The Ladies in Red Red Hat Society Fosters Friendships and Community Involvement Writer / Tracey Ruckman Photographer / Tabitha Dillner
The Red Hat Society has been encouraging and embracing women across the globe since 1998. Founded by Sue Ellen Cooper, the social club has approximately 20,000 chapters in the U.S., and more than 30 international chapters. In 2004 Janice Davis and a friend were watching an annual parade, when a float full of smiling women dressed in red hats and purple attire cruised through the procession. Upon being informed by her friend that the individuals were Red Hat ladies, Davis was intrigued. She went home, looked up information on the Red Hat Society and immediately knew she wanted to be a part of the organization. That was the day she signed up to be a queen. The Red Hat Society offers two types of memberships - a supporting member and a queen. Both types of memberships share many of the same benefits. However, a queen membership has a few added perks. When a lady signs up as a queen, she creates, names and leads a chapter group, and hosts that chapter’s events. Davis is the queen of the northern Indiana chapter, named Angels in Red, and a Facebook chapter called SunShine Gals. “Anyone can be a queen of a chapter, but without a THETHE LAKES MAGAZINE 2020 LAKES MAGAZINE/ JULY / JULY 2020/ thelakesmagazine.com / thelakesmagazine.com/ 59
