A group of Gabriola women are baring all in a charity calendar that embraces aging and challenges notions of beauty.

More than 50 women age 50 and up are participating in the Faerie Goddess Mothers of Gabriola 2022 calendar, which is now available for pre-order and goes on sale in October. Proceeds will go towards 12 Gabriola and Nanaimo charities, with buyers able to select which organization to support.

The project is led by Dorothy Engst, who came up with the idea while at a small outdoor womenB次元官网网址檚 gathering. Engst lives with a rare disease that caused her body weight to drop to 80 pounds, but being among friends gave her strength.

B次元官网网址淎s we were sitting there I just felt so uplifted that I just felt like ripping my clothes off and saying, B次元官网网址榊ou know what? Here I am just as I am. I am powerful,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Engst said.

ItB次元官网网址檚 that feeling of empowerment that inspired Engst to create the calendar. She said part of embracing aging is embracing what happens to oneB次元官网网址檚 body as it ages, rather than seek to conform to a certain definition of beauty.

B次元官网网址淭hese women over 50 have gone through a lot in their lives. Many of the women are cancer survivors that are in the calendar,B次元官网网址� Engst said. B次元官网网址淪o I just thought it would be a beautiful opportunity to put something beautiful out there with a really powerful message, as well.B次元官网网址�

Engst said she was surprised by which of her friends agreed to model in the calendar. She said the women she thought would be most hesitant often said B次元官网网址測es,B次元官网网址� while those she assumed would be on board turned her down.

B次元官网网址淎nd then in my weird mind IB次元官网网址檓 thinking, B次元官网网址榃ell, who am I missing?B次元官网网址� Because I donB次元官网网址檛 want to offend anybody,B次元官网网址� Engst said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to hurt anybodyB次元官网网址檚 feelings because they havenB次元官网网址檛 been asked to pose nude.B次元官网网址�

The photos were all taken in the Gabriola wilderness and sometimes required trudging 20 minutes into the woods in nothing but bathrobes and rubber boots. Being in nature inspired the faerie motif, as a graphic designer has added faerie wings to the models in the photographs.

B次元官网网址淲e have a lot of joy left in us and weB次元官网网址檝e got a lot of years ahead of us to continue celebrating and I just wanted to express that joy and I felt the faerie wings were a good way to do it,B次元官网网址� Engst said.

The project is a year in the making, as each monthB次元官网网址檚 photo was taken during that month. Engst said she enjoyed the experience because it gave her a year of B次元官网网址渁mazingB次元官网网址� photo shoots.

B次元官网网址淲hen I was at an all-time low it was like a photo day was coming and I would just get myself rested in preparation and it was awesome every time,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t would lift me up. ItB次元官网网址檚 like there was a glow around everybody.B次元官网网址�

The calendar is available .

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