Fifties – Kathy, Red Hat Fan Club, Cypress, CA
Lady Di of the MZ-TEA –Rious Ladies, Long Beach, CA is Queen of one of the first chapters in the society. Kathy joined a her chapter in December 2000. At that time, Kathy was the self proclaimed "Pink Princess Perpetual," unwilling to share her age with anyone. She was openly determined to stay PINK forever. Then she found the red hat of her dreams. Not only did that red hat demand that Kathy turn the magic age in order to wear it but it also whispered to her that is was time for her to become a Queen! Lady Di happily held Kathy's REDuation and Queen Coronation during the same event and a new spin-off chapter was created. Kathy is at last proud in red. Long live our Red Hat Queen Kathy! Did we mention that she is a belly dancer too?
Twenties -Shelby, Fatales en Rose (Dangerous Women in Pink), Fullerton, CA
Our bright and lively interns discovered that after working at The Red Hat Society for a couple of months that the atmosphere becomes quite addictive. We could see bits of lavender and pink creeping into their wardrobe; a pink head band here and a sparkly lavender top there. It was hard for them to see all of our fabulous women having so much fun and not be a part of it. So, they took matters into thetir own hands and created their own chapter! They thought they started out just wanting to have fun, but little did they know that it would turn into so much more. It's turned into a bond of support that none of them could have ever predicted. For them, college is a crazy emotional environment and it's great to have a group of women who they know they can always turn to. Some of them originally thought that they were too young to be a part of the Red Hat Society, but being a part of it showed them that the Red Hat Society is as ageless as it is timeless. And with them...our Legacy lives on!
Sixties – Rosemary, Feathered Friends, Seal Beach, CA
Rosemary's neighbor friend, Becky Ogorzalek called her one day and said, "I've started a new Red Hat Society chapter. Would you like to come try hatting?" Rosemary is just the type to immediately say, "Count me in!" Six years later Rosemary, Becky and the chapter are still going strong. Rosemary has been blessed with sons and brothers so she says that the Red Hat Society provides her with the Sisters that she's always wanted. She has been seen at many conventions energetically dancing the night away with those Sisters. If there was a way to harness Rosemary's high energy and enthusiasm for life, we're sure we could light a whole city for a month with just her smile! Rosemary's birthday is April 24th so she celebrates her birthday with the Red Hat Society each year. How cool is that?!
Eighties – Etta, Big D Re-Gals, Dallas, TX
Etta keeps the gals in the Big D Re-Gals running... literally. She and her Queen Cynthia Houck were friends long before the start of their chapter in 2002. As chapterettes have come and gone throughout the years, Etta's participation has never diminished. She is well known for not only running in 5K Susan B. Komen Run for the Cure races, but for consistently winning! What is her secret? When training, she and her friends run three miles, five days a week. She confided that she is not in training right now so she's only running two miles, five days a week! Go, Etta, go! Etta just loves hatting and says that she is with the best chapter ever. As a recent widow, she has friends for support, to have fun with and is going places and doing things that just wouldn't be possible to do without them.
Thirties – La Shawn, The Best Off Spring, Fullerton, CA
La Shawn loves being a Pink Hat Queen in the Red Hat Society. As a widow, she had toyed with the idea of starting an all Pink Hat chapter and finally the time was right. She signed up online and - Voila! - A new Pink Hat Queen was born. It was just the diversion that she needed at that moment in time. She finds the flexibility of being part of the Red Hat Society works well with being a single mom and her busy schedule. She and her chapterettes, who live in five different states, went scuba diving for their first event, snow skiing with the kids on the second and a nice long hike on the third! She finds it a perfect way to keep connected with her long time friends.
Seventies – Mary, Ladies of Elegance, Los Angeles, CA
Queen Mary is a powerhouse Queen! She heard about the Red Hat Society from friends in her line dance class. She started her chapter with eight members and today, she has 139 very active Supporting Members mostly made up of dancers. Her chapter has many large events during the year that allows them to meet, munch, shop and dance, dance, dance! Under Mary's tutelage, her chapter has developed a strong sense of identity. They are proud to be real 21st Century Ladies of Elegance. Each Member strives to uphold the chapter's definition of their chapter name which is to be elegant, graceful, tasteful, respectful, refined and beautiful. Quite a feat! For Mary who is retired, this is the perfect time of her life to lead and grow a dynamic chapter such as this one. Do you want to be like Mary? Here's her advice to new Queens: You can be a great Queen if you really want to be. Listen, practice patience and above all have fun!
Nineties – Annamae, Dapper Dames, Tulsa, OK
Annamae has been a Supporting Member since 2004. She and her chapterettes really stick together. Their official Queen Audrey Langley moved to Texas but the Dapper Dames just wouldn't hear of selecting another Queen. They continue to meet monthly and Audrey manages the chapter online from Texas and visits when she can. At one time, Annamae and her husband were professional ballroom dancers. In fact, she was asked to come to her first chapter event because of her knowledge of line dancing. She says that it was all sheer fun from there. As a widow, she deeply enjoys the support she receives from her chapterettes and loves playing with them at their holiday parties, visits to museums and wineries and just hanging around together at someone's house for game days.
Forties - Maureen, The Diamond Girls, Nashville, TN
Interestingly enough, Queen Maureen found her way to the Red Hat Society through her husband. In 2006, they had just left his U.S. Army reenlistment ceremony when they came upon a gaggle of fifty or so Red Hatters having lunch at the same place that they were. After they were seated, the Queen of the chapter, Toni Beard of the Donelson Red Hat Honeys, approached them to share with them that her event's theme for the day was "Appreciation of our Military." She said that they are grateful for Maureen's husband's commitment to our country and asked if they could give him a blessing. We hear that he quickly took on the look of a deer in head lights at this unusual attention but Maureen gently nudged him into saying "Yes."
As they entered the patio, fifty hatters gave him a standing ovation, read the poem "Ode to a Solder" and some laid hands on him as they prayed over him for his safety. Needless to say he was moved. Maureen exclaimed, "I can't wait until I'm old enough to join you ladies!" Well, you can imagine what happened next. Queen Toni said, "Why don't you join us as a Pink Hatter?" Maureen replied, "A what?" And the rest is herstory! She went home that night and immediately signed up online to be a Pink Hat Queen and has never looked back. Maureen has big plans for Queen Toni to be the one to place her first Red Hat on her head. Maureen confided in us that her theme song for 2011 is 'Anything Red can do, a Pink can do better!" Remember that old song? This sounds like a challenge ladies!
Hundred's – Grace, Maple Meadow Merry Ladies, British Columbia, Canada
Grace celebrated her 100th year on Dec. 21, and she is a proud Supporting Member of her chapter. "They are so friendly, golly," she said, "I couldn't wish for better times." Her chapter treated her to a surprise birthday dinner where she sported her purple hat with pride. "I come whenever they have a do," said Grace, "I'm here." She was astonished to receive birthday cards from Red Hat members all over the world.
So how does it feel to reach such a milestone? "I wouldn't know," said Grace, "You just get a day older and before you know it, you're 100." Not one to shy away from activity and fun, Grace still has the will to do anything she wants. "If you try hard enough, you can do almost anything," she said, pausing, then with a laugh adding "with the aid of my walker and friends."