Sensational Seniors in the Pocono Record

Check out this fantastic write-up about the calendar:
By CAROL O'NEILL

Sage Editor

Those Sensational Seniors of Shirley Futch Plaza are at it again.

Residents of the East Stroudsburg apartment building have combined their creative juices to cook up another sexy, funny calendar.

Under the leadership of Futch resident Beverly Barth, the first calendar, "Sensational Seniors at the Plaza" of 2003, came out in November 2002.

In fall 2004, the second version, "Sensational Seniors are Back" for 2005 appeared.

And at long last, the third calendar, "Sensational Seniors are Steaming it up Again," is available for 2010.

This latest edition features five Sensational Seniors — Billie Jean Bensley, Rosie Lionetti, Verna Overpeck, Mary Ann Armillei and Beverly Barth — posing bare-shouldered in a backyard hot tub.

Armillei, who has worked with Barth on all three calendars, said, "Some people think it's wonderful, and some people think it's obscene."

Barth, 75, assured that all are wearing bathing suits behind the calendar's name plate.

And the cover is just a teaser. Models on the inside pages are fully clothed. However, the monthly pictures and captions promise to bring a year's worth of fun.

Armillei, featured in April along with Tommy Labar and Stu Bailey in the kitchen, said this setting was appropriate for her because she cooks every Friday for the seniors at Shirley Futch Plaza.

"When he saw the picture, my brother said at least my legs still look pretty good," Armillei joked.

Barth, along with Armillei and several other tenants, created the first calendar as a fundraiser. Proceeds were divided among the East Stroudsburg Fire Department, Crime Watch of East Stroudsburg, and the Shirley Futch Plaza Tenants Association, which uses the money for such things as welcome wagon and flowers for hospitalized residents. All three groups will be beneficiaries of the 2010 calendar as well.

"The first one made a lot of money," Barth said. "I felt I'll never do another one, but I got so many requests, I did another one for 2005. It didn't do as well."

Between the 2003 and 2005 calendars, the Tenants Association put together a cookbook as a fundraiser. Because it's not dated, the cookbook can still be sold.

Earlier this year some tenants who had not been involved in earlier calendars wanted to give it another try.

One of those tenants, George Hoffman, appears in March, enjoying a massage; in June "getting married" to Ruth Murbach; and in October playing baseball. He's also the humor behind the May caption. In addition, Hoffman helped sell ads to pay for the calendar's printing and is now busy peddling the finished product.

The oldest model, Lucille Schmidt, 97, appears in February.

While the idea for the calendar eight years ago originated with Barth, it has always been a group effort. Several people helped Barth come up with captions for the photos. In the latest calendar, Steve Adams drove his ice cream truck over to Shirley Futch Plaza for the July shot. Keith Strunk showed up in his Stroud Area Regional Police cruiser for the August shot. And Daryl Thundercloud provided the colorful American Indian headdress for September.

Tony Colondo of T.C. Photography has taken the photos for all three calendars. A drummer in Barth's late husband Bill's band at Fernwood years ago, Colondo contributed his photography talents for free.

The project took more than six months to complete. Photos had to be taken and captions created.

"I was blessed with a sense of humor," Barth said. "I came up with the photos and most of the captions."

Armillei was responsible for negotiating with Kistler Printing to have 1,000 calendars ready by Nov. 1. This year Kistler added a background behind the calendar grids for a special touch.

Numerous advertisements — about $1,900 worth — had to be sold to pay for the printing costs. Tenants sold the ads to local businesses. Full-page ads sold for $100, smaller ads for $25. Some individuals bought gold and silver patron ads and in memoriam ads.

The new calendar costs $10, the same price as its original back in 2003.

"Sensational Seniors are Steaming it up Again" is available at several businesses on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg, including Jay's News Stand, East Stroudsburg Hardware, Crystal Street Diner, ESSA Bank & Trust, and Healing by Hand and by Heart Chiropractic. The steamy calendar is also available at TK Computers in Marshalls Creek and at Shirley Futch Plaza on Kistler Street, East Stroudsburg.

For information, call Beverly Barth at (570) 424-6722 or Mary Ann Armillei at (570) 421-6915.

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