Women With Altitude
Official Red Hat Society Chapter of Grand County, Colorado
Chapter # 21031
Elevation 9,100 feet (2773 meters)



The chapter's first event at Gasthaus Eichler in Winter Park, November 18, 2003
Joan Von Der Heiden, Lynda Steinway, Barb Warnell, Lu Govin, Jeanne Anne MacDonald

Women With Altitude

The Women With Altitude chapter of the Red Hat Society became the first official Red Hat Society chapter in Grand County, Colorado in October, 2003.  The five founding members had their first event November 18, 2003 with lunch at a Winter Park restaurant. Then the ball started rolling. 

We are called Women With Altitude because we all live (at least part time) at about 9000 feet above sea level.    We are very near the Winter Park, Colorado, ski area.  Grand County is made up of several small towns including Winter Park, Granby, Fraser, Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur Springs and Kremmling.  Our chapter meets at least once a month to share friendship, laughter, and good times. If you are ever in the area, please get in touch.  As of December, 2009 we have 65 members ranging in age from 51 to 83.  We are currently open to new members.  Our only rule is to have fun and greet middle age with a sense of silliness and frivolity.

We are neither a religious nor political organization so we avoid those issues. We do have Christian and Jewish members so we should be mindful of that in holiday greetings.

Women with Altitude Officers 2011-2012

Queen: Joan Von der Heiden welshyl@hotmail.com 970-726-5189
“Our Leader”

Vice Queen: Charlotte (Char) Lucas dickcharweb@q.com 970-887-9507
Char handles WWA correspondence such as thank you and get well notes.

Email female: Debbie Morrison D2Morrison@comcast.net 303-210-2374
Debbie sends out Hatters’ Matters newsletter and event invitations from members

Treasure/Membership: Jeanne Anne MacDonald jimandjeanneanne@comcast.net 970-726-0206
Jeanne Anne handles our finances and membership dues.

The Statement of Purpose of The Red Hat Society

"The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and élan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next."

The Red Hat Society Background

The Red Hat Society is a disorganization of women over fifty years of age (and those waiting to be fifty). Inspired by the poem Warning by Jenny Joseph, Sue Ellen Cooper got a group of older women together for tea in purple dresses and red hats that didn't suit them. Red Hat Society chapters started springing up all over the states. Queen Sue Ellen Cooper became the Exalted Queen Mother. Founders of individual chapters are referred to as the Queen or Queen Mum. As the poem states, the older women wear purple outfits and red hats.  (Click here to go to the Red Hat Society web site to read the complete poem.)  They are referred to as "red hatters." The ladies in waiting wear lavender outfits and pink hats. They are referred to as "pink hatters." The fiftieth birthday is very special and honored in the Red Hat Society. The only qualification to join is a strong spirit and a positive outlook on the "golden years."

The Red Hat Society now has over 20,000 chapters in many countries. Doctors are starting to prescribe the Red Hat Society for older women to get out and have some fun with fellow sisters! The Exalted Queen Mother has written a book about the society which was released in April, 2004.

“Invisible older women?”  Not any more!