The weekend began with a 4 hour drive to Geneva-On-The Lake, Ohio, a picturesque town on the shores of Lake Erie. After checking into a lake view room at The Lodge at Geneva, we enjoyed home cooked refreshments, there was something for everybody! The Insurance Women of Northeast Ohio proved to be perfect hostesses! Every member was warmly welcomed and hospitality abounded.

After a restful night, Saturday began with breakfast in the hotel dining room. There was a breakfast buffet complete with made-to-order omelets and freshly cooked buttermilk or cinnamon Belgian Waffles. After breakfast, sixty NAIW members boarded vans, and we headed off for a tour of the area’s historic covered bridges. Each van had a local NAIW member serving as tour guide, with interesting information provided about each bridge and the area in general. I had the opportunity to stop to take many pictures of the bridges, the scenery, and new NAIW friends.

At the last bridge on the tour, we stopped for a picnic lunch next to the river. It was a great opportunity to unwind and get fresh air, and of course, to build that NAIW network! We finished lunch before a shower hit the area, and we boarded the van for an afternoon of wine tasting.

In the afternoon we visited four local wineries. There was plenty of tasting going on, plus food and snacks. One of the wineries was built in an old, historic church, with the original pews. Another winery provided entertainment in the form of a beautiful wedding, thanks to the rain, complimented by a harpist playing. All the wineries provided patio seating overlooking fields of grapes drenched in sunlight. By the end of the afternoon, I had accumulated a case of wine in my treasure-box.

There were plenty of networking opportunities at dinner, and more fun was provided by way of a sticker placed on each member’s back, which contained the name of some famous real or fictional personality. Each member was permitted to ask questions of others at their table, in an attempt to guess their ‘new identity’. Needless to say, I had a bit of difficulty in figuring out my identity, but it was fun being Tom Hanks for the evening, even if I don’t command the same salary that he does!

After dinner, the real excitement began. The dining room was converted to Café Murder, and we were treated to an interactive murder mystery. Needless to say, our table did not correctly solve the crime, in spite of the best efforts of our own Nancy Drew, Anita Upson (who drew applause from other participants for her hard-hitting investigative efforts). Who would have known that the waitress did it???

Sunday morning was a bustle, with last minute networking in the Hospitality Suite. The Insurance Women of Northeast Ohio provided breakfast onsite or to go, and as much additional fun and laughs as each member had time for, before departing for home.

Yours in Fellowship, Cindy Prud’homme