Women pose for calendar to benefit friend with cancer

When Kati Scharff Bates was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer for the third time this year, her friends didn’t hesitate to do whatever they could to help. After a little inspiration and a little brainstorming, they came up with an unconventional fundraising idea.

“I got the idea from the movie ‘Calendar Girls’,” said Donna Mullink. “I started calling our friends and got people signed up. After a day or two, it just took off.”

The movie, “Calendar Girls,” that inspired Mullink is about a Women’s Institute chapter’s fundraising effort for a local hospital. The older, English women raised money by posing nude for a calendar. That got the wheels turning for Mullink.

Mullink began calling friends and family of Bates, who is originally from West Liberty but now lives in Tipton. It didn’t take too long to get a dozen women signed up and all the months filled. Bates was thrilled with the idea.

“My husband and I went over to Mike and Donna’s [Mullink] because Donna said she wanted to talk to me about something. I thought something might be up. My mom had called earlier and asked if I knew what was going on. I knew they wouldn’t do anything I wouldn’t approve of and they’d be tasteful,” Bates explained. “I didn’t cry at first but I was taken aback. I got emotional. My husband got emotional. Then I told them I wanted to do it too!”

Bates wanted to be Ms. October because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“This is more about bringing awareness than it is about me,” Bates said. “Bringing awareness is what’s important.”

Once Bates was on board, the group moved forward with the plan.

“The Calendar Girls weren’t the only ones involved. We had a lot of support from a lot of different people,” said Mullink. “You’d think this was an easy project. You get 12 girls for 12 pictures. Then we decided to get sponsors. It’s a big project.”

The calendar features a photo of a different woman for each month. The photos were done in good taste but the women were not afraid to have a little fun with them.

“We were all too embarrassed to go out together!” Mullink laughed. “Nobody is showing anything.”

“It just makes you smile,” said Charli Juergens, Ms. July.

Each woman did her own staging and chose what she’d like to do for her month’s photo. They each asked a friend, family member or husband to take the photo.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month | The Lincoln Tribune

Partnership for Children of Lincoln & Gaston Counties

August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

Immunizations are important to prevent children from diseases that could kill, infect or cripple them. Infants and children should be immunized. Most vaccines are given during the first five to six years of a child’s life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under the age of 5 are susceptible to disease because their immune systems are not built up to fight infection.

Vaccinate your child by age 2 and you can protect your child from disease and protect others at child care centers and schools!

Deanna Matthews, child care health consultant with the Gaston County Health Department works with licensed child care centers and family child care homes to help keep immunizations up to date. The Gaston County Health Department is the administrator for this program and funding is through the Partnership for Children of Lincoln & Gaston Counties. Matthews also offers free trainings including Communicable Diseases and Immunizations. This training educates on the various types of communicable diseases and precautions to protect staff and children from contracting and or spreading potential infectious diseases.

Child care providers can stay healthier by washing their hands properly and frequently and also maintaining their current immunizations, especially tetanus, Matthews said.

“Vaccines play an important role in protecting the health of children in child care. When up-to-date on their immunizations, children are better protected against vaccine preventable diseases,” Matthews said. “The benefits extend beyond the individual. Vaccine-preventable diseases cause greater illness in children and vulnerable adults than healthy adults. The greater the number of people immunized the greater the benefit to the community.”

Child care centers are required to know the immunization status of children in their care. This information protects the children that the center provides care for as well as the staff.

Some of the vaccines your children need include Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Pertussis (or whooping cough), Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Is your child up to date? Remember those Back to School shots!

Children can receive immunizations at their local health department and most vaccines for childhood immunizations are provided at no cost.

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