Ann Marie Dela Pena was crowned Princess Ruby Red at the 11th annual Hawaii State Red Hat Society Convention at the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
Ann Marie Dela Pena was crowned Princess Ruby Red at the 11th annual Hawaii State Red Hat Society Convention at the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
The beauty pageant selected the loveliest of lovelies among the 100-plus who attended.
Red Hatters came from Canada, the mainland and Hawaii and defied the storm warnings of Hurricane Ana. Dela Pena is the vice queen of the Famala‘oan I Flores, a chapter from Oahu.
For her fashion stroll, she wore a custom-designed mermaid gown covered with hand-sewn rhinestones. For the talent portion, she danced a Chamorro batsu, or waltz, that she dedicated to her mother.
There were seven other contestants, including Emma Chong representing the Ritzy Glitzy Girls of Hilo, Dee Adkins of the Divine Divas o Hilo, Donna Chisholm of the Valley Isle Vixens, Sandy Kelley of the ‘Ula La of Hilo, Susan Aulik of the Wacky Wahines of Kona, Debby Kehaulani Lee of Na Huapala of Honolulu, and Mary Stopa of the Lilies of the Valley from Henderson, Nevada.
Judging this competition included an evaluation of attire, talent and evidence of Red Hattitude.
Making the difficult decision to determine the winner were Kona community members Laura Guluzzy, Claire Inman and Huellyn Whitford.
The convention opened with a royal reception for the queens and vice queens of each chapter Friday. On Saturday, the day program included the Regal Promenade of Royalty, the beauty pageant, door prizes and shopping. TV and radio personality Pohai Montague-Mullins served as the program emcee.
The theme, “Ruby, Rhinestones and Royalty” came alive with women dressed out in their fabulous outfits, where bling was definitely in.
Saturday evening, the Red Hatters rocked the house with the help of the Island Breeze Polynesian Review. Malihini and kamaaina enthusiastically enjoyed the private luau with an island buffet and entertainment. The laughter, hoots and cheers rang through the halls of the King Kamehameha Hotel.
“The convention committee thanks the many groups and businesses that supported the first-ever state convention held on Hawaii Island,” said spokeswoman Mililani Hughes.
Supporters included the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel management and staff, KTA Super Stores, Big Island Candies, Atebara Chips, Big Island Delights, Expedia, Connections Public Charter School, George Yoshida and the Seniors in Paradise program, Ken Okimoto and the Na Leo Studios in Hilo and Kona, Reed Takaaze Photography, and the Island Breeze Production Company.
The convention was chaired by Hughes, queen of the ‘Ula La Chapter. Sister chapters assisting at the convention included Queen Sandra Del Mar’s Divine Divas o Hilo, Queen Lona Warner’s Kona Ali‘i Red Hats, Queen Ma’rye Cawagas’ Na Papale ‘Ula Wela o Hilo, Queen Ilene Hara’s Papale Pa‘ani, Queen Eileen Mena’s Red Hat Hotties, Queen Carol Brown’s Red Hot Chilies, Queen Patricia Arima’s Ritzy Glitzy and Queen Susan Aulik’s Wacky Wahines of Kona.
The next state convention is slated for Oct. 16-17, 2015, at the Pacific Beach Hotel in Honolulu.