The latest edition of the Raw and Reflective Calendar has launched, continuing a Barrie-based fundraising initiative that has raised more than $140,000 for cancer support services over the past eight years.
Created by Sharon Smith of Connect Hair Studio, the annual calendar features residents from across Simcoe Muskoka in artistic black-and-white photographs paired with personal stories about their experiences with cancer, caregiving, loss and resilience.
Now in its eighth year, the 2027 calendar carries the theme "Evolve," a concept Smith says reflects both personal growth and the impact the project has had on those involved.
"Evolve, it's about change," Smith told Barrie 360. "The biggest impact on my evolution was understanding how many people were affected by cancer and just the staggering number of people offering to be models."
Listen tbelow to our interview with Sharon Smith. It begins at the 20:48 mark.
The idea for the calendar came nearly a decade ago during a flight with her husband. Smith overheard a group of women celebrating a successful cancer fundraiser and learned they had raised money through an implied-nude calendar.
Inspired by the concept, she decided to launch a local version.
What started as an ambitious idea has since become a major community undertaking involving more than 50 volunteers, including photographers, videographers, writers, editors, printers and sponsors. The project also relies on 12 models each year, one for every month of the calendar.
Those models now often seek Smith out, a sign of how well-known the initiative has become across the region.
The calendar supports Gilda's Club Simcoe Muskoka, a Barrie-based cancer support organization that provides programs and services for people living with cancer, as well as family members and caregivers.
Smith said one of her goals was to support an organization that helps everyone affected by the disease.
"I wanted the initiative to cover both men and women. I didn't want it to be just women-specific," she said. "I wanted to cover everything from colon to brain to breast, so that nobody was really left out."
While the photographs attract attention, Smith says the stories behind them are what make the project unique.
"The pictures are the raw, and the reflective is the stories," she said. "It's an opportunity for people to share just a little blip of their life in hopes that that might inspire, support, comfort somebody else."
The photos are described as artistic and "implied naked," using strategic poses and props rather than nudity. Each participant also shares a personal story that helps readers understand the challenges, triumphs and emotions connected to their cancer journey.
Smith says the response from both participants and buyers continues to grow each year. In fact, planning for next year's edition is already underway, with several potential models already expressing interest.
The Raw and Reflective Calendar is available for $20 through Connect Hair Studio and Gilda's Club Simcoe Muskoka. Proceeds support programs ranging from counselling and support groups to wellness activities and children's services.
For Smith, the project's success is measured by more than the money raised.
"I think it's important to know that we're not alone," she said. "And it's not just the person who is fighting the cancer battle, but the family, the friends, the parents, the sisters, people that are feeling a little lost."
