COVID-19 has led to the cancellation of  a beloved event in the Bristol Warren Regional School District, as the annual "Bee," a fundraiser and team spelling event formerly known as the "Bodacious Bee," will not happen Saturday night as planned. The 12th annual Bee, the signature event for the Bristol Warren Education Foundation, was scheduled for Saturday, March 7, at Roger Williams University.

The education foundation released the following statement on Friday afternoon:

After thoughtful consideration, and out of an abundance of caution, the Bristol Warren Education Foundation Board of Directors and Signature Sponsor Medical Associates of Rhode Island, Inc (MARI), have made the incredibly difficult decision to cancel The 12th Annual Bee, planned for this Saturday, March 7.

"Events where large gatherings of people are expected have been cancelled or postponed across the country to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

“We regret to have had to make this decision, as The Bee is the highlight of the BWEF calendar year as we stand with our teachers, business partners and families to celebrate the exceptional learning experiences brought to all of our students. The Bee is our signature fundraiser to raise money to fund educational excellence throughout all of our district schools, and we look forward to continuing our work with the community to advance these and other opportunities,” said Nicky Piper, Chair of the Board of Directors of BWEF.

“We will be contacting our sponsors directly over the next few hours, and a communication will go to all ticket holders. We are so thankful for the support of all members of our community,” Piper added.

The Bee online auction will now remain open through March 14. Please continue your support by bidding at https://www.biddingforgood.com/BWEF, and visit our website for upcoming events and news at http://www.bwedfoundation.org/