The Walworthians: Red Hat Society
The Walworthians
A collection of telephone interviews published in the Wayne County STAR Newspaper and Wayne County MAIL Newspaper, 1994-209
by Kate Chamberlin
The Red Hat Society
July 10, 2003
We walked in amid the usual hub-bub of a hotel restaurant at lunch time and found our seats. Bob Keller leaned over and said there was another group in the restaurant. The women were notable for their purple outfits and they all had on red hats. Of course, my curiosity was piqued, so I asked Alice Marks if she’d check it out. She returned with several informational pages and a phone number for me to call.
It was the Red Rose Hats Society of Newark. The spirit of the society forbids that they make rules, however, there are some suggestions:
*You must attend functions in full regalia — red hat, purple outfit for women 50 and over or pink hat and lusty lavender outfit for women who are younger.
“It’s actually to celebrate age,” said Grace Krueger, Queen Mother of the Red Rose Hats Society Newark Chapter. “We started as a group of women who liked to go for lunch each month. The letters of our group stand for: Really Only Some-thing Entertaining (to do by). Happy and Talented Seniors.”
They have had luncheon teas at the Quality Inn, The Corner Restaurant, the Country Club and other local eateries. They are looking forward to having lunch in the Little Tea Room in Phelps; and in the Holidome during the State Convention for the National Red Hat Society in October.
The members of the Red Rose Hats do a lot more than just have teas each month, though. They have opted to do charitable works such as donating useful “wish list” items to St. John’s Hospice House in Clifton Springs, women’s shelters, the Humane Society, and Victim’s Resource Center; making monetary donations to the Newark Public Library; and hostessing a tea at the DeMay Living Center, as well as singing Christmas carols and doing volunteer work when they see a need.
There is also a Red Hat Chapter in Marion. Their members are from all over, where the Newark group is basically Newark women. Although the Newark Red Rose Hat Society is currently closed at 25 members, you can contact Queen Mother Grace Krueger 331-4027 to be put on the lady-in-waiting list.
The Vice-Mother is Cheryl Chapman. For information about forming your own chapter, visit the Queen Mother Board (the National Web-site) : http://www.redhatsociety.com/chapter.html.