Middle Georgia Firefighters Calendar makes its return. How it helps a good cause
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Auditions for the revived firefighter calendar drew 65 participants Thursday.
- Organizers aim to raise $100K, benefiting the local children’s hospital fund.
- Judges will select 36 firefighters for a two-week photoshoot starting soon.
Auditions for the Middle Georgia Firefighters Calendar began Thursday evening after a seven-year gap since the last time the calendar was produced.
Just before 4 p.m. Thursday, roughly 65 male and female firefighters did brief workouts at the Macon City Auditorium, where the auditions were held, while they waited to be called by the judges. The Macon-Bibb Fire Department last created the Middle Georgia Firefighter Calendar in 2018, when it raised about $50,000, with $26,000 going toward Jay’s Hope and the Georgia Fallen Firefighters’ Foundation, each receiving $13,000, according to the county.
Phillip Herndon, a captain at the Macon-Bibb Fire Department, said he and another firefighter had the idea to do the calendar seven years ago. Although it was a big success, “it was a lot, a lot of work,” Herndon said. The firefighter who had organized it with him has since left the department.
But since people kept emailing the fire department asking to do another one, Herndon pitched the idea to the new fire chief, Shane Edwards, who agreed to do it.
This year, Herndon expects the calendar to make $100,000. Some of the proceeds will go toward the Navicent Health Foundation that will support the local Atrium Health Levine Children’s Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital.
“If you’ve ever been to the children’s hospital, go there one time, you’ll want to give them everything that you got,” Herndon said. “That’s the main thing, to help give back to the children.”
Who will be chosen?
Three women from Legends Gym made up the panel of judges who would decide to pick 36 firefighters out of the 65 hopefuls. Herndon said that it would take four to five hours for the judges to go through all of the contenders before they pick the lucky firefighters to be chosen for the photoshoot. The photoshoot would take two weeks, Herndon said.
By Friday, the 36 picks will be notified of the judge’s decision to cast them.
This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 12:51 PM.
