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Members List:
Other sites
Queen:
Connie Fuller
Vice Queen:
Jeanie Evans
Ginny McDowell
Trusty Treasurer:
Carol Shanefelter
Members:
Norma Allison
Joyce Atkinson
Norma Bordash
Dona Brazzon
Barb Burton
Mary Clark
Vivian Conn
Joanne Denne
Connie Dubreucq
Lil Farquhar
Cindy Gardner
Wilma Gargan
Sally Giovanilli
Carol Hamila
Carol Hisiro
Ann Kirchner
Sharyn Kmieciak
Roxanne Kovscek
Peggy Layton
Nedra Lopez
Lou Ann Lori
Carla Margie
Cristal Masney
Rose Ann Matianski
Mary Ann Mehallick
Joann Melnick
Kay Morris
Connie Novak
Mary Ann Novak
Rose Ann Oldham
Lorraine Pascarrela
Susan Pollock
Donna Reach
Dolores Ridgway
Millie Rubish
Janet Sacane
Ruth Shields
Dorothy Stimmel
Leslie Uhren
Judy Usher
Mary Ann Welc
Mary Jo Yetsconish
GIRLFRIENDS RED HAT SOCIETY PERRYOPOLIS
How It Started
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How it all Started
While visiting a friend in Tucson several years ago, Sue Ellen impulsively bought a bright red fedora at a thrift shop, for no other reason than that it was cheap and, she thought, quite dashing.
A year or two later she read the poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph, which depicts an older woman in purple clothing with a
She decided that her birthday gift to her dear friend, Linda Murphy, would be a vintage red hat and a copy of the poem. She has always enjoyed whimsical decorating ideas, so she thought the hat
Linda got so much enjoyment out of the hat and the poem that Sue Ellen gave the same gift to another friend, then another, then another.
One day it occurred to these friends that they were becoming a sort of "Red Hat Society" and that perhaps they should go out to tea... in full regalia. They decided they would find purple dresses which didn't go with their red hats to complete the poem's image.
The tea was a smashing success.
Soon, each of them thought of another woman or two she wanted to include, and they bought more red hats. Their group swelled to 18, and they began to encourage other interested people to start their own chapters (18 women don't fit well around a tea table).
One of their members passed along the idea to a friend of hers in Florida, and their first "sibling" group was born.
Sue Ellen's fondest hope is that these societies will proliferate far and wide. We have now held three successful Red Hat Society conventions — entire hotels filled with women of a certain age wearing red hats and purple outfits! Could world domination be far behindWelcome to the Red Hat Society, where there is fun after fifty (and before) for women of all walks of life.
We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life and, since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together.
Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next.
How to Join
Are there any rules?
There are no official rules, although we have some rather strong suggestions, the first of which is regarding red hat attire. Of course, to be a Red Hatter, one should wear a red hat and a clashing purple ensemble at all meetings to keep up the spirit and purpose of the (dis)organization.We also suggest rather strongly that women under 50 stick to the pink hat and lavender attire until THE BIRTHDAY. This adds an element of fun to aging, which we think is invaluable to women in our society who have learned to dread aging and avoid it at all costs. We believe that aging should be something anticipated with excitement, not something to dread.
Are there any responsibilities?
The main responsibility is to have fun! We see this group as an opportunity for those who have shouldered various responsibilities at home and in the community their whole lives, to say goodbye to burdensome responsibilities.This is a place to have fun and enjoy ourselves. Of course, someone needs to plan the events or they would never happen, but oftentimes members take turns at these things so that they do not become "jobs" for anyone.
If an individual chapter wishes to participate in charitable events or any such things, we encourage them to do so, but the Red Hat Society as a whole does not see itself as an appropriate forum for fund-raising or other such things. The refrain of the popular Red Hat Society theme song by Mike Harline puts it rather bluntly: "All my life, I've done for you. Now it's my turn to do for me."
Who is the Queen Mother?
The person that starts the chapter is known as the Queen Mother and gets to pick out the name of the chapter. The queen may then select to have other titles. Other titles were: "Vice-Mother," the Queen Mother's right-hand woman and the mother of vices, so to speak; "Anti-parliamentarian" for the one who enforces the rule that there are no rules; "Barristress" for the lawyer in the group; "Mistress of Anxiety" who worries about other members' problems for them so they don't have to; and on it goes.
The sillier and grander the title, the better it is. If you have any questions or would like to join our group chapter call Queen Connie at 724-736-0955. If you would like to start a chapter of your own, contact www.redhatsociety.com
