Perhaps there’s a cowboy model in the making, right here in Ramona.

You be the judge.

Remember the 2003 movie Calendar Girls starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters? It was a true story about a group of older British women who posed nude in order to raise money for a local hospital.

Well Ramona’s Soroptimists issued a 2011 calendar called Ramona Cowboy Hunks. Just like Calendar Girls, this is a true story about local people daring to bare just a bit for a good cause. They'd heard about a local woman dealing with cancer and they wanted to help. The money raised also goes to one of their prime goals: raising awareness about human trafficking, which includes the kidnapping of young children for prostitution for gang revenue. The problem of human trafficking is on the increase in San Diego County, according to a new piece of legislation authored by State Assemblyman Marty Block and backed by several law enforcement agencies. It is thought to be the second highest source of revenue for gangs. A major bust took place recently at an Oceanside motel, for example.

Local Soroptimist Sally Westbrook said the issue has become a passion for her ever since she did a lot of research to follow up on the Soroptomist International president's trip to war torn countries where so many atrocities were happening to young girls and women.

"I love children," Westbook said. "Every year 350,000 American children are sexually exploited for profit."

“After the Cedar Fire, we did a firefighters calendar,” said Shelly Heimer, also from Ramona Soroptimists, “and everyone was into it because the money went to the fire victims. We thought of doing another one but it turned out that it was quite involved getting permission and so on.

“So someone suggested cowboys,” she said.

“It was hard to find cowboys,” Heimer said.

Hard to find cowboys in Ramona?

“I’d gone to school with lots of cowboys and some of them are still around, so I called them but they were too shy to do it,” she said.

“We didn’t know how to track down cowboys.”

Then someone suggested Jeannie Malone, who chairs a barrel race fundraiser in Poway. Malone lives in Ramona, and she's the mother of calf roper and team roper Mason Malone.

“She provided the names of cowboys of the right caliber,” said Westbrook, who works at Century 21 San Vicente.

Jeannie Malone told Ramona Patch, "I have been around cowboys my whole life, then married a cowboy and now raised a cowboy. So I guess I was a pretty good resource."

Andria Pearce donated her photography.

“Jeannie and Andria did phenomenal jobs,” Heimer said.

Christie Williams coordinated placing the men outside various businesses around Ramona.

Some of the pages are surprises. Not every "hunk" would be considered a cowboy but they all had one thing in mind: they were willing to pose for two good causes.

They'd heard how local businesswoman Vanessa Aspin had been diagnosed with cancer and had to cut back her hours at her hair salon while undergoing treatment.

Malone said Aspin is "very, very appreciative of all the support of the people of Ramona" and that Aspin, who is a very private person, feels that the calendar is a special honor.

Most of the men posed fully clothed. Some posed romantically, some stoically, some alluringly, and some ... well, you'll have to see for yourself. There are still a few calendars around town. They are now $5 and can be found at Ramona Family Naturals on Main Street and at the office of Juanita Ward, E.A. on 12th Street. They'll also be at the Ramona Bluegrass and Old West Festival on April 30 and May 1 at Ramona Rodeo Grounds.

The calendar shows "Ranger Doug" and Jim Cooper at Ranger Doug’s Shootist's Emporium with a cardboard standup of John Wayne in the background. They're wearing huge smiles and all their other appropriate gear, including chaps.

Michael Raher stands on the steps of his downtown Ramona business, Bella Mia Spa and Salon.

Mason Malone stands in front of the Ramona sign on Highway 67, with his dog.

Jeremy Stuckey poses in front of Cindy Price’s Bookkeeping and Tax Service. Dan Stultz carries red roses in a romantic shot outside Juanita Ward’s Bookkeeping and Tax Service.

Chuck Myers wears a broad grin standing in front of Farmers Insurance Group.

Clay Hatch and resident dog, Sam, pose before Ramona Laund-Yer-Mutt, a do-it-yourself dog wash.

Paul McClanahan shows off his chest for the month of August, in front of a Century 21 San Vicente billboard.

September is a surprise. It’s safe to say that if you are a Ramona woman wanting to be discreet when someone asks, “Which one is your favorite?” you can say September.

Ricky Price offers a friendly face posing outside Bonham Bros. & Stewart Mortuary for October.

November is the most risqué. Brett McKinstry shows a little more flesh and some strategically located body art for the cause, under the Ramona Café sign.

The year ends with a smile from Randy Waitman, owner of RAE Automotive Service, showing off his red and white 1937 Studebaker.

Waitman said being in the calendar "was a lot of fun." He said his wife, Connie, thought it was "a great idea."

He recalled that when the photographer showed up, she asked Waitman to take off his shirt but he said he thought he'd leave that "til next year."

His male friends haven't commented on the calendar, he said. However, "the women have asked me why I didn't take my shirt off," he said with a smile.

Waitman, 49, said he isn't a real cowboy but he drives a wild car.

The local Soroptimists aren't alone in working to increase awareness of human trafficking and child sex slavery. They are joined by Soroptimists everywhere trying to make a difference. The issue has been brought to the forefront recently by celebrities Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher in their DNA—Demi & Ashton Foundation. The foundation's slogan is Real Men Don't Buy Girls. Also, Concerned Women for America is drawing attention to a bill going through the California Assembly called Abolition of Child Commerce, Exploitation and Sexual Slavery Act of 2011, known as AB 12. Another organization specifically targets the U.S.-Mexico border: The Bilateral Safety Corrido Coalition. This is the group that will receive money from Soroptimists in Ramona.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher recently spoke to Piers Morgan on CNN about the way girls are lured by traffickers, usually over the Internet, and then groomed, beaten and tortured into sex slavery. Viewers heard how children as young as 5 years old are being exploited, and the problem is worldwide.

Ramona Patch presented a Moms Talk column recently, in which a former investigator with the Sheriff's Child Abuse Unit discussed how parents need to monitor and limit their children's access to the Internet.

Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Davis said there are a lot of "boogie men" operating in dark corners of the Internet and parents need to beware.

Young girls are also sometimes solicited by gangs on school campuses, according to recent news reports.