CEEF's 4th Spelling Bee held on May 10th, 2007

THE POND COVE CAFETORIUM was “abuzz” with excite­ment on Thursday, May 10th, as more than one hundred spellers gathered for the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation’s Fourth Spelling Bee. This year’s winner, The Cape Courier Buzz (Sheila Zimmerman, Anita Samuelsen and Elizabeth Brogan), won it on schadenfreude, a German word meaning pleasure taken from another’s misfortune.

The CEEF Spelling Bee is an important fundraiser for the foundation, generating revenues of over $10,000, as well as a popular community event that attracts participants from many hives within Cape Elizabeth. More than a 100 spellers— in­cluding students, educators, parents, book group members, neighbors, lawyers, doctors, local politicians and businesspeople — competed in teams of three that were cheered on by a swarm of enthusiastic spectators. Many teams wore creative attire, in­cluding Best Costume winner Hive Sweet Hive of Coldwell Banker, bee-decked in pink beehive hairdos and bee costumes. The Austin Powers look-alikes, Oh Bee-have!, won the Mis-bee-havin’ award, and the Bee-hinds, fourth graders Luke Gil­man, Lily Jordan and Emma Landes, won for Best Spirit.

This year’s event sponsor was Maine HOME+DESIGN Magazine, whose generous support allowed several student, teacher and community service teams to compete in the BEE. In addition, many businesses in Cape Elizabeth, Greater Portland, and the three Cape Elizabeth parent associations and additional individuals spon­sored teams who would otherwise not be able to par­ticipate. Willow’s Pizza donated pizza for any spellers who arrived hungry to the event.
The word that proved to have the most “sting” in any one round?
Millennium!