LOWER LAKE — A calendar signing for one baring flesh and facts was held Saturday at Ployez Winery. Models from “The Naked Truth” welcomed the public and offered autographs in support of the Animal Coalition of Lake County”s fund-raising calendar project.
Georgina Lehne, ACLC president, thanked Ployez Winery and owner Shirley Ployez, who is featured in the calendar, for hosting the debut event. Additional events are being planned.
“Our first signing was successful because it sparked interest of the community and a few people come out to see our calendar and meet the models,” Lehne said. “We sold 24 calendars this time and we are in the process of planning our next signing event. We hope to see more people at our upcoming events because this project supports a great need in our community, which is for assisting low-income and elderly residents with the cost of spaying and neutering for both cats and dogs.”
The non-profit organization has been in existence for nearly a year. The mission of the coalition is to reduce the euthanasia rate in Lake County. According to Paula Werner, of Lake County Animal Care and Control, one cat and her offspring can produce 1.2 million cats in eight years. A dog and her offspring can produce 16,000 dogs in just four years. In 2007, a total of 306 dogs were euthanized in Lake County and a total of 1,283 cats were euthanized. In June 2007 alone, 258 cats were euthanized.
The Naked Truth, 2009 calendar features local models hailing from various professions within the community. Firefighters, legal professionals, business owners, banking representatives and others put aside their modesty to take it off for the cause. Along with tasteful, conservative pictures of naked models, the calendars also feature information pertaining to pet health and overpopulation.
The calendars are priced at $18 apiece with all proceeds benefiting the ACLC. Calendars are available from models or various business locations throughout Lake County. In Clearlake, calendars may be purchased at the Lake County Community Action Agency, Xpresso Depot, From Me 2 U and the office of Dr. Mark Freeman and Tracy Hazelton. (Hazelton is a model featured in the calendar.) Ployez Winery in Lower Lake also has calendars available for purchase.
Thanks to board member Nora Starr, 125 calendars were dispersed throughout the Kelseyville business community including Kelseyville Lumber.
The coalition is seeking additional sites to offer the calendar to the community. Business owners in Nice, Lucerne, Lakeport, Middletown, Upper Lake and other Lake County locations, who are willing to offer the calendar on a consignment basis, are encouraged to contact Georgina Lehne at 995-0495.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
