Most ladies, who become Supporting Members of the Red Hat Society without a specific chapter in mind, are initially added to our virtual chapter called Ruby RedHat's Rambers (a Ruby, for short!) until they decide if they like being a Ruby or wish to align with a local chapter. With either choice, you are an official Supporting Member of the Red Hat Society. Thank you for that.

Because this chapter is virtual, Rubys report to no Queen and don't have to RSVP to scheduled gatherings. There aren't any! The way that Rubys play is; to pick and choose events to attend from the RHS Event Calendar and other sources, to have full access to the online activities and all the various Member connections. Rubys see their event invitations by logging into the website, speak to other Supporting Members on our message boards (the Queen Member Boards, nicknamed the QMBs) and may contact Chapter Queens locally or anywhere in the world. Hatquarters also provides our Members who provide us with email addresses, weekly email news. If your schedule is crazy, perhaps being a Ruby would be perfect for you right now. You may align with a local chapter at any time during your Membership. Either choice is fun!

Some women love the camaraderie of being with a local chapter. If you are one of those women, here is what to do. These methods are tried and true ways to find a chapter to join and are successfully being used by Hatters every day:

Connect with local chapters by doing a chapter search under
CONTACT CHAPTERS.
Try by Zip Code search first. Contact all the open chapters on the list that appears. The contact is done by email. The Queen of the chapter will contact you back to invite you to join in the next chapter gathering. Make sure to watch the CONTACT CHAPTERS video that we created just for you. Click here.

Check in on the QMB (the Queens & Members Board) and post to introduce yourself under the Welcome and Hatter's Chatter forums.
You'll make lifelong friends there.

Do check the calendar frequently.
New local events are added daily and it's a great way to connect locally or if you are traveling. Don't forget to consider attending RHS sponsored events where hundreds of hatters meet in fabulous new locations every year. The 2012 International Convention – themed The Golden Age of Glamour - will be held at the elegant Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. You will meet many new women at these events. Click here for details. You could also win attendance to the event for you and a friend! Click here for details.

When you connect with a chapter that you want to align with, the next step is to give us a call in Member Services with the chapter number which will be provided by the Queen and we will move your name to the chapter roster.
If you ever decide to move to another chapter, we can easily update that too with a simple call! At this time, our records can show your name under just one roster but do remember that you may play with as many chapters as you wish.

If you don't find the perfect chapter for you, that means it's time to consider starting a new chapter that fits your fun factor! You are an official Supporting Member so that means that you may choose to upgrade to Queen (only $19) to start your own chapter and women in your area will begin contacting you to connect. There's simply nothing like being a Queen!

Have you tried some of these steps and haven't connected with a chapter? Let us help! The most important tool that you have at your disposal is the friendly staff at Hatquarters. Just give Member Services a call. We're here to assist you.

You might question why Hatquarters didn't offer to help you find a chapter when you first joined us. The answer is that connecting with a chapter is somewhat of a personal journey and so is finding our personal level of involvement. When you look at the names of the chapters that are open to new Members in your area, one or two may pop right out and say, "Contact me! We're the group for you!" One of those chapters may resonate with you in a way that only you can experience. The Royal Notes section of the chapter information may tell you when they meet and the some of the things that they do for fun. You'll know best whether or not a chapter in an adjoining city would be just fine for you to consider. It's good to visit as many chapters as you can to find the best one for you. Depending on the gathering cycle, meeting with chapters may take several weeks or months. Relax and enjoy the process. Make sure to jump into the fun online. New friends are just a click or two away. Have a marvelous time on your journey; it's all part of the fun!