If you don’t live in this area these days, you may not have heard about the huge buzz created by the ‘nude calendar’ fundraising project the Privateer Days Committee launched on July 2nd, at the Astor Theatre.
Filled to capacity, an appreciative audience roared with laughter or applauded loudly as twenty-seven people, from all walks of life, walked onto stage to see their photo and calendar page as it was projected on the big screen.
Shrouded in secrecy, the run up to this evening was filled with speculation, anticipation and often some misguided notions about what the calendar would be like, who would be featured and how much or little they’d be wearing!
Who was actually on it was a well kept secret and even the models did not know which photo of them was used, until it was unveiled in front of a roaring, cheering audience of nearly 400. Over 500 calendars sold that night, as people lined the isles for autographs from the local doctors, business folk, public figures and newcomers, who had bravely shed their clothes for this worthy cause.
The purpose of this ongoing fundraiser is not only to clear some debt incurred last year, but to build up revenue to cover the costs of next year’s major Privateer Day moment, the 250th anniversary celebration.
This should prove to be an amazing event, but it can’t happen without capitol. The calendars will be on sale at various locations for the rest of the year and can be purchased on line at
www.privateercalendar.com.So if you’re living ‘away’ and want a touch of here to hang on your wall or if you’re looking for terrific, fun gifts for others, consider one of these calendars. The beautiful black and white photographs of internationally acclaimed photographer and former local, Nance Ackerman, shot in locations in this area, combined with delicate watermarked backgrounds of our county’s heritage properties and sites (thanks to graphic wiz, Greg Tutty) makes an excellent gift, whether you’re ‘from here’ or not.
These calendars are selling in other nearby towns and are already a huge hit with tourists coming through. So if you’re ‘from here’, don’t miss out, order a daring and beautifully executed reminder of ‘home’.
