Sherman tea party hard to top

Despite clouds that threatened to ruin a great day on the lawn of “Cap” and Thelma Perrin’s home in Sherman, the third annual Red House Tea Party went on without a hitch on August 30th, to start off Sherman Old Home Days. The tea is to honor the women who started Old Home Days with a “picnic in the park” in 1932. They were Minerva Clark, Virginia Perrin, Gladys Sleeper and Hazel Trafton.
Hosted by, Thelma Perrin and Jarice Kelley, ladies young and old gathered for a wonderful afternoon of songs, food, and fun. Dressed up in long and short dresses, gloves and hats, there was an array of color that brightened the gray skies above. When looking around, it was like a scene out of times gone by, when ladies met for afternoon tea. The tea is a way of assisting young ladies with confidence and courtesy in their every day living.
A wonderful musical selection was given by Jill Kelley on a “Princess going to the Tea” from the Disney musical. Each year, Dorinda Putnam, owner of ‘The Queen of Hats” in Portland, brings a hat from her shop as a door prize. Though she couldn’t be here this year, she sent an ‘Island Hat’ for the winner. The first year of the tea, Marjorie Nicholson won the hat. Last year, Rose Bragdon was the winner, and as luck would have it, she was fortunate to win a second hat this year.
Finger foods and tea were the menu for the day, with cookies shaped like tea cups, all decorated for the event. Most ladies folded their tea shaped cookie into a napkin to take home and show off as they were too beautiful to eat!
It was a wonderful afternoon with scrumptious tea sandwiches, cookies and raspberry tea. A History of Sherman Old Home Days was read by Jamie Goodwin of Sequim, WA. She released balloons in remembrance of the women who have passed on including her grandmother Minerva Clark and Jarice Kelley’s grandmother, Virginia Perrin, who were two of the original ladies to start the event.
Before leaving, each guest was given a charm. Jarice gave everyone a cookie jar charm wrapped in netting and tied with a ribbon. This is the third charm she has given out.
The tea was made possible by the generous sponsors from Sherman of Dr. Jil Beaupain, Becky Kelley of Kelley’s Shell, Carmin Curry of Herbalife, and Phyllis Blakely. Dorinda Putnam of Queen of Hats of Portland, Jarice Kelley, Kim Christopher and Carlene Campbell.