PHOTO BY TARA FISCHER
Members of the local chapter of the Red Hat Society came to Berlin Town Hall on Monday night to receive a proclamation and rounds of applause from officials and residents.

By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

This week, the Town of Berlin declared April 25 as Red Hat Society Day in honor of the international women’s organization.

At a regularly scheduled council meeting, Zack Tyndall, the town’s mayor, honored the group’s anniversary with an official proclamation. The Red Hat Society is a global organization founded on April 25, 1998, to encourage women “on their quest to get the most out of life,” according to its website.

“We support women in the pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fitness, and the fulfillment of lifelong dreams,” the webpage continues.

According to Mable Jarmon, the Berlin chapter’s “queen ambassador,” as part of the group’s rules, women 50 and older wear red hats and purple attire and those younger are adorned in pink hats and lavender attire. Members are to choose purple hats on their birthdays. The local group boasts around 30 members, and while the international organization is celebrating its 27th anniversary, Berlin’s team is observing its 17th.

“We have a lot of fun,” Jarmon said. “We enjoy ourselves. We meet a lot of people, and we enjoy that. It’s a wonderful organization to belong to.”

The proclamation was given while Berlin’s Red Hat Society members were present, dressed in stylish pieces to match the organization’s fashion rules.

The document, read aloud by the mayor, reads, “whereas the mission [of the Red Hat Society] is to connect like-minded women, encourage them to have fun together as they strengthen relationships and whereas the Red Hat Society is dedicated to sharing a bond of affection throughout Maryland and around the globe.”

The proclamation adds that on April 25, the women conduct a social tea on Red Hat Society Day, wearing red hats and purple dresses.

The international chapter describes itself as a “playground” for women to relieve the stress associated with life’s challenges.

“Most women give their all to family, career, and community and forget to take time for themselves,” the organization’s website says. “Over 20 years ago, the Red Hat Society discovered that all of us need an occasional recess from the cares and duties of everyday life for no other purpose than to have fun with like-minded women. From under our signature brims, we create true, lasting friendships online and in person.”

Jarmon said that local women can join the Berlin chapter by contacting any of its members.