rowse through our SIXTH year, 2006:

January 2006 On January 5, Pat, Gerri, Judi and Karis met to arrange a photoshoot for marketing The Vagina Monologues, which we are presenting on March 3 and 4, 2006. We also met with Jack McKillop at ScreenWorks who began work on two sets of T-shirts for us, one for the crew who will be working on the show and one to be sold at the show (approximate sample shown - pink colour may be somewhat different). Click here to go to the order form. On Sunday, January 15, the "Vagina Warriors" donned their new, black, "Vagina Crew" t-shirts and trooped of to Judi's studio at Stone Photography. We had our "working" pictures taken to use in the program and in some preliminary advertising. We had a fabulous time, hardhats, toolbelts and all. Here you can see Judi setting up some of the non-performing but hard-working Tarts for a shot. January 18 found Pat, Karis and Gerri at the Howard Johnson motel, arranging a special V-Day room rate for folks coming to K-W to see the play. Details will be available soon. On January 19, Pat, Margaret and Karis met with Mark, the theatre manager, to arrange some details for the production, then spent the rest of the day in Waterloo and St. Jacobs, putting up posters and selling ads in the program. Response everywhere was delightfully positive! On January 20th, a pianist named Derek Byrne offered to play the theatre's grand piano for both performances during the intermission and pre-show periods. Now we are trying to find headset microphones and work out distribution of press releases. Never a dull moment for amateur impressarios! January 29 was our monthly gathering. This time we went to the Rude Native Bistro. The food and service were excellent and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Our newest Tarts were welcomed. Now that we are up to full "quota" again, we are "closed to new membership" until December. Plans were made for upcoming events - 2006 will be another full and exciting year. Since the Waterloo Entertainment Centre is just up the street, we were able to see our large Vagina Monologues poster on the front of the theatre.

February 2006 On February 7th, we mourned the passing of Norma Murray, one of our beloved Tarts. Her enthusiasm and cheerful smile will be sadly missed. February has been a month full of planning and organizing and rehearsals and lots of hard work all 'round in preparation for The Vagina Monologues. Ticket sales have been excellent., and we are expecting sold out shows! We are grateful to the Sponsors and Advertisers who have contributed to making this presentation a success. Please take a look to see who they are. On the weekend of February 11 and 12, Raspberry Tarts Gerri, Pat, Elaine, Anita, Terry, Margaret, Joyce, and Flo participated at the Total Woman Show, selling tickets from the Women's Crisis Centres of Waterloo Region booth and handing out posters to interested observers. Here you can see Anita, wearing one of our pink Vagina Monologues T-Shirts. These will be available at the shows as souvenirs. For the rest of the month, we focused on selling tickets. This included several media appearances, which are detailed on our Media page. We were very successful, and by the end of the month it was clear that both performances would sell out!

March 2006 What a treat it was to see our show go up on the marquee! And it was even more exciting to have both shows SOLD OUT!!! We began Friday morning at 11:30 am, at Shear Hair Design on Park Street in Waterloo, getting our hair and makeup done. Stephanie and her talented staff did wonders with our hair, and Lori South and Yolanta Mazur applied our stage make-up. We were overwhelmed by the generosity and genuine good fun we encountered with these amazing women. Lori is the QM of another local Red Hat chapter, the Scarlet Sisters. This was a beautiful example of Red Hatters helping one another as Lori called us and offered us her services and connected us with Shear Hair Design. Thank you, Lori! Fortunately, Judi, our "Princess of Pics" was on hand throughout the day and both evenings to capture these moments for us. Below, Stephanie sprinkles sparkles on Jill's flowered ringlets, Karis and Sheku get feathers and hair extensions, and Leigh gets ribbon-entwined curls. "Break a leg" is the standard method of wishing performers "Good Luck" before a play. Pat took the fall for us, ensuring a great show. Note that it was her arm, not her leg that was broken - in multiple places. She performed in her cast, with metal pins holding everything in place. Ouch! What a trooper! Then on to the Dress Rehearsal, where we were fitted with head mics and the sound testing was done. Our Directors, Lisa Hagen, the professional director whose expertise "polished" the show and to whom we are exceedingly grateful, and our own Raspberry Tart Flo, put us through our paces. Here you can see Lisa adjusting Sharon's microphone backstage as we review our lines and prepare to go on. This was our first walk-through in the theatre, and lighting cues had to be established and last-minute blocking adjustments made. Rogers Cable TV was there too! The Vagina Crew arrived, and set up the tables where we sold "theme" chocolates, as well as Vagina Monologues T-shirts and a few copies of the book and DVD versions of Eve Ensler's play. The chocolates, made by Jan and Nancy, were sold out both nights, but we still have T-Shirts, shown here with Mary and Carolyn, available if you are interested. If any other Red Hat group would like to put on the play, we would be willing to sell the T-Shirts at cost to enhance your production. The Crew members were also coached on ushering, and ran the coat check. They were a very important part of the success of the Vagina Monolgues project. Suddenly it was showtime! Pianist Derek Byrne played as the crowd entered and at intermission, keeping toes tapping and spirits high. Having a full-house audience present to laugh at the jokes and applaud the performances brought out the thespian in all of the cast members. The hair-dos and stage make-up liberated them from their own identities and they "became" the monologue characters. Friday night's show was fabulous (if we do say so ourselves) and if anything Saturday was even better. Standing ovations both nights showed that the audience agreed. These are shots of our actresses taken during the show. In order: Sheku, Karis, Anita, Donelda, Pat, Sharon, Leigh, Margaret, Gerri, Jill, and a group shot of the finale. We were on an excited "high" after the show, and went to the Walper Hotel for an "after party". They brought a TV into the Crystal Ballroom, and we were able to cheer a news clip about the show on CTV. We enjoyed the special Raspberry Tart drinks they had prepared for us, with names like "Fuzzy Raspberry" and "Red Hat on the Beach". Tired but happy, the Raspberry Tarts turned another page in their Chapter's story. On March 26, The Raspberry Tarts met at Green Gables, one of our favourite haunts, to plan for the upcoming months and to review the events surrounding the production of The Vagina Monologues. There was discussion of the many lessons that had been learned and contacts that had been made. Pat, newly renamed our Duchess of Dosh, gave a financial report showing how much money we had raised, and specifying the amounts that would be sent to V-Day and to the Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region in April.

April 2006 On April 18, the Raspberry Tarts met with Audrey Baird and Mary Belmay from The Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region to make the donation at a wine and cheese party at Green Gables. Also invited were the many sponsors who bought program ads and other individuals who had helped make the Raspberry Tarts' V-Day Kitchener/Waterloo 2006 production of The Vagina Monologues a success. From the total amount raised, 10% was sent to the V-Day 2006 special fundraiser for the Comfort Women, and the balance, $11,694.04, was donated to The Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region (Anselma House and Haven House). Also donated was an autographed photo (shown here) of the "Vagina Warriors", the members of the Raspberry Tarts who worked on the play. Margaret Stacey, the owner of Green Gables, suggested that instead of paying her for the cheese trays etc. we should donate that money as well, which we did. This added another $120 contribution to a very worthy cause. April 30 was our monthly meeting - a gathering arranged by Irene, Gwen,and Elaine, which took us upstairs at Lancaster House ("The Lanc") to hear "SWING ROSIE", presented by the Lancaster Jazz Club. The show was fabulous! We sang along to the 1950s tunes and thoroughly enjoyed the talented vocalists and musicians. Nancy managed to get a picture with the songbirds, who had joked with us throughout the show. We are now thoroughly convinced that having members take turns arranging the meeting venues is an excellent idea.

May 2006 Something brand new, brought to us by Lois, Susan, Margaret and Mary! The Raspberry Tarts braved the heat and descended en masse (like a swarm of purple locusts?) on the Aberfoyle Flea Market on Sunday May 28. We had a wonderful time exploring and shopping for treasures. Poor Mary had an appendectomy that day and couldn't reach us to tell us why she wasn't there! From the flea market we went to "The Boat House" tea house on Gordon Street in Guelph, where we enjoyed a lovely tea beside the Speed River - and got word from Mary's husband about her sudden change of plans for the day!

June 2006 Summer wouldn't be complete without a pool party - and WOW!!! what a party! The members assigned to arranging this event were Donelda, Carolyn and Anita, with Anita being the hostess. Golf-cart rides around Anita's palatial property, swimming in the warm pool, and walking by the river were all part of the attractions. Three gazebo tents were filled with food and wine and lounge chairs, and we circulated among them, enjoying the delicacies and conversations. A pot-luck meal let all of us show off our culinary skills, plus Anita's charming husband was there to barbecue. That's Anita, be-turbaned in the golf cart, and Karen diving - photo credit to Sharon for catching her in mid-air! And then, for extra interest, we were treated to an exhibit of jewellery, complete with the artist who created it, for those who wanted to pamper themselves even more. We lounged and chatted and just enjoyed a truly decadent afternoon.

July 2006 No meeting - ooops!

August 2006 On Sunday, August 27, the Tarts met for High Tea at the New Dundee Emporium. Our hostesses for this month were Sharon, Jan and Flo. Following word from Toronto about a member suing chapter sisters because she injured herself at a parade, we had some discussion about insurance concerns. It was decided that signing a waiver would be part of annual membership renewal in the Raspberry Tarts. Everyone is looking forward to our Tart for a Day event in September, and costume planning, chocolate making and other preparations are well underway. It was good to see Diane again after a long absence due to illness! It was a lovely tea, and a good time was had by all.

September 2006 Our Third Annual "Be a Tart for a Day" event was held on September 10. Wasn't that a Party!?! WOOHOO! Our judges got right into the spirit of things this year, as did the staff at Caesar Martini's in Waterloo. Here you can see our amazing Judges, who added considerably to the fun. They are: Gordon Lipke, Cindy Perri, Danny Duchesne, Jack Kalanderian, Kelly Wagner and Mark Harrison. Judi, our Princess of Pics, was one hot pink Tart taking professional photos of costumed "ladies" who wanted an "on the spot" souvenir of the day, The Grand Prize Winners: Best Tart Costume: Heather Schwarzkopf - Marvellous Madams of Scarborough, Second: Debbie Peacock - Queen of Red Rose Hatters of Brampton, Third: Renata Hellam - Sassy Ladies of Burlington. Most Likely to Score were the "twins" Edith Augustman and Kathy Yotingo, also from the Sassy Ladies of Burlington. Best Talent, our own bellydancing Queen Mother, Sheku. Our amazing Duchess of Dosh, Pat, pulled it all together for another year. You can see Pat in the group shot, seated in front and waving. Congratulations, you ol' Tart you, for a job well done! Thanks as well to the other Raspberry Tart volunteers who helped keep things running smoothly.

October 2006 For our October event, we accompanied another local chapter, the Scarlet Sisters, on their Niagara Winery and Casino Tour. A great time was had by all who attended and we are most appreciative of the invitation! Later in October, our Princess of Pics, Judi, helped us set up a BLOG for the Raspberry Tarts, to facilitate communication among the members. You can check it out at: http://theraspberrytarts.blogspot.com. We are hoping that this will become our main method of communication, and we are considering desisting from posting all of our activities on a Herstory page after the end of 2006.

November 2006 The Tarts were in outrageous form at Sheku's glass painting event on November 26. You would blush to hear about it, so we will spare you the details. Nancy brought her camara, so we have photos to remind us of the fun we had planning Karen's "Reduation" in the new year. Here you can see Karen, Pat, Sheku and Karis working on crafts and laughing about the plans to make it a sleepover pyjama party with wickedly ribald touches. Due to the fact that the paints are not washable, "full regalia" was not required. The only one who got dressed up was Sheku's cat, Pico.

December 2006 Traditionally, the Raspberry Tarts hold their final tea of the year at Green Gables, and this year was no exception. On December 28 we met there and signed up the registration forms for all those who will be members in 2007. We also made great headway in planning our monthly events for next year. This included striking a committee, led by our Queen Mum, Sheku, to create a Reduation Ritual suitable for the Raspberry Tarts, in preparation for our first such event - which will happen next February. Gwen, Iola (our newest member), Judi (Princess of Pics, in the funky Elf shoes), Catherine, and Donelda can be seen here clowning around - this group can never stay serious for long! Happy New Year, everyone! See you in 2007! PLEASE NOTE: The Raspberry Tarts now have a BLOG and all our communcation will happen there. We will no longer be presenting a monthly update of our antics. All members can post to the BLOG and we expect that will be sufficient for our purposes for the future.

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