A great deal has been said about our Sisterhood. Magazines, newspapers, television, books and movies have all featured our dear Society. As a matter of fact, every day, somewhere in the world, the Red Hat Society is mentioned in one or more forms of media.

When we were spontaneously creating the Society, we never had an inkling as to how powerful and important our organization would become in today's world. After all, we were out having fun. The word of mouth regarding the Red Hat Society was driving at such a rapid rate that within five years we had 40,000 chapters worldwide. If that were not enough, the Society was even featured on the longest running animated series, The Simpsons! Who would imagine that a gift of a red hat would have transformed the world?

We organically began to meet and play in full regalia, embracing our lives and where we were within them, shouting back at the stigma on mature women in society with a mighty Red Hat roar. Those outings became the world's largest accidental publicity campaign catapulting The Red Hat Society and our Members onto the pages of those magazines, newspapers and television screens...from ordinary to extraordinary!

But, as we basked in the glow of the spotlight, something even more brilliant came from within our souls...a true purpose, if you will, the purpose to change the hearts and lives of women. For the first time in the modern world, there was an organization committed to helping women who had lost a spouse or parent, or were, perhaps dealing with major life threatening illnesses - we began to cling to each other like a real family.

Stories of kindheartedness and sisterly love began to pour into Hatquarters by the truckloads (of course email wasn't really the thing then). We happily, yet tearfully, read letters from our Members around the world expressing the value and commitment they felt for our dear Society. Sue Ellen's gift morphed into something much larger than a club or group; it evolved into a women's movement of sorts - a movement consisting of women committed to supporting each other through fun and friendship allowing each individual the empowering permission to play.

The weight and responsibility this laid in front of the team at Hatquarters was immense. While the world was seeing us as fun and frivolous, from within, we began to carry the responsibility to be there whenever our Members needed us.

Over twelve years have passed since Sue Ellen gave Linda Murphy the gift of a Red Hat. Hundreds of thousands of women's lives have been forever changed by the experience. Hatquarters has the letters and stories to prove it. But, what if our Red Hat Society wasn't there to support us anymore? What if there wasn't a place for women to turn to when they needed to find friendships after the loss of a spouse or child? What if there was no Society to turn to when you moved to a new town and needed to find your place within it? What if we couldn't have a universal bond that allowed us to travel the world and find our Sisters on the other side?

We know the answer to that. It would be absolutely and utterly WRONG...a tragedy in epic proportions. Our communal embrace of the red hat and all it stands for have not been a passing phase and our commitment and value to the women's movement we've created are as real as the friendships we have created along the way. We have created a Legacy...together...a legacy of fun, friendship, freedom to express ourselves and a dedication to the fulfillment of our lifelong dreams. No matter what a woman's race, socio-economic status, or religion we are there to support each other. We value being a woman and understand the importance of promoting the next phase of our lives! After all, we defined that movement.

The Society (Sue Ellen, Debra, the team at Hatquarters and our Members) must stand arm in arm as we meet today's world, and the challenges that come along with it, head on. United. After all, there are new women entering this world this very moment who deserve to be able to take advantage of all that we created together. They deserve to have The Red Hat Society available for them when they need it...fifty years from now. We have a responsibility to our legacy.

How do you join us in securing our legacy?
By becoming a Member and committing to playing in the way only a Red Hatter can, by bringing new women into the fold and by continuing your yearly membership commitment to the greatest women's organization in the world. That's it. Nothing more. If we all do our part, we will be able to rest assured that our daughters, granddaughters and beyond benefit the way we all have.