The second annual Red Hat Luncheon in the Turf Club on opening day at Portland Meadows Racetrack was a huge success.  Almost 170 women attended from all corners of Oregon and from bordering Vancouver, Washington. 

The staff at Portland Meadows treated us like visiting royalty, with six or seven people tending to all our needs.  In keeping with the spirit of one of our mottos, dessert was served first.  There were about five different kinds of dessert, including three types of cheesecake: chocolate, berry, and almond.

The buffet tables consisted of green salad, wonderful rolls, a large variety of fresh fruits and melons, roasted red potatoes, luscious pasta salad, Chicken Francaise with caper sauce, delectably seasoned green beans, and prime rib.  The buffet tables were covered with red table cloths and glittering, shimmering, sequined, purple material draped over the long tables.

The "Oregon Chapters of the Red Hat Society" sponsored the first horserace.  One of the perks is that 30 lucky women got to go to the Winner's Circle to greet the winning horse and rider.  A special red blanket with the purple words "Oregon Chapters of the Red Hat Society" was placed on the winning horse and given to the owner. (See row 2 picture 1 below).  A photo was taken by the track officials and will be added to our pictures below in the near future.   

Queen Jill (see row 1 photo 4 below) only bet on one horse, which was named Crowning the Queen.   And the jockey was wearing a royal purple shirt.  I was so excited by its name and color that I bet on it to win.  The horse came in third, and my voice will be sore for quite a while from cheering and screaming. 

Throughout the afternoon there were over 55 door prizes handed out. 

A special thanks to the eight volunteers who helped me that day.  I would not have survived without them.  Thank you; Karlene Ernst, and Sandy McGee from the Classy Red Hatters; Janet Brown and Elizabeth Brown from the Scarlet Ladies; June McKellar from the Serendipity Sweethearts; Fenella Robinson, Sharron Parkins, and Sue Scott from the Crimson Crones.  Young, energenic Elizabeth Brown (see photo in row 2, column 3 below) helped Queen Jill call out raffle ticket numbers for the door prizes and hand them out.  Youth is not wasted on the young, but it should be shared with the old. A big Thanks to Elizabeth. 

With this being the second successful event at Portland Meadows, it will now officially be an annual event on the third Saturday in October.