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| Scrabble Tourney Wrap-Up |
Editor: Warren Bobrow
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The Second Annual Westchester Rotary Scrabble Challenge, at the Westchester YMCA, was a big hit and raised $270 for the Jim Hill Community Scholarship.
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As players registered, they entered a foyer decorated with the Rotary
International logo, balloons, a hall with lines of tables clad with
navy blue table cloths, a refreshments corner with cupcakes, cookies, a
punch fountain, and board positions readied with pads and pens.
Before play commenced, some words were said about Jim Hill,
illuminating the friend and decent human being for whom the Jim Hill
Community Scholarship is named after.
We had 22 entrants from as far south as Long Beach and north as Santa
Monica. This year's winner, Westchester resident Perry Deluna, scored
379, 452, and 391 points in his three rounds overcoming stubborn
opposition from a trio of ladies from Lawndale, San Pedro, and
Inglewood. Playing on board one in the last round, he upset a seasoned
club player. Another player, Mike Stenger, also finished with 3-0.
But Deluna won the tie-break on his cumulative score of 1222 points.
So, Deluna's name gets immortalized on the coveted "Crabble Cub."
Edgar resolved challenges using the Official Scrabble Dictionary, 4th
edition. The significance of this reference work is that bad words
like "sh*t" and "fu*k", had they been played and had they been
challenged, would have been ruled out of bounds. This was a
family-friendly event. This is Rotary after all. "Titty," "cock," and
"balls," however, are appropriate game words.
In these hard scrabble times, all we wanted to do was stimulate a
little fun. Players told us we succeeded! Player Gina M exhorted,
"Just a quick note to thank you for the great time I had on Saturday
night at the Scrabble tournament! I had never played in a tournament
before, and it was great fun and a good learning experience for me. I
also enjoyed meeting several really nice folks who were in attendance.
Thank you, too, for all your hard work in putting together this event.
I know it took a lot of time to do so. Please let me know when you will
be having the next tournament, because I will definitely be there!"
It certainly didn't hurt that Gisele had gathered lavish prizes for the
top finishers. And I mean lavish. Deluna, for instance, won - get
this - a Marina dinner cruise for two complements of Horn Blower.
Thank you Mia from Horn Blower! But, you didn't have to be a Scrabble
Monster to win the goods. The door prize went to Michelle Perry, 0-3,
who actually shrieked ("I knew it!") when her name was drawn from the
hopper. Lucky Ms. Perry won a very distinctive wrought iron clock.
The Y Annex is a perfect venue for this event. Thank you Lisa
D'Angelo! Plus, thank you Heather for your assistance at the
tournament. Connie donated her wonderful cookies. And mostly, thank
you Gisele. The Scrabble Challenge could not have been possible
without Gisele's hard work and energy. Gisele and I are seriously
considering putting on another challenge this summer. That's not a
threat, that's a promise.
Thank you to all our prize donors: Westchester Watch Works, LAFD Fire
Station #5, Marina Del Rey Sheriffs Station, Nails by Kim, Toni's
Cupcakes, Cookies by Connie, and Laurie Hughes donating $100 gift
certificate for Shula's restaurant. |
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