The Naples Players will debut a 2021 calendar featuring 12 of Naples’ female leaders “taking it all off” for charity. The calendar’s release was originally scheduled to coincide with The Naples Players’ staging of Calendar Girls, but both were postponed due to COVID. In the spirit of giving, the “Collier Calendar Girls” decided to move forward with the calendar to raise funds for organizations combatting food insecurity across the county.
Taking inspiration from the Calendar Girls true story-turned-movie about 11 English women who “dared to bare all” to raise funds when one of their own lost a husband to leukemia, Naples’ own dynamic dozen gathered their courage to help organizations provide food security to residents across Collier County.
“This issue directly and indirectly impacts the various organizations represented by the women in the calendar” says Diana Riley, founder of Swinging with Purpose and the April calendar feature. “This issue affects the individuals and families that are being served by our organizations–hence it was our ‘common ground.'”
Led by local philanthropist Patty Baker and award-winning photographer Charlie McDonald, Naples’ leading ladies were invited to go almost au naturel for their charities, including Baker, Brenda Melton, Audrey Pengelly, Simone Lutgert, Riley, Sharon von Arx, Sarah Baeckler, Sue Dalton, Kristen Coury, Dr. Jaclynn Faffer, Myra Daniels, and Jennifer McCurry.
“Patty was not only the creative force behind the project, but she played an important role in ensuring it was a project led by women” said Bryce Alexander, CEO and executive artistic director of The Naples Players. “It was important to us that the women understood that they were in charge of their own story and their artistic expression.”
The Community Foundation of Collier County will distribute the proceeds from the sales of the calendar to nonprofits dedicated to providing food security.
The Naples Players will stage Calendar Girls on April 28, 2021, to May 23. Tickets cost $35-$42 and are available here. The 2021 Calendars are available for purchase here for a suggested donation of $25.
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