'Queen Bee' Crowned In Spelling Bee At Paramus Senior Living Community

PARAMUS, NJ — It was Angela Wunderlich's turn at the microphone. Having prepared and practiced for well over a month, she was ready to prove her spelling acumen at the first-ever bee at Juniper Village at Paramus.

With a yellow number card hanging from her neck, she received the word "balalaika," a Russian folk musical instrument.

"B-A-L-A-L-A-I-K-A," the Juniper Paramus resident spelled out. She had won. A huge smile came to her face.

Wunderlich, 69, was literally crowned "Queen Bee," with a jeweled headpiece. She was also given a medal and box of chocolates.

"I am very grateful to have been a part of the spelling bee," Wunderlich said in a statement. "Winning is only enhanced by the great care and commitment of our wonderful activities department."

"It is my great honor to represent Juniper in this way," she added.

She had faced five other contestants who volunteered for the Jan. 30 contest: Patricia Roemer, Eileen Gerber, Marie Dolce, Doris Elmer and Robert Wolfe, all of whom ranged from 69 to 93 years in age.

"It's great to see our seniors engage in a little competition," Juniper Paramus Executive Director Shain Cohen said. "It's not easy to put yourself out there at any stage of life, but our team creates such an important atmosphere and creates a space for seniors to come out of their comfort zones and try new things."

Similar to most other spelling bees, contestants could ask for the definition, for the word to be used in a sentence and for the word's origin.

The words spelled varied in difficulty, with familiar words such as "yellow" to more challenging words like "ptomaine."

Juniper Paramus residents enjoyed the spelling bee so much that the assisted living facility plans to host the event every quarter, per their request. In fact, it was the residents' idea from the start.

"It's so endearing to see our seniors cheering on their friends," Cohen added. "It is this type of camaraderie that we have promoted at Juniper Paramus, and it is this level of engagement that truly sets our community apart."