because frankly my dear, we don't give a dam !

MISSION STATEMENT

If you're going on a hike, it's an excellent idea to take a compass with you. It's easy to get disoriented out in the wilderness, and one tree looks pretty much like another. If you're driving through an unfamiliar state, it's an even better idea to have a current map handy. Even established areas may have recently-added roads, street name changes, or what have you. Adventure is all well and good, but if it's an important jaunt, you want to be well equipped and reasonably certain that you'll reach the destination you had in mind.

In the early days of the Red Hat Society, we were fond of saying that we had no idea where we going - because we didn't! We were all just "piling onto one big bandwagon" and enjoying the ride, giddy with the freedom that spontaneity and adventure brings. The Red Hat Society: Fun and Friendship after Fifty, published several years ago, is still the best vehicle for understanding our origin and early development. Fun and friendship are still - and will always remain - central to our cause. But we are now giving serious thought to deepening our purpose.

Some of us have started asking where we're going (never mind "Are we there yet?"). Every Hatquarters interview seems to include a question about where we expect or hope to be at the end of our next ten years. We've gained a lot of visibility and influence; we'd like to put that to good use in ways that will benefit all Red Hatters, and, by extension, all women in our age range. The Red Hat Society is the most influential group in the world right now for women approaching 50 and beyond! So...what is our destination?

At Hatquarters, we have thought about this important question. Anything - a person, a group, or a movement - must grow and evolve if it is to remain vital and meaningful. Its valuable characteristics must be preserved; at the same time new layers of meaning and purpose must be established and developed. We certainly don't want our bandwagon to slow down or become (forgive the expression) old hat! Besides, it has become obvious that "fun and friendship" only scratch the surface of the true value we brings to our members.

The Red Hat Society encourages its members to grant themselves personal liberty from self-perceived and self-enforced limits, as well as from cultural stereotypes and the perceptions and judgment of others. We encourage every woman to give thought to her personal future in new ways, and we provide the vehicles to help. From our website to our events to our publications, we seek to provide a place and methods for forward-looking women to try new things, explore new enthusiasms, and just come at life from new angles! So, we have chosen a third "F" word - "freedom!"

We also believe that every woman who embraces the RHS values and ideals by making use of all that we have to offer - the close companionship to be found in her local chapter, the Queen Mother Board, the QMB2, the Events Calendar, the special deals and discounts, the ideas for instilling life with more creativity, our quarterly newsletter, etc. - will soon discover that her life has been enhanced beyond her expectations. With all of these communication vehicles she is bound to find all kinds of new inspiration for all areas of life. She will also find herself at the forefront of a massive movement offering a sea change for women middle-aged (and beyond) in the new millennium. She will have more fun, more friends; and she will be more free. The benefit of this combination of positive, forward-looking changes will be "fulfillment."

So...may we introduce our new

Red Hat Society Mission Statement

"We are a global society of women approaching the age of 50 or beyond that connects and supports women in their pursuit of Fun, Friendship, Freedom and Fulfillment.
Fun...to celebrate life at every age.
Friendship...to solidify and expand the bonds of sisterhood.
Freedom...to discover and explore new interests.
Fulfillment...to fully realize our personal potential.
By maintaining a thriving social community, and offering a variety of services and group experiences, the Red Hat Society encourages its members to make the most out of life."

And here is our promise to all of those who join us:
"The Red Hat Society will open doors to a better tomorrow for women of all ages, adding Fun, Friendship, Freedom and Fulfillment to their lives. Each member can expect to be welcomed into our sisterhood and to be treated with dignity and respect. Together, we will extend the hand of friendship to women across the globe."

Taken together, our Mission Statement and promise provide our compass and map! As we enter our eleventh year, everything the Red Hat Society does will continue to be guided by these principles.

But...what, you may ask, is our destination? That may best be answered by re-reading the Mission Statement. We believe we are on the right road; over time we will continue to fulfill our mission in the lives of an ever-increasing number of women. And we actually WILL change the world for the better - all the while continuing to have plenty of fun and friendship in our lives.

So, are we there yet? No...but we're well on our way!