Cub-Bees Winning Team
“Orchard Place is lucky to have so much support from the community to come out for a truly fun fundraiser,” said Orchard Place CEO Anne Starr.
Des Moines, IA (PRWEB) March 14, 2014
Orchard Place, mental health experts for Iowa’s kids, once again set a record at the 11th annual Spelling Bee held at Wooly’s on March 6. This event, having raised more than $750,000 in its first 10 years brought in more than $70,000 this year.
“Orchard Place is lucky to have so much support from the community to come out for a truly fun fundraiser,” said Orchard Place CEO Anne Starr. “These 17 teams are fiercely competitive, and are going for the win. They tackled some pretty tough words, like the final word, pococurante.”
She added, “We are extremely grateful for not only those who took place in the event, but those who came to support their friends, family and coworkers in this worthwhile charity event. A big thanks to Nationwide Insurance who sponsored the event as well as all the business and donors who made this evening possible.“
The event raised an all-time record in money to “bribe” the judges totaling $34,000 All the “bribe” monies go to support the Orchard Place mission of developing strong futures for Iowa kids struggling with mental and behavioral health issues.
Noted as Iowa’s wackiest and fun spelling bee, awards were given to teams not only for spelling but for the following categories:
Spelling Champion: Orchard Place Child Guidance Center’s “Cub-BEES” team
Best Costume: Holmes Murphy’s team “The Spelling BEEgle and the Peanuts Gang”
Best Team Name: Stelter Company’s “Team Kentucky DerBEE”
Best Cheering Section: Nationwide Insurance “BEEvarians”, the dancing yodelers
Most money Raised by One Team: Orchard Place’s Child Guidance Center’s ‘”Cub-BEES”
Most money raised by a business: Nationwide Insurance
Hosted by ‘Queen Bee’ Wicker VanOrsdel, the event lived up to its expectation of bringing a zany take-off on the super serious spelling bees of the past.
About Orchard Place:
Orchard Place is the oldest locally-based charity in Des Moines providing mental health treatment and expertise for Iowa’s kids. Our inpatient, outpatient and community program serves nearly 8,000 children from birth to age 22. Four operating divisions work under the Orchard Place umbrella of services: Child Guidance Center, Orchard Place Campus, PACE Juvenile Center and the Integrated Health Program. More information can be found at http://www.orchardplace.org