Scrabble enthusiasts were using their words to help out a local literacy group on Saturday.
For the 15th year, the Thunder Bay Literacy Group’s Scrabble Tournament was a huge hit at Intercity Shopping Centre. More than 66 word warriors were battling it out head-to-head for a chance to become Scrabble champion. Participants collected pledges, around $12,000 worth in total, to help local adult literacy efforts. It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for the group. Volunteer coordinator Catherine Powell said it’s great that although there are a lot of online versions of Scrabble people still come together.
“It’s a nice social activity,” she said. “It’s fun.”
Although it’s fun, the competition is fierce. The top score of the day was 459.
“We have some amazing scorers,” Powell said. “That’s not easy to do.”
It’s also a nice way to spend a warm day indoors in the middle of February Powell said. The literacy group offers free services from reading to computers. They can also help people looking to write entrance or trade exams .
“We can help them get ready if their skills are a little bit rusty but there are a lot individuals who still need a lot of help with reading, writing and math,” she said.
