The Spelling Bee for Literacy returns to Sunrise Theater on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., but anyone still thinking about entering a team is out of luck. With 15 teams registered, the roster for the third annual Bee is full.

"We're obviously delighted at the community's response," say MCLC volunteer Carl Giambelluca and Nita Brunner, president of the MCLC board, who are co-chairing the Bee for the second year in a row. "Now we can worry about having enough room for all the fans."

Teams are alerting their supporters to arrive early.

The Spelling Bee is a light-hearted competition. Three-member teams sponsored by local businesses and civic groups compete for the title of Best Spellers. There are also prizes for Best Costumes and Most Team Spirit. The entry fee is $500 per team. Admission to the audience is free, although donations to the Literacy Council are encouraged. Partner for Literacy sponsors, who contribute $1,000 or more, are key to meeting the event's fundraising goal.

Spelling Bee groupies will recall last year's explosion of applause and "gator" cheers when the Episcopal Day School Enthusiastic Determined Spellers clinched the Best Spelling Team trophy by correctly spelling "anadiplosis." Fifth-grader Bennett Holland led the way to victory, ably assisted by headmaster Jay St. John and teacher Teresa Van Camp.

The Penick Village team of Eve Nichols, Patsy Smith, and Dr. George Penick repeated its 2005 win for Best Team Spirit. Their fans packed the seats along one whole side of the Sunrise and produced by far the loudest cheering.

The prize for Best Costumes went to the Sunrise Preservation Group SPelling Gurus -- Doug Gill, Audrey Moriarty, and Landon Russell. Dressed in formal wear and tipping martini glasses, they (and fans in the audience) toasted each other at each successful spelling. On their way to a second place finish in the Best Spellers category, they got to do a lot of toasting.

As defending champions, Episcopal Day School will face strong competition from teams representing Friends of Longleaf Golf and Country Club, Golf Capital Chorus, JobLink, North Moore Family Resource Center (sponsored by Pinehurst Rotary Club), Penick Village, Pinehurst Resort and Spa, Prudential Gouger O'Neal & Saunders Real Estate, RBC Centura Bank, Sandhills Community College, Southern Pines Rotary Club, Sunrise Preservation, The Pilot, Vass-Lakeview School (sponsored by Vass Lions Club), and Wachovia Bank.

"Working on the Spelling Bee is great fun," says Susan Sherard, executive director of the Literacy Council. "We are especially grateful for The Pilot's support and to Time Warner and BB&T for signing on as Partners for Literacy."

Lester Seidenberg Audio-Visual Resource is donating its services for the evening, setting up a sound system that should enable everyone to hear well, even over the cheers of Penick.

For further information, call Moore County Literacy Council at 692-5954.