Student calendar benefits breast cancer research

When five Pitt roommates decided to start their own entertainment business by throwing parties… When five Pitt roommates decided to start their own entertainment business by throwing parties – FAB 5 Entertainment LLC – they never imagined that they could eventually put raising money for breast cancer on their resumes.

But when Nick Pawlenko, of Peter’s Pub, pitched to the guys of FAB 5 the idea of publishing a calendar to make a profit, chief executive officer and Pitt senior Ifenyi Kanu not only jumped on the idea but took it a step further.

FAB 5 will donate $1 for every swimsuit calendar sold to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

The calendars – titled “Fabulous College Girls of Pennsylvania: 13 Reasons to go to school in P.A.” – will sell for $13.99 each and feature girls who go to school in or who are from Pennsylvania.

Every Thursday, FAB 5 holds auditions at Margarita Mama’s for girls who want to model for the calendar.

“When we first started [FAB 5], we didn’t really have an idea what direction we’d end up going in,” Kanu said. “We didn’t know we’d eventually end up doing this.”

He added that the group’s primary focus in the past has been to throw parties and events for students on campus for a profit.

But Kanu – whose mother died of pancreatic cancer the summer of his junior year – said FAB 5 is publishing this swimsuit calendar for a good cause.

“Cancer definitely affects a lot of people,” he said.

“I think anything that raises money for a cause will help a community,” said Kate Iwanyshyn, one of the models for the calendar, “I’m sure all the girls will have a blast doing it, and their friends will enjoy looking at it so it’s a win-win situation.”

Kanu is worried that some people think FAB 5’s swimsuit calendar will portray women in a negative light and might disagree with its publication.

The group decided it would be best to donate a percentage of the proceeds to charity, and, because of Kanu’s experiences, raising money for breast cancer seemed to make sense.

“The main thing is that we’re not sexist,” Kanu said. “We don’t look at people in that light, we don’t support people who look at women in that light, which is one of the main reasons we’re giving back to breast cancer.”

Iwanyshyn agreed that the calendar doesn’t portray women negatively.

“Just because it features beautiful women doesn’t make it sexist,” she said in an e-mail. “These women were chosen for this calendar because they are beautiful and wanted to participate. If other people want to do a guy swimsuit calendar, nothing is stopping them.”

Kanu said they hope to sell at least 20,000 calendars – but they’re not in it alone.

The group’s sponsors – such as Margarita Mama’s nightclub, Peter’s Pub, Wing Pitt and the Tanning Pit – will pay FAB 5 to include advertisements for their businesses in the calendar, giving the company enough money for the publisher and photographers.

Kanu added that the photographers have yet to be determined, but FAB 5 is looking for photography or art students interested in strengthening their resumes.

“We’re definitely always a fun group of guys to hang out with, and that’s how we got our start,” Kanu said. “That’s how we got here today.”