News on the Queen Bee
 Queen Bee Anne Richards joined the rest of the Frankly Scarlet Chapter of the Red Hat Society for an outing at Michelina's Bakery on River Road Saturday -- Scott Mullin photo by BEN SANDERS What began with a simple birthday present five years ago has grown into an organization with more than 10,000 chapters around the world, including one here in Wilton. Now, Anne Richards of Old Highway has brought the internationally active Red Hat Society to Wilton. While some groups get together to raise money to fight a disease or to support an institution, the Red Hatters are a group of women who just gather to have fun. "This is an organization that's great for women who have done fund raising and worked all their lives," said Ms. Richards. Residents may have noticed the Wilton chapter on its recent outings to Borders and to Michelina's Bakery. The Red Hatters can make quite a sight when they're out in force: Women over 50 wear red hats (of course) with purple dresses, while those under 50 wear lavender dresses with pink hats. "It's an organization of disorganization;' said Ms. Richards. "There are no officers. The rules are none." Typically, each chapter is nominally headed by a Queen Mother, but Ms. Richards, founder of Wilton's chapter, has taken the tide "Queen Bee" instead. The title is a play on her maiden name, Quimby, she said. Ms. Richards also came up with the name for Wilton's chapter: It's known as the Frankly Scarlet ("I don't give a damn") Chapter of the Red Hat Society. On its official charter from the central office in Fullerton, Calif., it's listed as Chapter 15,472. Fullerton is where the Red Hat Society got its start. Sue Ellen Cooper (now the Queen Mother of the Red Hat Society) gave her friend Linda Murphy (now the society's First Vice-Mother) a red hat for her 50th birthday. Ms. Murphy, in turn, gave another friend a red hat for her birthday. A poem entitled "Warning" by Jenny Joseph also contributed to the foundation of the organization. It begins:
With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter. Soon the two realized they had something going, and formed the first chapter of the Red Hat Society. It has since spread all over the world, with chapters on five continents. It grows quickly, too. The Frankly Scarlet Chapter received its charter on June 10, and more than 100 chapters have sprung up since then. "I don't know how they keep up with it all'" said Ms. Richards. Ms. Richards first learned about the group on a trip to Florida with her husband. She visited a friend in Bradenton, Fla., who is a member of one of that town's 24 Red Hat Society chapters. "After the men had gone to bed because they were exhausted, we stayed up two and a half hours talking. The idea captivated her, and at a large flea market in Fort Myers, she bought her first red hat. The Red Hat craze was apparent at that market. "Every other woman's apparel shop had red hats or purple dresses," she said. Once she had her hat on, three or four different men came up and asked "Are you a member of the Red Hat Society?" Membership has swelled swiftly here in Wilton, as well. The Red Hat Society had its inaugural meeting last month, and its second last weekend. "We have 45 ladies who have said they would like to be members," said Ms. Richards. The gatherings are always entertaining, said Ms. Richards. "There are very, very interesting people involved in this. They're very fascinating women." The next one is planned for Aug. 19, when the ladies of the club will be heading to Sherman for the Sherman Fair. "We're primarily going to see the Connecticut Clay Potters Association exhibit of teapots they've made;" said Ms. Richards. "Red Hatters are known for going out to tea parties." There are other plans as well. "Some of our ladies have invited us to their homes for tea parties," she said. Women interested in joining up may visit the group's web site, franklyscarlet.org. Ms. Richards had a little help from her husband on that score. "Phil put that together for us," she said. Ms. Richards is an administrator for the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, and was a longtime teacher before that. She sings barbershop with the YankeeMaid Chorus, a group that's been named Best in New England 10 times in the last 20 years. She's also a member of the Wilton Woman's Club, and was recently elected vice president of the Encore Club. She just completed a two-year term as president of the Wilton Arts Council. Red Hat Society chapters have sprung up in several area towns, including Ridgefield, Westport and New Canaan. Ms. Richards hopes to have Connecticut rank with Red Hatter hotbeds like Florida, California and the Carolinas. "We're trying to make Connecticut equally famous in the Red Hatter's mind," she said.  Seeing red, Pam Gillmor at Michelina's Bakery tells a story to other members of the Red Hat Society on Saturday. The ladies' group met at the bakery to talk and have fun. -- Scott Mullin photo |
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