We're not sure if this is a good trend or a bad trend, but more and more of us are taking off our clothes. For money.
Not that long ago, fully clothed church, gardening and civic groups would compile recipes, put them in a binder, and sell them as a fundraiser.
Now, following the lead of their British counterparts -- those nude Women's Institute ladies and The Full Monty gentlemen -- Americans are taking off their clothes, having their photos taken, attaching them to calendars and waiting for the money to roll in.
These calendars, not to be confused with model material, are hot even if their subjects are not. Estimates are they've raised $1.5 million for 40 different causes in the past couple of years, priced at $15-$19 a pop.
''Obviously, we think this is a positive trend,'' says Judi Ditzler, executive editor of N, the magazine of The Naturist Society in Oshkosh, Wis. ''These are just regular people who are willing to get out there and bare all for a good cause. We think that's great.''
The Naturist Society, by the way, does not have a calendar. Here's the skinny on a few who do:
* In Tamworth, N.H., the 2002 Women of Tamworth calendar raised $75,000. The 2003 sequel, Tamworth Men in Hats, features men fishing, playing the banjo and hunting wearing, well, hats!
* A group of gardening enthusiasts called the McLaughlin Foundation aims to raise $150,000 with a calendar of themselves naked among the greenery. The goal: to pay off the mortgage on the foundation's gardens and homestead in South Paris, Maine.
* The First Men's Garden Club of Dallas is out with its 2003 beefcake calendar. The pin-ups range from age 32 all the way up to Mr. June, Chester Cundiff, who just celebrated his 90th birthday. ''He's our poster boy,'' says Patrick Flautt, Mr. July.
* The tony Colorado resort of Vail just unveiled its second Vail Undressed calendar, which features 80 locals shielded by properly placed props. Proceeds go to the Vail Valley Charitable Fund.
''We had to turn more people away than we could use,'' says board member New New Wallace. ''They were dying to show off their hard work.'' Wallace, by the way, appears nude with fellow board members. ''But we're hidden by a very large check.''
* The now famous Men of Maple Corner are back, too. Organizers hope it will do as well as the first calendar, which raised more than half a million dollars. Proceeds go to a dozen community groups, but it's the last year for these Vermonters to bare all. Or most.
''Some people are a little sick of it,'' says Steve Gallagher, Mr. May. ''We're just a club of neighborhood people.''
Mr. February, Chris Miller, says the non-profit group would have to change its charter if it continued making so much money. A nice problem to have.
It seems imitation remains the sincerest form of flattery.
''After we saw those men up in Vermont put out that calendar, we said, 'We could do that!' '' admits Flautt of the Dallas garden group. ''So we did!''
