Indiana Women Pose Nude for Fund-Raising Calendar

The Randolph County commissioners in Farmland, Indiana, voted 2-1 in June to demolish the county courthouse in downtown Winchester, which is located about 20 miles east of Muncie. The commissioners decided that they’d rather tear the courthouse down and replace it with a new building than spend millions of dollars to renovate the existing courthouse, which was built in the 1800s. If the courthouse is leveled, it will be the first one in the state of Indiana to be torn down for over 30 years.

Farmland resident Larry Francer lives just 9 miles from the courthouse, and he was one of the many local residents who were incensed by the commissioners’ plans to destroy the historic building. A dynamic and outspoken opponent of the demolition, Francer organized a drive that resulted in a petition with 40,000 signatures asking the commissioners to reconsider. Francer helped stage a protest on the courthouse lawn and has attended many public meetings about the issue, some of which were so heavily attended that people were crammed into rooms too small to accommodate them and had to sit on the floor as a result. "Many of us in the county are stunned the commissioners are not willing to preserve and restore this beautiful old building," Francer said. "We believe a historic building is like a beautiful woman—created with love, etched with wonderful memories, and a reminder to all who see her...have learned from her, and love her, that the years have only polished her beauty, not diminished it."

Amidst the steadily growing public outcry about the impending doom of the historic courthouse, seven elderly members of the Farmland Bridge Club decided they would take a stand and put their money—and other personal items—where their mouths were. The women, who range in age from their early 70s to older than 90, have posed nude for a calendar in order to raise money for the fight to save the 128-year old Randolph County Courthouse. "We just thought, ‘we have great bods,’ so we thought we'd do it," said Iraida Davis-Leitch, who at age 76 was one of the youngest models in the calendar. The photographs are all tastefully and artistically done, similar to the photographs in the calendar created in the British movie "Calendar Girls." One pose shows a woman lounging in a vivid pink chair, holding some strategically placed miniature courthouse buildings. Another shows a smiling woman holding up two of the miniature buildings in just the right places in front of her chest.

The women’s feelings about the calendar range from shyness to amusement to excitement, but all of them remained committed to their foal, and the calendars are now available and being sold to the public online at the Farmland, Indiana USA website. The calendars cost $15.95 each, including shipping and handling, and $5 from each sale will go to the Save the Courthouse Fund. Although the group isn’t sure how much money their efforts will raise, Francer strongly believes that they may be able to raise between $10,000 and $20,000, all of which will be spent on restoring the courthouse building.

The trend of fund-raising calendars featuring nude women in their golden years may have been spawned by the story of the Ladies of Ryistone featured in "Calendar Girls," but the idea has actually spread to groups all over the world who have shed their clothes to raise money for causes dear to their hearts. In fact, this year alone has seen such special calendars designed and sold to raise money in Carmel, California, and Townsend, Massachusetts. Maybe politicians should take a hint and raise money for their campaigns by posing nude.