucceed.org/onebook.htm, or their Facebook page at facebook.com/OneBookRutherford.
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