High Desert Queen Bees meet at Mary Ann's

There are 38 Red Hat Society groups in the Victor Valley area and nearly all of the groups’ queens were enjoying themselves at Mary Ann’s Restaurant last week.

“We’ve got about 30 here today,” said Queen Mother Patty Benson of the Apple Valley Aloha Girls. “We’re just sharing ideas and enjoying company.”

Every other month the Red Hat queens, recently named the “High Desert Queen Bees,” meet at a different location. This time the host queen selected Mary Ann’s on Orange Street near Sultana.

“We’re excited to find this place,” Benson said.

Benson said queens from Wrightwood, Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Silverlakes and other communities were in attendance.

There are more than 20,000 groups worldwide, said Queen Virgie Pugh of the Fun & Frisky Hesperia Hattitudes.

The Red Hat Society began around a decade ago when a group of women decided to “greet middle age with verve, humor and elan,” according Sue Ellen Cooper, a queen mother. Cooper brought a bridge red fedora to one of the gathers, and a colorful new movement was formed.