LITTLE GEMS
Christmas in the Country at Grand Geneva starts Thursday, November 21st.
The event always begins with a big celebration full of lights and excitement. This year is the 30th Annual Illumination Ceremony on Sunday, November 24th, starting at 4:30 p.m. Photos with Santa will begin, cookies and cocoa are available, the gingerbread display is ready for viewing, raffles will be available to benefit the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department Toys for Kids program, toy donations are encouraged and will go to kids in need, and of course, the evening will conclude with its traditional flipping of the switch at 6 p.m. illuminating the grand tree in front of the resort entrance and the iconic holiday lights covering the grounds of the beautiful Grand Geneva. Once everything is turned on the holidays are in full swing at the resort. The halls of the Grand Geneva are beautifully decorated every year and are a favorite spot for a Christmas stroll for so many locals. Visitors come from all over to enjoy Christmas in the Country.
Small-town girl returns to the Geneva Lake area, year after year.
The publisher of this newspaper was raised in Hawaii and returns every year. Many human beings function in this way. Going back to the past can be so pleasing and satisfying, although in many cases, like when a first home of childhood is plucked under, it can be a bit disturbing, too.
Bobbie Wagner is the little girl, not so little anymore. She returned to a symposium in Chicago, rented a car following that event, and then drove to Lake Geneva to spend a few days touring around places like her original haunt…which was Covenant Harbor where she went to camp. These days, Bobbie is the executive director of the Alleghany YMCA in Covington, Virginia. That place has a population that’s just a little under the City of Lake Geneva but is hundreds of miles from just about anywhere. Richmond would be the closest at about 180 miles.
It was a grand pleasure to run into Ms. Wagner for the reporting staff of the GSR. Lake Geneva could use her back but nothing about that was said. We look forward to her next visit and also encountering so many others who do the same thing. The daily GSR video reports are watched by people all over the country and even the world for the same reason.
Like Hawaii, but different, Lake Geneva gets under your skin for life.
Person of the Week
Bobbie Wagner is a regular visitor to Geneva Lake and just a wonderful person and super intelligent YMCA executive In Virginia.
