What is a “Chapter” (Group), and What is a Queen?
A “Chapter” is the name given to the smaller groups of Hatters. Each Chapter runs independently, so they are all different in terms of how many members they have, how often they meet and what activities they do. These are usually based in a town to gather local women together and there can be more than one Chapter in a town if there are enough women to support multiple Chapters. Chapter size can range from as small as several members to as large as the group want to be. Often Chapters like to cap membership at around 20 members, to keep the group manageable and personal. You can be a member of more than one Chapter. The person who founded the Chapter is called the “Queen” (or “Queen Mother” if she has retired and a new Queen has taken her place). So the Queen is the figurehead or leader of the Chapter. However, she is not expected to take on all the responsibility of running the Chapter, so there are often “Vice-Queens and other delegated members to help keep things running smoothly. The RHS has indicated that a Queen alone is not a group and registering only one member is not a group and if a Queen tries to do this, she is not being honest about the status of her group, the other ladies not being registered supporting members. She is also not upholding her Pledge in becoming a Queen.
The Role of a Queen
As Queen and Supporting Member, you pledge to stand aligned with the Red Hat Society’s principles, values and guidelines and to ensure that all of your Chapterettes support the Sisterhood with their Membership dooz.
Queen and Supporting Member Pledge
I pledge to faithfully support my Red and Pink Hat sisters. I will use this positive spirit to impact my local community with the fun and friendship found only in official Red Hat Society Membership.
I promise to honor the RHS by:
Committing to all values, guidelines, principles and the Passion statement of RHS found within the RHS handbook and website
Actively participating in the Sisterhood (i.e. playing on line, taking part in local and international events)
Representing RHS as true royalty when I am in regalia by being kind to others and carrying myself in a ladylike fashion
Ensuring my annual Membership dooz are renewed on time
Encouraging those with whom I am Hatting to become card-carrying Supporting Members of the Red Hat Society.
I pledge to wear the colors of official Membership (red and purple for those over 50; pink and lavender for those under 50) with pride–professing to the world that “Red (and Pink) Hatters Matter!”
I pledge to share the fun found in RHS Membership with women I come in contact with as a testament to the Society’s Global sisterhood and quest to ensure women get the most out of life!
Most importantly, I pledge to ensure that FUN is at the heart of everthing I do as a Red Hatter.
