Aug. 27 game will highlight Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival
Saturday, Aug. 27 — RUTLAND — Eight fun and funny couples are lined up, and tickets are now on sale for Rutland’s Newly-Wed Game to benefit the Rutland Community Cupboard and BROC’s Community Food Shelf. The event is the part of the Aug. 27 Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival and Parade of Heroes, which will culminate with fireworks immediately after the ‘Newly’wed Game.
The ‘Newly’wed Game is back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, and will feature local couples, some married a few months, others for many years. They include: Nikki and Kim Adams, Patty and Larry Cupoli, Alaura and Mike McClallen, Arwen Turner and Paul Gillett, Monika Ganguly-Kiefner and Brian Sales, Michelle and Don Delpha, Fran and Ray Sun, and Calista and Brian Budrow.
They’ll compete in a live version of the popular TV show, with host Ed Kelly posing questions guaranteed to make for a raucous and entertaining night. Kelly competed with his wife Fran the first year and has been hosting ever since.
“This is one of the funniest nights of the year,” Kelly said. “It’s guaranteed to be a good time for the audience, which has been in stitches every year. It’s a lot of fun for a really great cause.”
The Newly-Wed Game is a transition from the long-running Pack The Paramount good drive. Instead of collecting food items, the goal is to pack the Paramount’s seats with patrons, with sponsorship and ticket sales benefiting the food shelves.
Paramount Executive Director Eric Mallette said the event was especially important this year. “The need has been high throughout the pandemic and continues to present significant challenges,” he said. “This is timed to provide a shot of funding to the food shelves in a really difficult time.
“The food shelves have been swamped. Inflationary costs continue to put strains on people’s budgets. We’re seeing more new people than we ever saw before, even during the pandemic.”
In addition to presenting sponsor GMP, sponsors include Best Western Inn and Suites in Mendon, Casella Real Estate, F.W. Webb, the Giancola Family of Businesses, McClallen & Associates P.C., Omya, and Rutland Regional Medical Center. The winners will win a year’s supply of delicious maple syrup from Baird Farm in North Chittenden.
Tickets can be purchased at the Paramount Box Office on Center Street, or at paramountvt.org.
