A rather unique fundraiser, at least for Yorkton, has been undertaken by the female staff at Tapp's Brewing Company in Yorkton.
During the summer of 2010, the girls posed for a series of saucy, but tasteful pictures which were used to create a calendar now being sold at the local pub, and at various sponsor locations around the city. The proceeds of the $20 calendar will go to Soup Haven in Yorkton and to the new Children's Hospital Foundation in Saskatoon.
The idea for the calendar actually came about from a random comment among friends which caught on developing into a full blown plan.
"It wasn't my idea but my organization," said Megan-Jodie Paulhus, adding the actual idea came from Cameo Schmitt.
"She was joking one night," said Paulhus, adding when she gave the idea some thought, she realized it had potential.
Paulhus said she was interested in the idea of doing something for a fundraiser, and realized a risque, yet stylish calendar was a fresh idea for the city.
"I thought sex sells, and that's all that matters," she said, adding while naughty in nature, "everything is still done really, really classy."
So Paulhus said she took the idea to her co-workers at Tapp's, and with the help of Shelly Ross and Dustin Krepakevich began to forge ahead.
"Almost every staff member was all for it. The girls were actually really amazing. I was impressed with them. There were awesome," she said.
Richele Derkach said she was immediately interested by the idea.
"I wanted to do it absolutely I was very open for anything," she said, adding in general "everybody was down for it."
As for the alluring nature of the photos, Derkach said that was not an issue for her.
"We're all sexual human beings, so why not," she said. "I was completely open to anything."
Kelsey Karst admitted the idea of posing in football jerseys and negligees was something she wasn't expecting to be on her summer schedule.
"I was a little nervous about it being part of a calendar," she said, adding she then concluded "we had great looking girls so why not."
Karst said it was made easier because the other girls were there too. "It was easier with a group."In a number of the 16 photographs used in the calendar the girls posed in groups.
"As long as it was group pictures that I was in it was fine," said Karst.
Derkach said the process was a long one, with the pictures accumulated over a number of shoots from March to the end of June.
"We did a photo shoot every couple of weeks," she said.
In Derkach's case, she was actually one of four gals to go solo in a picture. As 'Miss July' she rides a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which relates to the month's sponsor.
Paulhus is solo in September, lounging on the hood of a red convertible in front of Tapp's.The community was very supportive of the project too.
Mitch Hippsley came on board to do the photography work, Adam Paton created the 'The New Life' project logo, and a number of businesses supported the project through advertising, and becoming calendar sale outlets, said Paulhus. She said Hippsley was really a key to the project's success."He did all the photography for absolutely free," she said, adding his professionalism, and experience were critical in creating the calendar images. "He was totally the backbone of this."Derkach also credited Hippsley.
"Mitch was really good with all of it. He put his two cents in about what would make a pose better make the calendar better," she said.
The reaction to the calendar from family and friends of the girls has all been very positive, although in some cases they had not expected to see such an endeavour.
"It was pretty positive, but they were surprised by it, pretty surprised I was in a calendar," she said, adding her mother was rather speechless.
"She just had her eyes open really wide. They just got bigger and bigger."
Paulhus said she actually enjoyed the shoots.
"It was a blast," she said, adding "all my friends have been crazy supportive."
Paulhus, who said her family too was a bit surprised, but very supportive of her being in the calendar, said it helps the money goes to good causes.
"People love that we're donating to local charities. There's a sense of community to it," she offered.
Derkach said her Dad was a little surprised, but added, "My Mom thought it was the coolest thing ever."
As for friends and those purchasing the calendar, Derkach said the reaction has been gratifying.
"I've certainly got a lot of good feedback. It makes me feel really good," she said.
So far the public response to the calendar has been good in terms of sales.
"We've distributed almost all of them," said Paulhus, adding while they haven't calculated actual sales to-date, she noted, "we've been doing well."
Derkach added she can appreciate why people are drawn to the calendar given her own reaction the first time she saw the completed project.
"I couldn't stop flipping pages I couldn't stop looking at it. I thought it was awesome," she said.
Plans are already under way to do a 2012 calendar, and the girls are all supportive of the idea.
"Absolutely. If they go ahead I'm interested," said Karst, adding in the end it's not really about posing, or the calendar, but about the money raised for good local charities.
Paulhus said there is likely to be another calendar.
"We've even had some people talking about next year already. Hopefully if everything goes well it will go ahead," she said.
