The ladies of Women-n-Charge want to take you on a cruise, but this is one with a twist.
Someone has been murdered, and it will be up to those booking passage to figure to whom among the Red Feather Ladies did it. And it’s all done with some of the best teas available in the area.
It’s part of the annual fundraiser for the professional women group taking place Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Groves Golf & Country Club, 7924 Melogold Circle in Land O’ Lakes. For the second straight year, Women-n-Charge will entertain at its annual tea party with a murder mystery. In fact, this voyage — set on the S.S. Titanica — is a direct sequel of last year’s event.
“This is all a spoof that centers on a group of wealthy ladies, known as the Red Feather Ladies Investment Club,” said Anne Childers, a member of Women-n-Charge’s board of directors, and one of the organizers of the event. “There was this roving Romeo who was dating all of them under the radar under different names. He fleeced every one of them, and took their money and their morale. So one of the ladies shot him dead.”
That murder was solved last year. And now the Red Feather Ladies want to earn their money back, so they embark on this cruise that features an appearance from financial guru B.S. Sutton. Except, Sutton is no stranger to these ladies, and it isn’t long before he ends up dead, too.
Last year’s murder mystery tea, with many of the Women-n-Charge members in the cast, raised more than $4,000, which allowed the group to pay its annual expenses, and still have enough left over to fund two $1,000 scholarships to local businesswomen.
“We do it so they can further enrich the community,” Childers said. “They can use it for education, or for their business. Whatever will help them grow even stronger.”
Professional women apply for the scholarships in advance, and there are no requirements for membership with Women-n-Charge.
The mystery teas are a huge departure from how Women-n-Charge raised money when Childers first joined in 2005. Then it was a business expo, with the group earning money from booth rentals. But the economic recession changed that, and the tea parties were born.
First, the parties celebrated themes like fashion. But last year, the decision was made to go murder mystery, and it was a smashing success.
There is room for about 120 guests, and everyone is encouraged to wear a hat and dress as if they’re attending an old-fashioned summer tea. Tickets are $15 for individuals, and $25 for two.
Table sponsorships are also available, starting at $59. That package allows the sponsor to decorate the table, provide their own settings, and even their own tea. Women-n-Charge will provide the linen, cream, sugar and lemon.
“It’s hard work for those of us on the board, but in the end, it’s just a lot of fun,” Childers said. “Watching everyone enjoy it and try to figure out who did it makes it all worth it.”
For more information on the event, call Anne Childers at (813) 948-7484, or visit women-n-charge.com.
