Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
THE MEMBERS of the local Red Hat Society gather at the Elk and Hound Thursday. Queen Mother Marge Tezak, center, and Vice Queen Lou Kalan, to her right, preside over the group. Donna Hockin wears a purple hat in the front left, signifying it is her birthday. There's red hats and purple galore, just like the woman in the poem wore.
By IAN MINIELLY
Ironwood - "When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me," were words of inspiration from the poem, "Warning," that motivated Sue Ellen Cooper to drop $7.50 for a red hat in 1997.
The hat was empowering and signaled something so much more than growing old, so she gave one to her friend, as she turned 50ish.
Within five years, the Red Hat Society grew to more than 40,000 chapters worldwide. The Upper Peninsula has 10 to 15 chapters of its own.
The red hat signifies a new chapter in a woman's life, a chapter that begins with the number 50. The group encourages women under 50 to join, but they have to wear pink until they fully mature.
Ironwood's Red Hat Society meets in a different restaurant for fun and good times every second Thursday.
Officially, the Red Hat Society is "dedicated to reshaping the way women are viewed in today's culture, RHS supports and encourages women to pursue fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment of lifelong dreams and fitness," according to redhatsociety.com.
In talking to the group Thursday, they are civic-minded ladies who are heavy on social aspects of the club. They come together to socialize and eat, while supporting many of the local events. There is not any husband or health talk when the RHS is in session. It is a gripe-free zone.
Marge Tezak is the current local Queen Mother. She leads, organizes, informs and commands the bell during meetings. Tezak is attended to by the Vice Queen, Lou Kalan, and together they keep the local RHS busy and organize functions for the group.
It costs $10 a year to join. The laugh lines certain to be developed afterwards are free.
