SALT LAKE CITY -- The 2016 Utah firefighter calendar has finally arrived, and all proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
A launch party for the calendar was held earlier this week, and Utah firefighters strutted their stuff throughout the night to celebrate the calendar's success.
Between pictures and autographs, they were kept pretty busy, all to benefit the more than 11,000 Utahns diagnosed with cancer every year.
“It's a little overwhelming, but I’m hoping this will actually get us to the numbers we want to make for raising money for cancer,” said Nick Honsvick, the firefighter for December in the calendar.
Photographer Ben Sant said it’s a cause many can relate to.
“When you think about cancer, cancer is something that affects everyone internationally and nationally,” he said. “All of us on a personal, or even professional, level know someone that’s been affected by this.”
Sant said these firefighters aren't exactly used to the limelight, as generally they're too busy dedicating time to their communities. But, he said it takes dedication to reach their level of physical fitness.
“These guys have sacrificed a lot to be here, they trained up to four or five months,” Sant said. “Some of them have professional trainers to get into the condition that they’d be fit to pose for this calendar.”
But getting fit wasn't the only hard part.
“Doing it for a good cause is easy, but putting everything together, putting in the leg work, it takes a lot of time and dedication,” Honsvick said.
Firefighters and the calendar's creators say they hope to do it all again next year.
“I’ve learned that when you put your mind to something, it can actually be accomplished,” Honsvick said. “So this was a big accomplishment. It started out as kind of a pipe dream, and now it’s grown into this and it's pretty amazing.”
To purchase a calendar, click here.
To learn more about the American Cancer Society, visit their website.
