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St. Cloud State University
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Bar calendar showcases local women
By Jay Corn
Published:
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Mandi, Jess, Katy, and Katie pose as Ms. Novembers in the "Hometown Proud 2004" calendar. This collection of local women was compiled in order to raise money for troops in Iraq.
The Hometown Proud 2004 Calendar is a publication featuring 29 women from the St. Cloud area posing in varying amounts of clothing.
Most of the pictured women are employees of local bars such as Rum Runners, The Rox and McRudy's, but the Budweiser Women (or contemporary Budweiser sales associates) as well as women from the Downtown Gym and Fitness, make an appearance as well. For each month of the year, there is a semi-erotic photo, many of which would be suitable for any network television series, as well as a short advertisement for the different bars where the women are employed.
For $10, you can see favorite female bar employees all year round, at the same time contributing to a cause where the impact stretches far beyond the central Minnesota region that has already bought over 600 copies.
The publication's original and primary intent is to serve as a vehicle for ordinary Americans to support U.S. armed forces deployed overseas, mainly service members who call Minnesota home.�For every calendar sold in the United States, one will be sent overseas to a Minnesota service member currently deployed as part of the continuing commitment of U.S. troops abroad. So far, calendars have been received by troops in Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.
"We want to make clear that what we're not doing is sending any kind of political message as far as support for or against the war or any other U.S. policy," Dustin Grant, calendar co-producer said. "This is meant as a show of support for troops deployed overseas. The project was started as a show of support for every (deployed) American military person, and through this calendar, what we hope to do is raise the morale of the troops that are away from home and let them know that people back home are thinking about them."
Some would disagree that a sexually suggestive calendar has the power to raise the morale of troops, but at least one area soldier believes troop morale would benefit greatly from such a gesture of support.
"It (the calendar) would be a great boost to troop morale while they're on deployment," said Army Sgt. Jonathan R. Ponzer, St. Cloud resident.
Operation Hometown Proud has been busy lately with the Hometown Pride Calendar, but the two-year-old organization's efforts have never strayed far from its primary purpose of supporting U.S. troops deployed overseas.
Kelly Nelson, original founder of Operation Hometown Proud and an Army man himself, started the endeavor in support of his son, Neil. When Neil was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Company B, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, Operation Hometown Proud swung into full effect, sending care packages to Neil's entire unit. Ironically, Kelly himself was deployed to Bosnia not long after his son, and the organization was left to Dominick Nelson, the youngest son of Kelly.
"I'm very proud and happy with the way things have gone, and I know my whole family is pleased with the project," Dominick Nelson said. "I understand that some people may not be happy with what they think is the objectification of women, but this calendar is no where near as racy as say a Victoria's Secret catalog, or even a J.C. Penney catalog. I haven't personally received any negative feedback, and I haven't received any complaints. I think it's a tasteful and fun thing that in the end benefits the troops the most, and people should remember that."
Nelson and Grant went on to say they expect to eventually distribute 2,000 copies of the calendar to troops overseas, most to Minnesota residents. While over 300 calendars have been distributed to soldiers to date, this pair of area entrepreneurs are continuously looking for alternative methods of distribution.
"Shipping these calendars overseas is proving to be both expensive and time-consuming," Nelson said. "Right now we're looking for soldiers who are home on temporary leave and are returning overseas in the near future. What we'll do is give him a bunch to take back and give out, making things cheaper and faster. Also, anyone who has friends or loved ones deployed overseas and wants to request a calendar to be sent as part of a package can do so free of charge," Nelson said.
"We have some other things in the works as well, including a regional band we're talking to that's going on a European tour and may be willing to distribute some calendars for us, but that's still only in the planning phase," Nelson said.
While sales figures have steadily increased, not all of the women involved in the project are happy with the finished product. Rum Runners is the featured bar for the month of September. The three women, all in their traditional red tee shirts, have their arms extended skyward, and all three are smiling. Kelly, the Rum Runners woman in the middle, insists however that she feels there were several problems with the project, problems she says that had she been aware of, would have changed her mind about agreeing to be photographed.
"There are a few things that I'm not very happy about," Kelly said. "It was kind of a fun thing to do at the time, but I had no idea things would turn into a big ordeal like this. I do have regrets yes, and being a human relations minor, I understand people's unhappiness about women being objectified like this, but I'm comfortable with the way we did ours. I'm happy with the way our particular picture came out, it's really pretty tame and tasteful compared to some of the others, and I personally was really surprised that some of them were so revealing."
Not all of the girls involved had complaints however. Some in fact jumped at the opportunity to shoot this issue and say they would jump just as quick to do the next.
"I volunteered for the calendar, and it was really a fun thing to do. The whole idea of supporting the troops was a big motivation, and I like to think that in a way I'm doing my part as far as showing appreciation and support." Mandi Sirek, SCSU student and ROX model said. "I have to say that I'm really happy with the way we did our spread. We were clothed and it was tasteful and I feel better that we did it that way. Some of the girls were really revealing, and if they're comfortable with that, then more power to them, but this is about as far as I go."
Sarah Herrick, one of two Ms. Decembers and Superstars bartender had her own take on things.
"I want everyone to know that I have gotten mostly positive feedback about the calendar. �It was for a good cause and people who have had negative things to say about it aren't looking at the cause," Herrick said.�"Plus, it was a lot of fun getting dressed up in wrapping paper and garland."
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the women in this calendar did a great t... (2/4/04)
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