| At the first meeting, talk about how many you will limit your club membership to. The Exalted Queen Mum herself, Sue Ellen Cooper, the founder of Red Hat Society, suggests 20 as a good number to manage. Some chapters keep in down to 12. And then there are those who have 50 or more. Since there are NO RULES to the club, you can make them up yourself. You have to have some guidelines so it will not spin out of control. Do what feels comfortable for you. Things to consider when deciding on your chapter limit is managing your announcement of events. Does everyone has internet access and email? Will you need to make a lot of long distance phone calls? A suggestion is that those who do not have internet acesss, assign them a buddy who has access to keep them abreast of events that are scheduled. Think about making reservations at restaurants when deciding on your membership limit. Twelve or 20 might be easier to arrange at a restaurant rather than 40. Visitors have to be considered too. Also, how well will you really get to know those in the group if it gets too large? If it doesn't matter to you, then size may not matter either. The purpose of the Red Hat Society is to have fun and make new friends. Can a group of 40 really bond? Remember you usually only sit next to 3 or 4 people at a table. Guests - decide on limiting guests also. I have had members want to bring guests almost every month. That could grow into a bigger group than you'd like at some meetings. Also, I have had ladies want to visit to see what we are all about before starting their own chapter. That is a good thing to do, to encourage them to start their own new chapters. There are some months I will not accept guests so we can get to know one another better. It is easier to play games and find out personal tidbits about one another when it is "just us" members. Whatever you decide, have fun, and if you have any questions, email me at [email protected]. Sincerely, Chris Brown Founding & Queen Mum Purple Peacocks Michiana Chapter of the Red Hat Society P.S. Don't forget to register your chapter at the official website. The fee is $35.00 for a year which gets you listed on their website. It also allows you to use the name RED HAT SOCIETY and their logos. It also gets you invited to any national or regional Red Hat Society events.Using the name or the logos without registering is stealing. You must register or you cannot affiliate your club with the Red Hat Society. |
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