Classy Lassies Celebrate Fourth Anniversaryby Sandi Fahy
Photo by SANDI FAHY CLEARWATER - Members of the Classy Lassies chapter of the Red Hat Society gathered at The Pepper Mill Restaurant in Clearwater on August 27 to celebrate their fourth anniversary. Rosanna Wright, queen mother and founder of the group, welcomed the ladies as they arrived in their colorful red hats and purple dresses. The Classy Lassies started out with 12 members in August of 2003. There are now 31 members, many of whom are seasonal residents, Wright advised. They come from Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, Belleair, Belleair Beach, Seminole and Pinellas Park. Get-togethers are held monthly at different locations. Next month the Red Hatters will meet at the Wine Cellar in North Redington Beach. In November they will lunch at Shell's Seafood Restaurant on Clearwater Beach. Many of the members will be attending the society's upcoming annual state convention. Some members have attended past national conventions in Dallas and Las Vegas. They are currently looking forward to June of 2008, when the Red Hat Society's International Convention will take place in Orlando. The event will mark the organization's 10th aniversary. There are over 30,000 chapters throughout the world, Wright advised. Canada, England, China, Africa, Australia, The Netherlands and Sweden are among the countries where you will find them. Red Hatters from all over the world will also be travelling in late December to London, where they will participate in the city's New Year's Day Parade. The Classy Lassies chapter is one of 34 in the Clearwater area. It pays $39 annually for its affiliation with the national organization. Each year the local group selects a charity or charities to support. In the past, they have contributed to the Salvation Army, Clearwater Public Library, Hospice, Clothes to Kids and the Hurricane Relief Fund.
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