The “Of Mutts and Men” Calendar is back for 2017.
Started in 2006, the fundraising effort that pairs dogs and scantily clad men is being sold to support the Temple Historical Society.
“It’s scenes of village life with naked men and dogs wearing coats,” Anne Lunt, communications coordinator for the Temple Historical Society, said. “If you don’t care about the naked men, [well] what about the dogs.”
The 2017 calendar was launched earlier this month. While the crowd was small due to the snowstorm that week, everyone who made it bought a calendar.
The men shown in full color calendar are all Temple residents.
There’s a page of members of the Temple Band with strategically placed instruments.
There’s long-time road manager Tim Fiske, store owner Joe Cornoyer, and more recognizable Temple faces. There is a total of 20 men in the calendar’s 12 pages.
In the 2006, the “Of Mutts and Men” fundraiser earned the Historical Society $23,000. In the past two years, the Society has used barn tours, a plant sale, early calendar sales and more to earn $13,000.
There are about 400 items in the Historical Society’s care and possession. It also hosts events in town.
“Our philosophy about raising funds is that, sure we’ll take the check, but show we’re doing something with their money,” she said.
“Of Mutts and Men” calendars have been shipped worldwide as gifts, according to Lunt, and can be found as far as Australia.
The images avoid traditional calendar cliches, like over exploiting foliage on the October page, for example.
Calendars are being sold for $20, with a “Yuletide Discount” of 50 percent off for holiday gifts, making them $10, or three for $25.
They are available at the Temple Store, Temple Library, and Toadstool Bookshops in Peterborough.
The proceeds will go to the Priscilla Weston Capital Fund, named in 2013 after the long-time Historical Society curator, to secure a permanent, climate-controlled space to house the collection.
Brandon Latham can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 228 or blatham@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @blathamMLT.