Linda Danis, an attendee at Pathway to Christ Church, emceed the hat show while her husband, Bill, assisted with props and was a male model for some of the hats featured during the show.

“I like to laugh, and I hope you do, too!” said Danis with a smile as she began the program. “Our models this afternoon have not rehearsed, and in fact, some didn’t find out until just today what hats they would be wearing, so I’m sure there will be some humorous moments and mistakes that we are just going to laugh at and enjoy along the way,” Danis said.

Pathway’s pastor, Laura Gilbert, referred to God as the One who wears all hats. “He wears the hat to meet each and every need,” Gilbert said in her opening prayer. Robert “Bob” Roller, a military veteran, led the group in the pledge to the flag, and then the hat show began.

Roller, in his top hat, and his wife, Jane, wearing a Victorian bonnet from years ago when they went out dancing were the first model hats. Danis informed that President Abe Lincoln often wore a stovepipe hat and stashed important documents and notes in that large hat. When the Rollers returned to their seat, Bob, just like Abe, checked his hat and found a note reminding him of his wedding anniversary coming up on May 28.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Pastor Laura Gilbert and her husband, Nate, wear their Mexican somberos at Pathway to Christ Church’s hat show and tea on May 10.

There were hats worn by a Native American brave; Ushankas, worn by Russian men, and babushkas, worn by Russian women, were also modeled. Helen and Jane sported green hats worn by the Irish while Linda Danis played an Irish Washerwoman tune on her fiddle.

Brenda rode her horse through the park wearing her riding cap.

Karen and Glenn Macklem walked the runway wearing their Easter Parade hats. Glenn, who was born in McElhattan, just recently turned 93 years old on May 15. “He just may be the oldest living resident of McElhattan today, an honor he wears with pride,” Danis told the audience.

The Kentucky Derby horse race was run earlier in May. Linda Bierly modeled a wide-brimmed, colorfully decorated hat while marking her betting tablet and holding a glass, champagne-styled flute. Mint julep drinks or a silver cup of Kentucky bourbon ran as high as $2,500 a glass at this year’s Derby.

“That’s why my glass is empty,” exclaimed Bierly, alluding to the exuberant price people are willing to pay for drinks at “those high-society functions,” she said.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS 10-year-old Addison Briggs stole the show in her nurse’s cap.

Next came the cowboys in their Stetson hats (or cow girls as the case was). Cattle rustler Amy was having too much fun squirting onlookers with her watergun while BJ with her cap gun and rope was attempting to harness the feisty outlaw.

Danis was pleased to introduce Nate and Laura Gilbert as the Mexican couple modeling their South of the Border sombreros. The audience greeted the couple shouting Hola (hello) as they sashayed their way around the room. The sombreros are owned by the Rollers and were brought back from their trip to Mexico City.

10-year-old Addison Briggs was dressed in white and wore a nurse’s hat. She checked pulses and made sure folks were healthy. Many remarked that her little hands were cold on their wrists. Addison was quick to say that she didn’t plan to follow in her grandmother and great-grandmother’s career paths in nursing when she is older, but clearly enjoys gymnastics at this time in her life.

“How-dee!” said Lucy Black, all smiles and wearing a Minnie Pearl replica hat showing the $1.98 price tag hanging from it.

Pearl was an actress/comedian on the HeeHaw show and a star on the Grand Ole’ Opry for more than 50 years.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Jim and Sandy Watkins are pictured. The pair brought viking hats from Jim’s family reunion to show off during the wear and tell.

Political ball caps, a Jewish “kippah,” Catholic beanies and Easter Bunny hats were also modeled during the afternoon hat show.

Pat, wearing a children’s hat and portraying Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey, and along came a spider (on the line of Bill’s fishing pole) that sat down beside her, that frightened Miss Muffet away. Pat hadn’t been expecting the spider to land on her shoulder so she did jump and shriek, much to the delight and laughter of the crowd, who were all waiting and watching for her reaction to the spider.

Mrs. Santa (Sharon Nonemaker) arrived and handed out chocolate treats.

Three hunters took to the woods with their hunting caps while the crowd sang “A Hunting We Will Go.” Ken Bierly garnered laughs as he pretended to be Elmer Fudd looking for “wabbits.”

During the wear and tell period, Sandy Watkins, wearing a fascinator, the hat of British royalty, showed off the viking hats that she and her husband, Jim, wore to his family reunion one year.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Sandra Ammerman, who spent 45 years with the Salvation Army serving throughout multiple states, is seen.

“Each year during the ‘Watkins Weekend’ we have a different theme, and one year it was a viking theme, so these were the hats that we wore,” she said.

Sandra Ammerman spent 45 years with the Salvation Army, declaring war against Satan, in the mission of serving others. She served in N.Y. City, Massachusetts, Maine and Pennsylvania.

As the hat show drew to an end and it was time for tea and light refreshments, Helen and Jane are both good cooks and bakers, so as the crowd sang Hey Good Looking, Whatcha Got Cooking, while both modeled their white chef’s hats with 100 pleats, representing the 100 different ways to cook an egg. They then handed out cake pops, before departing for the kitchen to set out the refreshments.

The hat show and tea made for a fun and memorable afternoon and was a nice way to celebrate Mother’s Day. Each of the tables in the church’s fellowship hall had been nicely decorated with tea pots, cups and saucers in anticipation of having tea.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Karen and Glenn Macklem walked the runway wearing their Easter Parade hats. Glenn recently turned 93, on May 15.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Linda Danis is seen while emceeing the event.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Helen and Jane are pictured in their chef’s hats while handing out cake pops.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Lucy Black is seen in a Minnie Pearl replica hat.