The Red Hat Fountain of Youth

Posted October 24, 2008, 4:47 pm


It’s never too late to become a Red Hatter. Just ask Ethel Barnhart who first joined the Red Hat Classics in Augusta, Georgia seven years ago.  What’s so unusual about that?  Ethel was 93 at the time.

Now 100 years old, Ethel is the oldest Red Hatter in the country and looks forward to every meeting. She told her local paper, The Augusta Chronicle, "I always enjoy the programs. They're really interesting, and we get to act up," she said. "I like the camaraderie. I enjoy the ladies and getting out and spending time with them. I'm just a people person."

The Red Hat Classics recently helped Ethel celebrate her big birthday.  "She is a talker," said Sharon Sims, queen of the chapter. "We love to just sit and listen to her talk about what Augusta was like back in the old days. She hasn't forgotten anything, so there's always a new story she can share."

Ethel drove herself to the meetings until she was 97. Now, fellow member Annette Dobyne makes sure she gets there. "She's the light of my heart. She's so much fun," she said. "Each time I pick her up for the gatherings, I know we are all in for a treat."

Ethel proves that staying socially engaged and having fun are two of the most important keys to a long life.



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