By: Linda Cunningham
“Panda’s back again, check my hairpiece let’s begin”… That was our signature Grandie Song in 1993-1994 song to the beat of “Whoomp, there it is” as we traveled up and down California during our year as the Playful Pandas; lead by our GWA Pam Hardy aka “Pamda”. It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since that fateful day on April 4, 1993 in Fresno, that Mrs. Anna Lind appointed us as Grand Officers. There were 67 appointed, and do you know that a group of pandas is called? An “embarrassment”?
Playful Panda travels were back before the days of GPS and cell phones we relied on Thomas Guide paper maps to get us from here to there, often getting lost along the way all while wearing our pansy shift dresses and hair pieces as we traveled and raised $67,000.00 for our Grand Service Project, The Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinic. We had 52 Official Visits along with receptions, Northern and Southern Camps, Schools of Instruction, Washington/Idaho, Oregon and Nevada Grand Assemblies to attend with our Mama San Barbara Heeney and Panda Pop Harry Wagner to support us every step of the way.
On our travels there were no Starbucks and Dutch Bros., Redbull and Monster Energy Drinks, so we had Mountain Dew and Jolt soda to keep our energy up after slumber parties and miles of traveling. We had phone trees to get messages out, cassettes, CD’s and often could be found displaying spoons on our noses for endless hours of laughter. “Friends” the TV show first debuted, the Northridge Earthquake rocked Southern California and the World Wide Web was just in its infancy. A gallon of gas averaged $1.10 a gallon and most Grand Officers preferred our epic bangs sprayed with Aqua Net to go with our hairpieces.
Since our Grand Assembly sessions “Around the World with Rainbow” in Anaheim, where our seafoam green dresses trimmed with white eyelet ribbon around the neckline floated onto the Grand Assembly floor, many of our Playful Pandas have traveled and lived around the world. From the Netherlands, Australia, England and Hawaii and all of the United States in between, we still often find time once or twice a year to get together as many as we can to celebrate our sisterhood and the amazing year of memories we made. As well as popping in here and there to celebrate our “Panda Cubs”. This year, we’re so proud to call Hannah Ray not only a Resiliently Ruby Red Panda, but a Playful Panda Cub!
Many of our Playful Pandas have since carried on lives of leadership and service and as moms, teachers, Air Force Officers, school principals (3), an anesthesiologist, a university professor and even a write in candidate for State Assembly this year, proving that the “embarrassment” has continued on as successful and fearless women!
