Literacy Chippewa Valley

We're taking a little summer break!

Our DAYTIME English Language Learning classes are off until July 5th.

Evening classes will continue from 6:00PM - 8:00PM Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. So if you want to continue to attend class and keep your progress going, you can come join us for evening ELL classes!

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the service members who gave their lives in service to our country.

Whether you're spending the day with family, at the lake, or simply taking time to rest, we wish you a safe and meaningful holiday.

Another one is in the books!

We hope you were able to join us at the 2026 ScrabbleBee at The Brewing Projekt , but just in case you weren't the photo album is up for you to check out!

Some teams got stung and some shielded themselves with our addition of stings and shields this year. Teams were forced to wear knitted mittens, use chopsticks and wear kaleidoscope glasses but everyone survived there was some tight competition at the top of the scoreboard this year with perennial powerhouse Wisconsin Public Radio coming out on top.

This year we had some truly inspiring guest speakers this year. Former emcee and tutor John Murphy from Greatest Hits 98.1 stopped in to share his usual words of wisdom, and we had some truly inspiring speeches from four of our former Corrections Education students who are well on their way to great things! A special thanks to Evan, Pierre, Duane and George for participating in this year's ScrabbleBee and sharing their incredible stories. It was a powerful reminder of just how far your support goes, and how free adult education truly changes lives for our students and their families.

If you have ideas, suggestions or questions for next year's ScrabbleBee it's never to late to reach out! We're always interested to hear from you, and if you'd like to volunteer you can reach out to us at [email protected] or visit out website at www.LiteracyChippewaValley.org!

We were also so grateful to have WQOW's own Keith Edwards volunteer his time to emcee for us. His enthusiasm and warmth really made the event great and we can't thank him enough!

And finally, one more huge THANK YOU to all of our wonderful sponsors this year, as well as Dr. Katherine Schneider and her team Calvin's Cadre for their incredible fundraising and pledge support. We hope you all have a great summer and we'll see you next year at the 2027

Thank you to our returning hosts, and our sweet treat sponsors, The Brewing Pojekt and Josef's Cheesecake! We couldn't have the 2026 without you!

The Brewing Projekt

An independent Eau Claire craft brewery known for bold, creative beers and a welcoming taproom along the Chippewa River, The Brewing Projekt is once again hosting LCV for another night of words, fundraising, and fun! A huge thank you to our 2026 ScrabbleBee Event Host, The Brewing Projekt, for making it all possible!

Josef's Cheesecake

Owned by chef Nicholas Wiener and named in honor of his late father, Josef's Cheesecake has become a Chippewa Valley favorite, with hundreds of cheesecake flavors plus macarons, breads, and other treats. Thank you to our returning sweet treat Sponsor, Josef's Cheesecake, for their support of adult literacy!

We hope you're as excited as we are to get together tonight at Brewing Projekt for the 2026 ScrabbleBee!

It's time to thank the Tile Sponsors for the 2026 ScrabbleBee!

Herrick & Hart, S.C.

Founded in 1951, Herrick & Hart, S.C. is a general practice firm handling family law, personal injury, business, criminal, and civil matters. They're an annual sponsor and we couldn't be happier to have them back again this year! Find them at eauclairelaw.com.

Student Transit - Eau Claire

A fourth generation family business and a familiar sight on Chippewa Valley roads since 1939, Student Transit has safely carried generations of local kids to and from school. A warm thank you to Student Transit, for once again supporting adult literacy alongside their daily work with young learners!

PESI

Headquartered right here in Eau Claire, PESI is a nonprofit continuing education provider that delivers trainings, conferences, and resources to behavioral health, healthcare, and rehabilitation professionals across all 50 states and beyond. We're thrilled to support their continued commitment to learning as they join us as a Tile Sponsor this year! www.Pesi.com

Northwestern Bank

Locally owned and serving the Chippewa Valley since 1904, Northwestern Bank lives out its mission of "Building Stronger Communities, Where People Matter" by supporting hundreds of local organizations each year. We're grateful to be among them and to have Northwestern Bank as a Tile Sponsor this year! Learn more at northwesternbank.com.

WESTconsin Credit Union

A member-owned financial cooperative serving western Wisconsin and east-central Minnesota since 1939, WESTconsin Credit Union has supported families and local businesses for more than 85 years. Thank you to our 2026 ScrabbleBee Tile Sponsor, WESTconsin Credit Union, for investing in our community and our students! https://www.westconsincu.org/

Festival Foods

A Wisconsin grocery chain with deep roots in the communities it serves, Festival Foods has long shown up for local nonprofits and events across the state. A heartfelt thank you to Festival Foods, for being part of what makes the Chippewa Valley a great place to live and supporting literacy education!

We'll see you all at the 2026 !

It's time to pass on a huge THANK YOU to all of our Game Sponsors for the 2026 ScrabbleBee! If you know someone from these organizations, make sure to tell them how much you appreciate their support of adult literacy education in the Chippewa Valley!

Asher Lasting Exteriors

Family-owned and serving west-central Wisconsin since 1974, Asher Lasting Exteriors specializes in windows, doors, gutters, awnings, and other exterior home improvements. A big thank you to our 2026 ScrabbleBee Game Sponsor, Asher Lasting Exteriors! Find them at goasher.com.

Wipfli

Thank you to our 2026 ScrabbleBee Major Sponsor, Wipfli! With deep Wisconsin roots and a national footprint, Wipfli provides audit, tax, and advisory services to businesses, nonprofits, and individuals. Their generosity helps us keep serving adult learners across Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire counties. Learn more at wipfli.com.

Pablo Foundation

We're so grateful to recognize another of our 2026 ScrabbleBee Game Sponsors, the Pablo Foundation. The Pablo Foundation supports projects that strengthen the greater Eau Claire area through its four funding pillars: housing, health, education, and the arts. Their continued investment in this community and support of Literacy Chippewa Valley makes work like ours possible! Learn about all the ways they support our community at www.pablofoundation.org.

Xcel Energy

With its Wisconsin and Michigan regional headquarters right here in Eau Claire, Xcel Energy provides electricity and natural gas to homes and businesses across the region and beyond. Thank you to our 2026 ScrabbleBee Game Sponsor, Xcel Energy, for once again supporting adult literacy in the Chippewa Valley!

Nero DUI Defense

Based in downtown Eau Claire, Nero DUI Defense is the only law firm in western Wisconsin focused exclusively on OWI and DUI defense. A sincere thank you to our 2026 ScrabbleBee Game Sponsor, Nero DUI Defense, and to Attorney Adam Nero for once again supporting our students this year with a ScrabbleBee sponsorship! Learn more at neroduidefense.com.

A huge THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, and we'll see you soon at the 2026 ScrabbleBee!

A huge thank you to our Major Sponsors for the 2026 !

Volume One

Thank you once again to perennial Major Sponsor, Volume One! For more than two decades, Volume One has promoted the people, places, and creative spirit of the Chippewa Valley through its biweekly magazine, signature events, and downtown retail space, The Local Store. Find them at volumeone.org and 205 N. Dewey Street in downtown Eau Claire.

Wisconsin Public Radio

ScrabbleBee wouldn't be the same without the folks from WPR. Few institutions have served Wisconsin as faithfully as Wisconsin Public Radio. Broadcasting since 1917, WPR connects communities across the state through thoughtful news, music, and conversation. We're honored to once again recognize them as a 2026 ScrabbleBee Major Sponsor! Listen at wpr.org.

Greatest Hits 98.1

A familiar voice on Chippewa Valley airwaves, Greatest Hits 98.1 brings classic hits to listeners across the Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls area. You might know John Murphy, Greatest Hits host and LCV tutor, who was also the MC for ScrabbleBee many years running. We're so thankful for their ongoing support and when John stops by to speak each year to all our supporters.

We couldn't do the work we do without the funds raised each year by ScrabbleBee, and the support of our majors sponsors goes a long way in getting us to our goals.

THANK YOU to all our Major Sponsors!

We're thrilled to recognize our returning event sponsor for the 2026 ScrabbleBee, WQOW News 18! As the Chippewa Valley's ABC affiliate, WQOW has kept our region informed with local news, weather, and sports for more than four decades. Their support means the world to us each year and we can't thank them enough for being the event sponsor for this year's !

You can find WQOW 18 News at wqow.com or on channel 18 on your TV to keep up on what's happening in the Chippewa Valley.

We can't believe is almost here!

In one week, The Brewing Projekt is going to be packed with Scrabble boards, food, and the best crowd in the Chippewa Valley. We can't wait, and we want you in the room!

If you've played with us before, you know how it works. Grab your team, dust off your dictionary, and register today!

Have you been on the fence? Not sure you have enough folks to fill a full team? Now is the time to take the plunge. It's always a good time, but this year's addition of Stings and Shields will add a new twist to the rules that will mix things up and bring an added level of excitement.

ScrabbleBee kicks off next Thursday, May 7th. Registration is at 5:15, games 6:00 to 9:00.

Teams can have 6 people max and it's $200 to register a full team. Three rounds of collaborative Scrabble, food, a silent auction, raffle and guest speakers!

It's our 40th anniversary, and our 40 for 40 fundraising goal depends on you! Every team registered this week is a real, tangible step towards our goal.

Four ways to make this week count:

• Round up your crew and register at www.LiteracyChippewaValley.org.

• Flying solo? Sign up anyway. We'll drop you onto a team that'll make you feel right at home!

• Got something great for the silent auction or basket raffle? We'd love to feature it.

• Spread the word! Does someone in your family love Scrabble? Someone at work love to support a good cause? Pass them this email and get them to come down and participate in a great night for a great cause!

Questions, or want to arrange an auction item pickup? Reach us at [email protected] or 715-834-0222.

For 40 years, our community has shown up for adult learners in the Chippewa Valley. Come help us mark four decades the right way, with a room full of people, a lot of laughter, and a few very competitive rounds of Scrabble. Every penny raised goes directly towards funding our adult education programming in the Chippewa Valley and keeping it 100% free for all our students.

See you May 7th!