Cincy Typing Challenge Launches Online Celebrity Speed Typing Competition to Benefit WordPlay

CINCINNATI, OH--(Marketwired - Jun 24, 2013) - The Cincy Typing Challenge brought to you by TREWGrip, today launched the Celebrity Speed Typing Challenge, an online by-invitation typing contest that will benefit WordPlay, a Cincinnati nonprofit organization supporting children in grades K-12 with free tutoring, literacy skills, creative writing and collaborative arts programs. The Celebrity Challenge, which will run today through July 12, invites actors, professional athletes, civic leaders, politicians, musicians and members of the media to compete to determine who is the fastest celebrity typist in the region. The top two finishers in the event will be invited to participate in the Finals of the Cincy Typing Challenge at Cincinnati Museum Center on July 25, 2013. At the Finals, a donation will be made to WordPlay on behalf of the winning celebrity typists. A leaderboard for the challenge is available online at http://www.cincytypingchallenge.com/celebrity-leaderboard-3/

"As part of the Cincy Typing Challenge, we wanted to create an opportunity to support a worthy nonprofit organization," said Mark Parker, President of Outlier Technologies, parent company of TREWGrip. "The Celebrity Speed Typing Challenge is a fun way for local celebrities and influencers to compete in friendly competition to benefit WordPlay, which is doing tremendous things to help area children find their creative voices."

Parker added, "We have reached out to hundreds of local celebrities to participate in the Celebrity Speed Typing Challenge, and we are inviting others, from radio DJs and city mayors, to Bengals and Reds players that are interested in participating to contact us at ctc@outliertech.com. Participation is online and easy to do. In addition, we are inviting local companies to support the Celebrity Challenge to help increase the donation we make to WordPlay."

"At WordPlay, we've been amazed at kids' fascination with typewriters -- the real, old-fashioned kind," says Executive Director Libby Hunter. "Being able to see that excitement on a city-wide scale as part of this challenge and to benefit from the competition is an honor for us. We are grateful to TREWGrip for including us as a partner in this celebration of typing, and, by extension, the power of the written word."

The Cincy Typing Challenge at Cincinnati Museum Center commemorates the 125-year anniversary of the country's first professional typing competition, which took place at what is now The Cincinnatian Hotel. The competition established touch-typing and the QWERTY keyboard as the prevailing typing method and keyboard layout for the last 125 years. The qualifying round is July 20th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Finals are July 25th at 6:00 p.m. at Cincinnati Museum Center. Prizes will be awarded to the three fastest texters and the three fastest typists, including a grand prize of $5,000. Registration is free and open to the public at CincyTypingChallenge.com and at the Museum Center on the day of the qualifying round.

For more information about the Cincy Typing Challenge, visit www.cincytypingchallenge.com. Also, follow the Challenge on Facebook and Twitter, and watch the launch video on YouTube.

About WordPlay
WordPlay is a dynamic 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting children in grades K-12 with free tutoring, literacy skills, creative writing and collaborative arts programs. WordPlay is dedicated to helping children find their voice through literacy and creative expression while developing the skills, knowledge and character necessary for them to succeed. Its programs are open to all children from all school districts, all neighborhoods and all skill levels. For more information, visit www.wordplaycincy.org.