Mermaid Tea full of surprises

Mermaids of Canyon Lake Club hosted its highly-anticipated third annual Afternoon Tea event on Saturday at the Canyon Lake Senior Center. The dozens of mermaids thought they had a predictably fun day in front of them. Instead, it was full of surprises.

As the members gathered for their group picture, a Merman “Neptune” secretly entered from behind the mural where the picture was being taken. As the ladies turned around, they were happily surprised at the presence of their bespeckled guest.

“Giggles ensued and everyone gathered for a picture with the merman,” Aprile McKinnon, the event emcee, said. “This was a big hit. The merman wishes to remain anonymous.”

The Afternoon Tea has become a cherished annual tradition among the ladies of Canyon Lake because the day is always filled with camaraderie, celebration, and making a meaningful difference in the community.

The day included vendor shopping, music, games, a captivating mermaid costume contest, and an enticing silent auction. The club sold 46 tickets and raised over $3,000.

In addition to a day filled with entertainment, lunch was served and consisted of tasty tea sandwiches, scones, desserts, and lots of delicious treats.

The Merman “Neptune” was an unexpected surprise at the Mermaids of Canyon Lake Afternoon Tea Saturday. Neptune turned out to be quite the photo magnet as Mermaids waited patiently for their photos with the Merman. Photo by Diana Karpowitz

Another surprise occurred when Nikki Law stunned the audience with her amazing singing talent and theater background. Nikki studied comedy improv in college and her experience shined through. Nikki and Aprile did a little improv and entertained the audience with some bantering back and forth that included engaging the audience.

The tea included a singing competition, and a new member won the contest, surprising the audience with her beautiful voice. The tables all were uniquely set, and goodies were given to the mermaids who attended.

“Our third annual Mermaid Tea was a huge success,” Nicole Verlinich, the event co-chair, said. “We are ever so grateful to our sponsors, our committee members who volunteered dozens of hours, and to our amazing guests who together made this an extremely memorable event. The generosity of our attendees resulted in our silent auction being one of the most successful to date. We love the community we happily serve so much, and we thank you all for your loving support from the bottom of our hearts”

Committee Chair Natassia Wright also thanked everyone for their hard work as the day came to an end. The volunteers and chair members were all a part of making the day a successful one, she said.

The Mermaids of Canyon Lake Club has been more than just a gathering of “mermaids” – it has been a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization driven by a shared passion for everything related to Canyon Lake. The group has stood strong on its core principles of volunteerism, community, and sisterhood.

The proceeds from its fundraising efforts, such as from the Mermaids Afternoon Tea, has been dedicated to supporting noteworthy causes such as Alternatives to Domestic Violence and Trauma Recovery Center, Canyon Lake Fire Department, and the Helping Hands Group, in addition to other philanthropic organizations.