Their motto is ‘fun?-raising, not fundraising.
The Red Hat Society, a ‘play group? for women, now has a group meeting at the Orion Senior Center the second Wednesday of every month. The Red Hat Society was started in 1997 by the ‘Exalted Queen Mother? Sue Ellen Cooper of California, who presented her friend with a red hat and a copy of the poem ‘Warning? by Jenny Joseph.
The poem begins ‘When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me…?
Cooper intended the hat and poem as a reminder to her friend to ‘loosen up? as she got older, but instead began a national sensation. Other friends of Cooper’s were interested in receiving the same gift when they turned 50.
Cooper said that one’s 50th birthday does not signify the beginning of being old, but rather, qualifies one to begin practicing being old.
On April 25, 1998, Cooper and four friends dressed in purple outfits and red hats and went out to tea together, and the Red Hat Society was born.
The group at the Orion Senior Center will call themselves The Lake Orion Red Hatters, and held their first meeting on Nov. 17. They already have plans to go see ‘Menopause the Musical? at the Gem Theatre in Detroit, and to see the movie ‘The Polar Express.?
‘I’d seen a group of women out at a restaurant in purple dresses with red hats,? said Irene Zacharias, known as ‘Queen Rene? to her Red Hat group of four. ‘I found more information in a magazine, and decided to start a group.
‘We decided we needed more women to do things with, so we are coming to the Lake Orion group,? she said.
The Lake Orion Red Hatters will charge their 26 members only $5 a year to join, which will be spent on postage for mailings and for their $1 membership cards.
Chapters of the Red Hat Society exist across the country, and Cooper said the society has no rules, but does provide guidelines to help the ‘esteemed Queens? of each chapter as they gather and lead their own groups.
The Lake Orion Red Hatters elected Lisa Sokol as their ‘Queen? and Jackie Jidas as ‘Vice Queen.? The other members of the group will present their royal titles at the next meeting.
For more information, call the Orion Senior Center at 693-2066.