Stephens to attend this first International Borderland Regional Red Hat Event. The host chapter was the Northern Maine Classie Lassies of Mapleton under the direction of Co-Queens Sharon O’Brien and Victoria Morrison. Other chapters enjoying this day-long event were: The Red Hat Loonies of Portage Lake; The Valley Belles of Fort Kent; The Red Hot Potatoes of Limestone; The Aroostook County Chickadees of Caribou and Fort Fairfield; The Victorian H’Attitudes of Perth-Andover, NB; The Playful Purple Finches of Florenceville, NB; The Little Red Hens of Woodstock, NB; The Border Belles of Houlton; and The Gypsy Chicks Red Hat Travel Club.
The Room was decorated in red and purple and looked splendid. The Classie Lassies really outdid themselves with decorations and details. The Red Hat sisters came from both sides of the Maine/New Brunswick International Border to enjoy a lovely deli luncheon buffet, a ‘funtastic’ time and lots of fellowship too. When the Red Hatters arrived, they each chose a door prize number and a table number and sat with new Red Hat sisters they wanted to meet rather than sitting with their longtime Red Hat chapter sisters they already know, as Borderland Red Hat chapters generally meet monthly at local restaurants throughout Aroostook, Victoria and Carlton counties.
After lunch was served, guest singer and musician Maxine McCausland played happy birthday on her guitar and all the gals sang along. Five Red Hat sisters celebrated an April birthday. Gifts were handed out. After the red and purple-decorated birthday cake was served and photos taken with the April birthday gals, the afternoon brought a variety of fun and exciting entertainment hosted by the Red Hat Loonies of Portages Lake and their Queen Rachel Stevens and the Border Belles of Houlton and their Queen Barbara Grant. An intermission was then taken after these two numbers for the Wacky Tacky Birthday Gift Exchange to take place. From the ridiculous to the sublime, and everything in between, the Red Hat Ladies enjoyed opening these gifts. The laughter could be heard throughout the hallways and kitchen of the Convention Center.
The Gypsy Chicks Red Hat Travel Club also had a table display and gave everyone in attendance their complimentary membership card, if they did not already have one. This Red Hatter’s Travel Club is now in its third year offering discount travel to Red Hatters, family and friends. Flyers were available for 2009/2010 Red Hat-related events, motor-coach trips and cruises too. Upcoming Red Hat events include Paint The Lupine Day Festival, hosted annually by the Yellow House B&B and the Nova Scotia Red Hat Camp weekend. The Red Hatters’ cruise to Alaska still has a few balcony cabins available aboard the Carnival Spirit from August 12-19. The Cyr motor-coach is half full already for the fourth annual Red Hatter’s Only Theatre By The Sea Adventure to Ogunquit Sept 23-25. For any Red Hatters who wish to spend the 2009 holidays in a warm climate, there is a two-week Red Hatter’s Florida Holiday Escape planned for Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, with Christmas being celebrated in Cocoa Beach and New Year’s being celebrated in Daytona Beach. For 2010, the Travel Club is offering an April Transatlantic Crossing on the QM2, followed by a nine-day motor-coach tour of Ireland. Red Hatters, family and friends can buy one or the other or both of these trips. There is also a Summer 2010 Alaska week-long cruise planned and a two-week interior Alaska and Yukon motor-coach tour. Again, these trips can be purchased individually or together. For flyers and more information, please contact Queen Nonna Duck, the Dock Hopper Duckie Red Hat leader, at: 757-8797 or 694-6147.
The day ended with the winners being chosen for the raffles and door prize by McCausland. The beautiful “Ravishing Ruby” three-foot standing doll so skillfully handcreated by Classie Lassie Shirley Coty for the host chapter fund-raiser raffle was won by Alta McKinley of the Woodstock, NB, Little Red Hens. Congratulations, Alta. Every Red Hatter in that room wanted to take Ravishing Ruby to go home with her! Amazing but true, the 50/50 Rabor Memorial Education fund-raiser raffle raised $100. Cash door prizes were won by the same Red Hat sister, Margaret Dudley of the Houlton Border Belles. Congratulations, Margaret. Margaret now has a new Red Hat Title: “Madame Money Bags Margaret,” as she is a frequent winner of raffles and door prizes at Red Hat events!
All the gals left happy with their balloons in tow and party favors too and whatever Red Hat deals they found or prizes they had won! It was indeed a successful first International Red Hat Borderland Chapters event. A host is being sought for the 2010 Red Hat Society 12th Birthday Celebration along this friendly international border where well over 500 Red Hat sisters are happily living life the Red Hat way. Hats Off to the Northern Maine Classie Lassies for an outstanding job as hosts.
Red Hatters gather in Star City
On April 25, 91 ladies, who are members of the Red Hat Society, gathered at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center for a celebration of the Red Hat Society’s 11th Birthday Party Luncheon. There were 10 Red Hat Borderland Chapters in attendance from Houlton to Fort Kent and Woodstock to Perth-Andover out of the 24 borderland chapters that were invited from Fort Kent/Perth Andover to Calais/St.
