Loss of The Lady in Red Mourned The Lady in Red, who accidentally inspired the global Red Dress Run phenomenon died suddenly and unexpectedly in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 13, 2013. Few Hash House Harriers other than A.S. Gispert have had a greater impact on hashing. Her death was just a few days shy of her birthday, which she planned to celebrate by participating in the Red Dress Run weekend with the Phoenix Hash House Harriers. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the first official Red Dress Run, which occurred in San Diego on August 12, 1988. Speaking to hashers gathered at the first Red Dress Run, The Lady in Red asked that the event be held annually and that it be used to benefit local charities. As a result of her request and the proliferation of the Red Dress Run to Hash House Harriers “kennels” across the world, millions of dollars have been raised. In a few instances, that support made the difference between life and death. News of her passing spread rapidly. Stunned hashers not only offered their condolences, but also pledged to dedicate their charitable efforts in her honor. As the Red Dress Run spread, the tradition of supporting charities was occasionally lost in translation, a fact that troubled The Lady in Red. She would be heartened to know that some of those chapters added a charitable component to the Red Dress Run this year. Misappropriation of the “Red Dress Run” name and concept by non-hashing organizations was also something that she found disturbing. She correctly perceived that “borrowing” the Hash House Harriers’ Red Dress Run could dilute its unique appeal and negatively impact its success in supporting charities. Even before the Red Dress Run, the Lady in Red made her mark in modeling and the recording industry. She made time to raise three children, support the arts, study the culinary arts, and much more. Stories about The Lady in Red are legion. The best of them will not be told here, but if an appropriate offering of beer is made, a few may be shared. In addition to her three children, Matthew, Jeffrey and Clare Mesnard, she is survived by her mother, sister, and by four young children she was in the process of adopting. Her father was a veteran of World War II, having served in Easy Company of Band of Brothers fame. The Lady in Red became an ardent supporter of www.RedDressRuns.org and its various iterations shortly after it was launched in 2000. She was a frequent collaborator, partner and so much more. She truly changed the hashing world. Not bad for a “blond Polish girl,” as she referred to herself in her typical self-depricating humor. Lady in Red, you are missed and will never be forgotten. Sto Lat! - Hops