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Calendars benefit VA hospitals nationwide

Pinups are easy on the eyes, heart

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"Am I dreaming?"

This is often the question asked of Gina Elise, who is, of course, dolled-up in costume to retro pinup standards, when she visits veterans at Veterans Affairs hospitals around the country. Although she has visited 38 different VA hospitals in 24 states so far - including a trip to both the American Lake facility and the Seattle VA hospital last year - it never fails to make her smile.

"I kept watching the news and seeing these reports about injured veterans, and I really was affected," explained Elise, whose grandfather was in the Army during World War II. "I wanted to help, and as I was trying to come up with ways to raise funds for them I thought about a calendar."

So in 2006, at the tender age of 23, she set out to produce the first calendar, which she entitled Pin-Ups for Vets. The pictorial debut, which featured Elise in various wigs and outfits all 12 months, was such a success that she was left with no choice but to make it an annual production.

"I like to say that I'm supporting our heroes one calendar at a time," Elise joked.

And with $50,000 worth of medical rehabilitation equipment donated to date, her artistic creations are definitely yielding support.

"Initially, people go to order for themselves, but then when they see that they can donate one to a veteran or even send one downrange, people change their minds and often wind up doing it all," Elise said.

As for the donated calendars, that's what Elise spends her time delivering at the VA hospitals. Though the trips are time consuming and require a business or individual's financial backing, it is something that she personally loves to do.

"These visits show me that human contact can really make an impact," she said.

Case in point, her favorite experience occurred when she was making small talk with one veteran by simply asking him when his birthday was and other basic questions. He replied, albeit quietly, and she thought nothing of it until the nurses rushed up to say that the patient had suffered a traumatic brain injury and hadn't spoken in a month.

The Pin-ups for Vets nonprofit is staffed almost entirely by volunteers, and Elise resigned from her job two years ago in order to focus solely on running it. Since then, Oprah Winfrey has recognized her efforts during a broadcast, and she was even able to feature the titular product on an episode of the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels. In fact, members of that show are featured in the 2013 edition.

The 2013 calendar can be pre-ordered now at www.pinupsforvets.com, which also offers other swag from T-shirts to playing cards. Calendars cost just $10 each and are a tax-deductible purchase. 

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