Seniors Undress for Charity
Beth Gordon of Silver Spring, Maryland, a former financial planner, posed with members of her retiree community for a racy calendar to raise money for a good cause.
Where did you get this idea? I was inspired by the 2003 movie Calendar Girls, in which a group of women pose nude to raise money to redo the lounge in a hospital. I went to our philanthropy director and asked her, "Why don’t we do a calendar like that for our benevolent-care fund?"
What is the benevolent-care fund? The fund's purpose is to help our neighbors here in financial distress who can no longer pay for their home and their care. We've seen an increasing need with the current economy, and it's a cause that's very close to my heart. I know what extended stays in health care facilities can do to you financially, and I hope the fund is there if I ever need it.
How did you wrangle the models? I didn't have to strong-arm anybody or make any hard sells. I recruited several ladies from my water aerobics class. At our first planning meeting, we had 24 volunteers. I ended up using 16 models -- April and August each have two models; October has three. The women were just great. Some were a little shy when they first came to the photo shoot, but our photographer put them at ease.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
How did the shoot actually work? Someone donated two rolls of surgical tape, and we used props, so we weren't completely naked. We picked venues around campus that showed our lifestyles and how we were different. We didn't want to show women playing bridge, so our April shot is of women playing pool.
What were your costs? We spent $3.55 per calendar on printing and mailing. All of the prep work and camera work was done by volunteers. The only other expense was the chocolate cake we used for our December photo, which I got for $35. When the photo shoot was over, we went across the hall and ate the cake.
You hope to raise $50,000. Does that seem doable? We printed 5,000 calendars and are selling them in our community and on Amazon. If we sell them all, we should be able to exceed that amount. I would love to make $100,000. That's my dream goal.
What's the reaction been like? We've had a lot of attention from the media. At last count, we'd sold more than 2,000 copies, or more than 40% of our inventory. We're delighted.
This article first appeared in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. For more help with your personal finances and investments, please subscribe to the magazine. It might be the best investment you ever make.
-
Use An iPhone? You May Be Hearing From A Class-Action Lawsuit Group
A handful of suits against the iPhone maker seek to crack down on everything from app store purchases to messaging.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
Capital One/Discover: What's In Their Wallet For You?
Push back on Capital One's planned merger with Discover is growing with one group of consumer advocates calling for a public hearing.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $69,000 a year.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
simple IRA The maximum amount workers at small businesses can contribute to a SIMPLE IRA increased by $500 for 2024.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2024 is increasing, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Is a Medicare Advantage Plan Right for You?
Medicare Advantage plans can provide additional benefits beneficiaries can't get through original Medicare for no or a low monthly premium. But there are downsides to this insurance too.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
What You Must Know About the Different Parts of Medicare
Medicare Medicare can be complicated but we've got you covered. Here is a quick guide to the different benefits provided through each part.
By Jackie Stewart Last updated