Red Hatters Attend Flickinger Center Guild Tea

Sunday, October 21, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of Red Hat Society attended the Tenth Annual Turquoise and Silver Tea of the Flickinger Center Guild. All members of the chapter were present except for two and we added one new member that day, Esperanza, and had two prospective members visiting, Sylvia and Darla.

The entertainment was over the top with the theme "Centennial" exploited at every turn. New Mexico is celebrating their Statehood Centennial Celebration and Alamogordo, New Mexico is right in the thick of it. We very much enjoyed Lina Guzman and the Fiesta Dancers and fiddlers Cheryl Hughen and Alex Burke from the Classi Fiddles Music Studio as the pre-entertainment of this event.

The Faces of New Mexico were represented by Barbara McDonald, Chairwoman for our local NM Statehood Centennial Celebrations; Karen Aragon, Acoma Pueblo, representing the Native American population of NM; Ermelinda Noriega Moyers, representing the Hispanic population of NM; Ailene Jensen, representing the Caucasian population of NM; Carol Coverdale, representing the Afro-American population in NM; with each woman dressed appropriately.

Heather Kangas and Brownie Scout Troop #55 led us in the Pledge of Allegiance as well as the Pledge to the NM State flag. Donnie Burt, vocalist, rendered a superb version of the NM State song "O Fair New Mexico".

Throughout the event, ladies modeled fashions from retailers in Alamogordo and Cloudcroft and one could hear many oohs and aahs in the packed room as the styles were presented.

Another presentation was made by The Centennial Ladies led by Barbara McDonald and including Gloria Burch, Joan Griggs, Linnie Townsend, Dixie Albers, Jan Wafful, Tonya Williamson, Ila Denson, Kim Lopez Gallager and one lone gentleman, Joel Hamilton, representing the first black educator in Alamogordo. The ladies were dressed in Victorian ensembles including lovely hats as they walked around the stage with each being described as to whom they represented in Alamogordo history.

The Academy of Ballet Dancers in Alamogordo presented a beautiful ballet entitled Azure Skies.

The Men and Women of the Flickinger Guild presented Moments to Remember, eras depicted in song and costumes, and those taking part were Palla Duncan Mack, Judy Vollmoeller, Monte and LaVerle Hoover, Swan Colpitts, Pat Douville, Connie "CJ" Rogers, Janet Cooper, Dottie Rogers, Mae McDonald, Peggy Andre, Naomi Walker, Donna Clark, Janet Theriot, Joylyn Mercouris, Jane Belk and Rowena Dale Laabs.

The extremely capable host and hostess of this event were Eli Levy and Sarina Turnbull. The Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center and Mountain View Catering provided delicious refreshments and servers were members of the Alamogordo High School Jr. ROTC.

As one can deduce, this was assuredly a community effort and its success assured by the efforts of many volunteers. Last I heard approximately $4000 was raised.

Vice Queen Penny aka Duchess of High Rolls and Margie aka Countess of Karr Canyon

L to R: Marian aka Mistress Marian, Monica aka Duchess of Cottonwood, Dorothy aka Dame Dorothy and Lynne aka Lady Lynne

Some of the Fiesta Dancers

L to R: Lynne, new member Esperanza and Rosa aka Lady Rosamar

Prospective members Sylvia and Darla

Centennial Lady Barbara McDonald and Carla aka Queen Ladybird

Penny and Margie looking stunning in those gorgeous hats!

Esperanza with colors reversed because its her birthday month, Rosa and Carla

VQ Penny, Carla and Margie

Alas, the photos of most of the entertainment did not turn out properly. I'm still getting used to my new camera. However, suffice to say, a great time was had by all and we can't wait to go again next year.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hat Society Chihuahuan Desert Queens Chapter Fall Fling

On Saturday, October 20, 2012, Carla Kerr aka Queen Ladybird and her Vice Queen Penny Pirrung aka Duchess of High Rolls of New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter drove to Las Cruces, New Mexico for the first event of the newly formed Chihuahuan Desert Queens Chapter of the Red Hat Society. A luncheon was enjoyed at Sunset Grill at Sonoma Ranch while we made event plans for each quarter of 2013.

Jean Averett aka Queen Sassy Prickle Pear of The Desert Darlings Chapter and also Queen of the C.D.Q.'s presided at the luncheon. Each Queen told of her chapter activities and shared new ideas with the group for keeping members involved and excited about being Red Hatters. We are off to a great start and looking forward to the next event on January 20, 2013 to be hosted by Carla and Penny in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

After the luncheon we headed for the mall to take part in the favorite sport of Red Hatting, "Shopping", and found several delightful sales and especially great was finding red feather boas at a Halloween Store (these are nowhere to be found in Alamogordo) because we (New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter) are planning on making red bra hats in November. The boas are vital to the stylish completion of the hats.

Penny and Carla ready to leave for Las Cruces, New Mexico

L to R: Jean, Pam, Glenneth and Paula

Trish and Jean

Ellen and Judi

Back Row: Paula, Pam, Carla, Penny and Judi  Front Row: Glenneth, Jean, Ellen and Trish

We always say, "Build it and they will come." It certainly works this way in Red Hatting as in most organizations and we are looking forward to more Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas Queens joining the Chihuahuan Desert Queens Chapter. It will make all of our chapters stronger and more fun!

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Visit Trinity Site

I'm sure many of you remember the first Atomic bomb test on July 16, 1945 and the place this occurred is called Trinity Site. The greatest minds in the world worked tirelessly on this project with the idea in mind to create something so devastating that it would end WWII. Some of the names of scientists involved were Oppenheimer, Fermi, Wright (who just died last week at age 96), Bohr and Major General Leslie Groves just to name a few.

Trinity Site is only 85 miles from Alamogordo, New Mexico if you travel in a military caravan which can get you through the nearest gate of White Sands Missile Range at Tularosa, New Mexico. On Saturday, October 6, 2012, three Red Hatters from New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter and two husbands dared to get out of bed at 5:00 a.m. to make themselves ready and drive to Tularosa in time to join 175 vehicles to caravan to Trinity Site. It took a little over two hours to reach our destination.

The government bought a huge ranch owned by the McDonald family to make it ready as the test site for this Atomic bomb. The bomb's core was assembled in the McDonald ranch house. The basic house was still standing after the blast and some years later the house was restored allowing visitors to tour it. The blast was felt as far away as Gallup, New Mexico (about 250 miles) and people in Tularosa and Alamogordo said it was the day that the sun rose and set twice as they viewed the searing light from the bomb.

Caravan forming up in parking lot at Tularosa High School

Penny aka Duchess of High Rolls and Carla aka Queen Ladybird

Do I really look radioactive??

L to R: Penny, Sylvester, Monica aka Duchess of Cottonwood, and Carla

We've decided we are all radioactive!

Here we are standing inside "Jumbo" originally built by Babcock and Wilcox  of Ohio to house the bomb

We are standing at the monument created to commemorate ground zero

This rail surrounds what's left of one leg of the 100 foot tower that held the bomb. Tower melted!

"Fatman" bomb casing like that which held the bomb dropped on Nagasaki

Here we stand with the "Fatman"

A shot across the crater created when the bomb was tested

Behind us is an area of the crater that has been preserved exactly the way it was after the test

Line for buses going to the McDonald Ranch House

McDonald Ranch House

Side view of McDonald Ranch House

Front view and to the left is a covered cattle guard in use when the family resided here

Carla at back door

Room where bomb core was assembled

Clif McDonald grew up in the ranch house and he is truly a historical treasure

Unfortunately, Clif was unable to be at the Trinity Site this year so Doug took the photo above at an earlier meeting so I could introduce you to him. He is a successful businessman in Alamogordo and has more wonderful tales to relate than just about anybody. He and his wife, Barbara, are definitely a pair to reckon with in any situation. If you are ever in this area at the right time, do make plans to tour this site. This event affected the whole world, without a doubt!

Thanks, Doug, for all the great photos.

This is all I have to say for now.