Update: Look for the 2009 Thank You Calendar website coming this week, September 15th-19th!

We're going to a Flash format and it's gonna be really cool!

Thanks to all models for participating this year ~ we will keep you posted on the progress/printing/promos to come!
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The Thank You Calendar is a project about giving back. It was an
was an idea with multiple sources of inspiration and is the combined creative efforts of many people. This is 100% volunteer.

The founders of the TYC and original team from the 2008 issue are Rissa & Nathaniel of Balance Photography; photographer Jackie Geyer; MUA & hair stylist, Ashley Riddle of Up-do's for I-do's. This year, for the 2009 calendar, we are excited to add hair and MU gurus Kim Reyes and Erica Pridgen to the team. Wardrobe stylist Issac Powell pitched on several months, and we also have to shout out to Josie Ioime and Stephen Peterson, our loyal shoot assistants.

How the TYC began:
Jackie had already started her “Thank You” photos around the same time Rissa heard via the Catonsville Chamber of Commerce that soldiers at Walter Reed needed assistance getting simple items for themselves as they recovered, such as deodorant, gum or magazines.
Jackie and Rissa met via Ashley. Jackie’s project, as well as the news from the Chamber, inspired Rissa to find a way to make a large sum of money to donate to the soldiers at Walter Reed. From there the idea for the calendar was born.

Nathaniel immediately came on board, and Ashley was eager to step in with her talents and make all the models look gorgeous. Each model was booked for her wholesome All-American look and donated her time for the shoot. Some were professional models, others were at their first photo shoot but each did fabulously and worked hard to make great pictures.

The girls were then combined with Jackie’s “Thank You” project to make the calendar. The overall goal of the calendar project is to raise as much as possible (in the thousands) for the veterans & soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center. Funds raised will be donated to Maryland For Our Military, a 501c based in Mt. Airy. This organization directly works with wounded soldiers and veterans at Walter Reed Medical Center. Some of the services they provide include flying families in for visits and providing comfort items, like shampoo, deodorant & gum, to recovering soldiers.

All but four of the 2008 calendar models were booked on MM!!! We are currently done booking models for the 2009 calendar, 10 of the 15 were booked on MM! If you are interested in doing the 2010 calendar, we will be shooting again this fall. All models must be 18, no exceptions. All models should be at least 5'6", size 6 or smaller and have a healthy, All-American girl look.

We had hoped to have enough interest in an all-male calendar to do a 2nd 2009 Thank You Calendar featuring male models, but the interest simply was not there from the male modeling community. We shot less than 1/2 a year's worth of male models. GUYS ~ we need you to get involved in this!!! We'd love to try again for 2010. Please get in touch with us!!

Mission Statement of TYC:
America was founded on the courage of men and women who stood up for what they believed in. Today, brave Servicemen and Servicewomen continue this tradition all around the world. The Thank You calendar was created to support America’s wounded soldiers and their families. We are a politically neutral organization and 100% of proceeds from calendar sales will go directly to soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center and their families to help cover costs of visits, personal items and other needs they face as they heal from injuries received serving our great nation. It is our small way to say thank you for all the sacrifces made by these heroic men and women.

The Thank You Calendar 2008 has appeared so far...
on The Strobist website (10-2-07)
in The Annapolis Capital-Gazette (10-4-07)
in The Catonsville Times (10-4-07)
in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail (10-5-07)
in the Glen Burnie (MD) Gazette (10-6-07)
on WBAL Baltimore 5 o'clock news (10-8-07)
in the Catonsville CCView (10-11-07)
in the Baltimore Sun newspaper (11-9-07)
on WTTG Fox5 Washington DC news report (11-16-07)
in the Severna Park Voice newspaper (12-07)

Stay tuned for more media news with the 2009 calendar!

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