Women's Philanthropy--Women's Issues

Warning - When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple By Jenny Joseph | The Red Hat Sociey

 

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple

with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

and satin candles, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired

and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

and run my stick along the public railings

and make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

and pick the flowers in other people's gardens

and learn to spit.

 

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

and eat three pounds of sausages at a go

or only bread and pickles for a week

and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes.

 

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

and pay our rent and not swear in the street

and set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

 

source:   http://labyrinth_3.tripod.com/page59.html

 

The Red Hat Society

The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor, and elan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and, since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next.

Women of a certain age wearing red hats and purple outfits! Could world domination be far behind?!

How it started

"The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and elan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next."

- Sue Ellen Cooper, Queen Mother

Photo taken in November 2001
(Top row, left to right) Pat Judson, Jane Farrington, Jeanne McLeod

(Middle row) Mary Ellen Lamparter, Cheryl Hertel, Polly McLaughlin, Sandy Santillan, Sue Davis, Sherry Friend, Maureen Burton, Marcia Harline, Vicki Raudabaugh, Susan Powers, Marie Rowden

(Bottom row) Chris Carroll, Carol Sibley, "EQM" Sue Ellen Cooper

While visiting a friend in Tucson several years ago, Sue Ellen impulsively bought a bright red fedora at a thrift shop, for no other reason than that it was cheap and, she thought, quite dashing. A year or two later she read the poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph, which depicts an older woman in purple clothing with a red hat. Sue Ellen felt an immediate kinship with Ms. Joseph. She decided that her birthday gift to her dear friend, Linda Murphy, would be a vintage red hat and a copy of the poem. She has always enjoyed whimsical decorating ideas, so she thought the hat would look nice hanging on a hook next to the framed poem. Linda got so much enjoyment out of the hat and the poem that Sue Ellen gave the same gift to another friend, then another, then another.

One day it occurred to these friends that they were becoming a sort of "Red Hat Society" and that perhaps they should go out to tea... in full regalia. They decided they would find purple dresses which didn't go with their red hats to complete the poem's image.

The tea was a smashing success.

Soon, each of them thought of another woman or two she wanted to include, and they bought more red hats. Their group swelled to 18, and they began to encourage other interested people to start their own chapters (18 women don't fit well around a tea table). One of their members passed along the idea to a friend of hers in Florida, and their first "sibling" group was born.

Sue Ellen's fondest hope is that these societies will proliferate far and wide. We have now held three successful Red Hat Society conventions entire hotels filled with women of a certain age wearing red hats and purple outfits! Could world domination be far behind?

source:  http://www.redhatsociety.com/aboutus/howitstarted.html

 

Call on President Obama to Protect and Strengthen Social Security

Women Can’t Afford Cuts to Social Security Call on President Obama to protect and strengthen Social Security. Next week, President Obama will make his annual State of the Union address. It’s important that he use the speech to send a clear message to those who want to put Social Security on the chopping block: Social Security should be strengthened — not cut! President Obama has opposed cutting and privatizing Social Security before. But we need him to speak out now in support of protecting and strengthening it. Tell President Obama: Women Are Counting on You to Fight for Social Security! If Social Security benefits are cut, women will bear much of the burden. Women live longer, rely more on Social Security, and already have lower benefits. Average benefits for women are just $12,000 per year. But Social Security provides more than half the income of the majority of women 65 and older. For one in four older women, Social Security is virtually their only source of income. Nearly all Americans depend on Social Security at some point in their lives. Most are retirees. But millions are disabled workers, widows and widowers, and children who have lost the support of a parent through death or disability. We need to keep the promise of Social Security alive for them — and future generations. Social Security has not contributed a penny to the federal deficit, and it’s not in crisis. In fact, Social Security has a $2.6 trillion surplus — it can pay 100 percent of promised benefits for 25 years and over 75 percent of benefits after that. With modest adjustments, Social Security can be strengthened and improved. Yet some Members of Congress are supporting proposals that would cut Social Security benefits deeply and are trying to push them through Congress. Tell President Obama: Women Can’t Afford Cuts to Social Security. We need your help to protect the promise of Social Security. And please spread the word by forwarding this message to friends, family and colleagues. Sincerely, Joan Entmacher Vice President, Family Economic Security National Women's Law Center       Share This     Spread the Word   Please forward this email to your friends, family, and co-workers and encourage them to sign up to receive the NWLC Update in their own inboxes.   Check Your Subscription   Are you getting the emails from NWLC that most interest you? Please take a moment to update your subscription preferences.

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Older Adults and Social Media Pew Internet & American Life Project Madden, Mary

September 15, 2010   The following reports have been posted to PubHub: Older Adults and Social Media Pew Internet & American Life Project Madden, Mary Presents survey findings on the growing use of social networking sites among Americans age 50 and older, as well as their other online activities, and considers possible factors behind the trend. Compares trends by age group and broadband access. Published: August 2010 Funder(s): Pew Charitable Trusts Subject(s): Aging; Science/Technology; Science/Technology, Internet

Beautiful women of our time

Beautiful women of our time. How many do you remember?  Someone did a lot of work on this.
 This is really quite amazing. 

 

http://www.greatdanepro.com/Beautiful%20Women/index.htm

Women Need to Prepare for Retirement

Women Need to Prepare for Retirement Sign up for these free webinars to learn more about Social Security, pensions and savings. It’s tougher for women to achieve a secure retirement. Women generally earn less than men — and live longer. But there are steps you can take to prepare for retirement, whether you’ve just started working or are nearing retirement age. The National Women’s Law Center is hosting a two-part series of free webinars for service providers, advocates, and individuals. The first webinar focuses on women and Social Security, the second on pensions and savings. Register today! These online workshops are free to participants, but registration is required. Planning for the Future: What Women Need to Know About Social Security 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 Find out more about the benefits Social Security can provide, including before retirement, and about how your decisions (and your spouse’s, if you are married) about when to claim benefits can affect your retirement income. Planning for the Future: What Women Need to Know About Pensions and Savings 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, September 16, 2010 Find out more about ways you can save for retirement and manage your savings to improve your retirement security. There is no reason to be intimidated by retirement planning. The webinars, part of the National Women’s Law Center’s Citi Education Series on Family Economic Security, will give you some tips and strategies to obtain peace of mind. Register today! Sincerely, Joan Entmacher Vice President for Family Economic Security National Women's Law Center NWLC Home | NWLC's Blog | Tell a Friend | Donate | Contact Us | Update Subscriptions 11 Dupont Circle NW Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 202.588.5180 202.588.5185 (fax) http://www.nwlc.org/ copyright 2010, National Women’s Law Center Privacy Policy

Project Home Evaluation: Final Report Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging

April 10, 2010   The following reports have been posted to PubHub: Project Home Evaluation: Final Report Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging Pillemer, Karl; Charles Henderson, Jr.; Emily Kahoe; Rhoda Meador; Amanda Norton; Leslie Schultz Evaluates a New York State Department of Health-funded project to help nursing home patients move home or into community-based settings through discharge planning services, training, and education. Examines differentiating factors such as Medicaid status. Published: January NY Funder(s): Community Health Foundation of Western & Central New York, Inc. Subject(s): Aging; Health; Health, Palliative Care/End of Life Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

How Did Older Workers Fare in 2009?

March 8, 2010   The following reports have been posted to PubHub: How Did Older Workers Fare in 2009? Urban Institute Johnson, Richard; Corina Mommaerts Presents findings on 2009 unemployment and labor participation rates, length of unemployment, and earnings for workers age 55 and older, compared with past trends and with younger workers. Analyzes data by gender, race/ethnicity, education, and industry. Published: March 2010 Funder(s): Rockefeller Foundation Subject(s): Aging; Social Science; Social Science, Workforce/Labor Issues

Nonprofit Enterprise at Work [NEW] presents "Seniors and Social Media"

LinkedIn Groups

Group: Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW) Subject: NEW presents "Seniors and Social Media" NEW presents Seniors and Social Media at the grand opening of the Hannan Cyber Cafe! Wednesday, January 20, 2010 from 10:30-11:30 4750 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48201 Join us and learn the basics of FaceBook, FlickR, and Blogging! For more information contact: Pat Baldwin (313) 833-1300 ex.15 Posted By Meico Whitlock