Oxford resident Susy Krans is a queen, although she wears no crown and doesn’t sit perched on a throne.
She does, however, have at least 30 loyal subjects in her Red Hat Society that listen to her every word.
And when she suggested making a calendar wearing only’ahem’their red hats, most were very enthusiastic.
Krans started the Queen Victoria Red Hats of Oxford chapter three years ago after she noticed another Red Hat group having a great time at a luncheon.
Soon after, women from Oxford, Metamora and Lake Orion flocked to her chapter to join what she calls a ‘sisterhood.? Because Krans started the chapter, her title is the ‘queen? of the group.
The Red Hat Society was started by Sue Cooper of Fullerton, California back in 1997 for women over the age of 50.
After reading the poem ‘Warning? by Jenny Joseph, which depicts an older woman in purple clothing and a red hat, Cooper had the idea of spreading the happiness of her red hat to others.
The craze of the Red Hat Society has taken the world by storm and has over 41,000 chapters. Each chapter meets monthly, in full regalia of course.
Krans said her chapter meets at least three times a month and goes on special trips, like to play miniature golf, hay rides and antique shopping.
‘Lots of shopping,? she said with a smile. ‘Because that’s what we’re good at.?
Krans had the idea to make the calendar after seeing the 2003 movie Calendar Girls, based on a true story of a group of British women who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for a leukemia ward at a local hospital.
She showed her ladies a calendar that a Red Hat chapter in Phoenix did and the ball began rolling.
The calendar is composed of photos from two different Red Hat chapters; Krans? Oxford chapter, and the Capelli Rossi Girls chapter from Metamora.
After going through two photographers that couldn’t quite capture what the women wanted, Queen Krans decided to take matters into her own hands and took the photos herself.
‘All the pictures were shot on location. They’re all natural and none of them have been retouched,? she said.
The women posed in front of different backgrounds, including Canterbury Village in Lake Orion, Independence Village in Oxford (which is where Krans works) and even Krans? backyard.
And did we mention that they bared all? At least, it looked like they did.
‘Nobody was ever really naked,? Krans admitted. ‘We always had swimsuits or something on.?
While shooting Miss March’s photo in her yard, one of the other women noticed her nextdoor neighbor mowing his lawn for what seemed like an eternity. A nosy ice-cream truck driver made his way past the Independence Village gazebo a few times after he noticed the photo shoot.
‘I thought to myself, ‘there are no kids here (who want ice cream),?? she said laughing. ‘He was going ’round and ’round.?
The theme of this year’s calendar is ‘Boas and Beads,? so, along with their red hats, the women wore beads and feather boas to match.
‘We just had too much fun with it and because it was just us and we didn’t have to deal with the professional photographer, we were all much more comfortable,? she said.
The person probably most uncomfortable, in a funny sort of way, with the calendar was Krans? husband.
‘He’d have to call from work and ask if he could come home,? Krans joked.
Each month of the calendar has a special photo featuring one, or in a couple cases a few, of the Red Hat members along with some personal information and why they think being a Red Hat is important.
The calendars will be available for sale in two weeks and cost $15. All proceeds go to a non-profit organization called ‘I Care Michigan.?
I Care is an international service that provides emergency funding to people between jobs.
‘They’re not destitute, they may be changing jobs? and ‘can really use some one-time (financial) help,? Krans said.
Krans and her husband have worked with I Care Michigan for many years and thought it only appropriate to donate the money to them.
A part of the profit also goes to a Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue fund.
With all of the excitement surrounding the release of the calendar, it has helped Krans realize the importance of belonging to a group like the Red Hats.
‘It’s good because it teaches you that as we get older, it is time for us,? she said. ‘We obeyed all the rules and raised our kids and now it’s time to have fun.?
The calendars will be available for purchase at Canterbury Village, the Lake Orion Applebee’s, C.J.’s Village Cafe, Rob’s Place in Oxford and at Krans? beauty shop inside Independence Village.
They can also be ordered through the mail by sending a $17 check ($2 for shipping) to Winona Wrighton, c/o Beads and Boas, 1551 Pleasant View Dr., Lake Orion, MI 48362.
For more information on the Beads and Boas calendar, e-mail qvictoriaredhats@aol.com. To learn how to become a Red Hat, visit www.redhatsociety.com.