This Red Hat group may take a slower road, but they share a fabulous trip.
Dorothy Snell, 67, formed a new Red Hat group in the Marysville and Everett area for the mildly disabled, who might not be able to keep pace with a more active crowd.
“So many times slightly disabled ladies who are over 50 years old are left totally out of social activities because they cannot stand very long or walk very far,” Snell said. “Light strokes, failing hearts, a lack of feeling in the feet, diabetes and other disabling physical conditions severely limit their fun.”
Disabled women would see other ladies participate in active Red Hat groups doing things together. They wished that they, too, could still go places with the happy crimson clubs, Snell said.
“Slightly disabled ladies are often very lonely, and they wish with all of their hearts they too could join with a Red Hat group and make new friends,” Snell said. “As you get older, many of your friends die, or move away, and your children have interests of their own to deal with.”
Snell got her wish. She formed the group of her dreams a few months ago and they have taken several trips.
“The ladies are so glad to be together,” Snell said “We are having so much fun.”
They’ve visited tulip fields, shopped in Langley, attended a pow wow and sang all the way there, she said.
“Funny how women can get together and revert to children again,” Snell said. “We laughed, giggled and formed lifelong pals.”
The disabled group includes Margaret Bowman, 84, who would like to form a Red Hat club with deaf members.
“I grew up with deaf parents and so I knew the sign language before I was able to speak English,” Bowman said. “I still communicate with deaf cousins both in Iowa and in Arizona. My father was one of eight deaf brothers born to my grandparents who were both born deaf.”
Bowman, who lives in Everett, wishes to hear from anyone who would like to join.
Snell encourages deaf ladies to contact Bowman.
“She has far more energy than I do, for she leaves me panting in the dust behind her when we go places,” Snell said. “Fun happens wherever Margaret goes. I have come to personally love this very spunky, kind lady, and I know she is a wonderful choice to lead a deaf group.”
How wonderful that the women connected with one another.
Snell got polio as a baby and lived in an iron lung for 13 years. She wore leg braces as a teenager, but was happy to be alive.
“Almost all small babies who contracted polio at the time died,” she said.
“I know exactly how it feels to be left out when a group of physically agile people decide to go shopping, play sports or go touring together. It hurts very much to see them go off without you. It is also very embarrassing to make a whole group of ladies wait while you desperately try to catch up with them.”
When she began hearing from dozens of ladies who wanted to join a disabled Red Hat club, Snell said she cried about their stories.
Some said they were so disabled, they could never attend a meeting, but would love to get newsletters.
“It would give them some personal mail in their always empty mailboxes,” Snell said. “Many of the ladies told me they prayed to be able to find a group that would accept them.”
Even by letter, disabled ladies may keep pace with the Winged Peacocks club.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
Red Hat for the deaf
Margaret Bowman, 84, who lives in Everett, would like to form a Red Hat group with deaf members. For more information, send an e-mail to Randmhb@comcast.net.
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