Celebrity Spelling Bee raises $209,000 for Schoolhouse Supplies

Pat Janowski, Actor, 2012 WINNER

Portland, February 3rd. Pat Janowski jumped for joy as she claimed the title of Portland’s celebrity champion speller. The OnPoint Community Credit Union Celebrity Spelling Bee raised money for Schoolhouse Supplies, the Portland non-profit which supports public education by giving students and teachers free classroom supplies. (Photo Credit Joni Shimabukuro)

The presenting sponsor of the event at the Portland Art Museum was Comcast.

Nolan Smith, Point Guard #4, Portland Trail Blazers holds his own in the spelling bee.

A crowd of 380 guests gathered to watch Nolan Smith, John Erickson, Dave Dahl, and other Portland celebrities compete in a traditional spelling bee.

Dave Dahl, President, Dave's Killer Bread

After five rounds of challenging words such as ‘monotonous’ and ‘dichotomy,’ Pat Janowski, actor, former Live Wire! Radio performer, and 2010 Celebrity Spelling Bee winner reclaimed her title. She out-spelled Candace Bouchard, soloist with the Oregon Ballet Theatre, with the winning word ‘philately.’

Actor, Pat Janowski took home the six-foot-tall Celebrity Spelling Bee trophy.

Gayle White, Executive Director of Schoolhouse Supplies and David Roy, Schoolhouse Supplies' Board Chair and Director of Community Partnerships at Knowledge Universe, welcome 380 guests to the annual OnPoint Celebrity Spelling Bee and fundraiser.

From Schoolhouse Supplies:

Schoolhouse Supplies was founded in 1999 as a way to support students and teachers throughout Portland Public Schools. We operate Oregon’s first and only volunteer-run Free Store to provide teachers with the classroom supplies needed to encourage the learning process for all students. Today, we are a nationally recognized leader in the Free Store movement, which creates direct links between students and members of the community.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.