Word Play
a crossword puzzle gala
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
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When: Wednesday, July 1st, 2026
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Where: USF St. Petersburg Student Center
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Sponsor: Presented by the University of South Florida Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and The Off-Central Players
Ticket Information
Tickets for Word Play 2026 are released in two phases:
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Presale (Now Open): Open exclusively to past attendees and donors.
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General Admission (Starts April 15th): Open to the public.
Looking for the Presale Link? The presale link is not public. If you are a past attendee or donor and have not received your early-access link via email, please contact avery@vohaphasia.org to request it.
Support the Mission
Sponsorship opportunities are currently available! Your support helps us continue providing vital resources for the aphasia community.
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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.
