Word Play

An evening of fun, games, and giving!

After the rousing success of last year’s sold-out gala, we are thrilled to invite you to the 4th Annual Word Play! Join us for a fun-filled night of word-game competitions, dinner, and opportunities to support Voices of Hope for Aphasia.

We are proud to continue our special tribute to Tampa Bay’s own puzzle master, the late Merl Reagle, the nationally known and syndicated crossword puzzle constructor.

Event Details

• When: Wednesday, July 1st, 2026

• Where: USF St. Petersburg Student Center

• Sponsor: Presented by the University of South Florida Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and The Off-Central Players

Ticket Information

This year we have three ticket types.

VIP Table — $1,000

The Ultimate Team Experience

• Includes: 8 Tickets + VIP Check-in.

• Perks: 2 dedicated parking passes and 2 bottles of wine for the table.

• The Vibe: Perfect for groups of friends or coworkers ready to dominate the crossword!

VIP Individual Ticket — $125

The Upgraded Experience

• Includes: 1 Ticket + Exclusive VIP Check-in.

• Perks: 1 parking pass and your first drink is on us!

• Note: Coming with friends? Mention their names at checkout so we can seat you together.

General Admission Ticket — $95

The Classic Entry

• Includes: 1 Ticket to the most fun crossword competition in town.

• Note: Tell us who you’d like to sit with in the section below, and we’ll do our best to accommodate!

Support the Mission

Sponsorship opportunities are currently available! Your support helps us continue providing vital resources for the aphasia community.

• click here to download the 2026 sponsorship packet
• Ready to partner with us? Contact Debbie for more information.

You won’t want to miss it!

Scroll through pictures from Word Play 2025!

Thank you to Michael Schuhmann Photographer for capturing the evening!

To kick off our second decade of services to the Tampa Bay community,  Voices of Hope for Aphasia (VOH) is celebrating with an evening of fun, games, and giving, to enable us to help more people in the region who are living with aphasia.

Word Play, a fun-filled night of word-game competitions, dinner, and opportunities to support VOH, will feature a special tribute to Tampa Bay’s own puzzle master, the late Merl Reagle, nationally known and syndicated crossword puzzle constructor.

Aphasia, which affects more than 23,000 in the Bay area alone, is a language disorder, often following stroke or traumatic injury, that impacts a person’s ability to speak, write, and understand verbal and written language. Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, actor Bruce Willis, and recently elected U.S. Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania experience the effects of language disorders like aphasia. Programs at VOH are offered free both to people affected by aphasia and their families, emphasizing communication skills, life participation, and mutual understanding.

Currently, over 500 members benefit from these programs. VOH hopes to expand its capacity to help even more.