The Red Hat Society is alive and well in and around Ponoka. The Camrose and Area Queens Council Gathering was recently held at the Old Iron Horse Restaurant and welcomed speaking with members of the RCMP as well as some dignitaries during their gathering.
The Red Hat Society offers many activities for all women over and under 50 years of age.
“We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and, since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together,” said Queen Dolores Sheppard of Camrose and Area Queen’s Council. “Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next. We are a playgroup for women.”
The make up of the Red Hat Society is fairly simple. The leader of a chaper is known as a queen, her representative is called her vice queen or co-queen. The members in her chapter are called chapterettes.
The Red Hatters meet together four times a year at 11:30 a.m. to enjoy lunch and discuss business that is addressed by each member there.
The agenda for the meetings is set up by the chairperson taken from information given throughout the month. Each Queen takes one representative from her chapter to attend and if one or both of them can not make it, two chapterettes go in their place. The Queen also has the option of choosing different representatives each month.
The Red Hat Society is also a chance to travel and see different areas of the province. Each Queen volunteers a month she would like to entertain and host the Lunch and Gathering. Members travel to the place that is chosen and the mileage ends up being the same for everyone.
“This way we get to see new countryside, areas and townsites and even tour and do some shopping,” said Sheppard. “We all take our turns so that it doesn’t become burdensome on any one person.
Starting in 1998 in California, the Red Hat Society has made its way across North America and is intended to show women from all walks of life, a good, enjoyable and relaxing time.
In Alberta the Red Hat Society was formed in Edmonton in 2006, there was an overwhelming number of chapters in Edmonton that no other chapters could be added. In 2007 it was introduced to Sherwood Park chapters to organize and get them set up.
Sheppard was one of the guests at one of the Sherwood Park’s Queen Council and with some help became the founding coordinator and chairperson for the Camrose and Area Queen’s Council.
The Camrose and Area Queen’s Council has proven to be very successful from the beginning having their first gathering on June 5, 2007 and today boasts of 15 enrolled chapters with 13 to 15 people attending each month.
The members dress in a red hat and purple clothes to distinguish the group and add to the fun of the society.