“An American Pin-Up Tribute” 2011 Calendar Now Available

Cathy Rankin’s “An American Pin-Up Tribute” calendar is a patriotic tribute honoring our United States Armed Forces and all proud Americans. This is a full-sized, color wall calendar that is good through December, 2011. It measures 13.5″ x 23″ (perfect for hanging!) and includes 14 unique, World War II-era inspired shots featuring Cathy in exact re-creations of the most famous vintage pinup photos from the 1930s, 40′s and 50′s. In the calendar, she portrays Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and more. Also included in the calendar are famous inspirational quotes from military and political figures for each month of the year.

Profits from calendar sales are being donated to New England Warrior (newenglandwarrior.org) in partnership with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation (mcsf.org). These 501(c)(3) charities provide much needed supplies to our troops, as well as scholarship and educational funds for military families, memorial funds and more.

The Calendar makes a great gift, décor item for a room, or simply a patriotic statement of support for our troops! BE SURE TO READ THE FULL STORY THAT INSPIRED THE CALENDAR, and God Bless America! Thanks to all the fans who have supported the project – together we are making a difference!

Visit the Store page to order!!

June, 2010 – Out of the mouths of babes!

I recently received an email from a lovely mom who was so kind to share this hilarious, but sweet story! Apparently, her son, Jacob, (who is already quite the ladies man at the age of 3 1/2) got a hold of a picture of me from the cover of his Dad’s Blue Press Magazine. Well, after that, he wouldn’t let go of it even when it was time to go to bed!

The boys at Dillon forwarded me the picture because when they saw it, because it was so cute that it actually brought a tear to their eyes (don’t tell them I told you that ) …in any case, like my Dillon pals, I was quite touched at the innocence of the picture and how adorable little Jacob is – let’s face it, kids are the most honest of characters, and they will let you know in no uncertain terms if you get a thumbs up or thumbs down, so I was quite flattered and relieved that I passed the test of Jacob’s keen eye for cover girls

Below is the original email and photo that his mom, Sheri, sent – thanks to her and Mike (her husband), for sharing such a great story! And I can’t end the story without telling you they have another son named Matthew, and I can tell you from the looks of these two tykes they are going to have no problem getting girlfriends in the future! (But not until they are at least 20, right Sheri and Mike?????)

My 3 1/2 yr old and Blue Press!

Yesterday the new Blue Press came and my 3 1/2 yr old grabbed it and stared at the cover with a grin on his face.  I thought it was funny…but when it was time for bed and for him to pick out a toy to bring to bed to sleep with…he choose Dad’s Blue Press.  He fell asleep looking at the cover.  See attached photo.  We took the book, so it wouldn’t get wrinkled overnight.  Upon waking he started screaming..”Where is my new book, where is my new book?…new book mama!”

Thought I’d share.  Have a great day.

Sheri & Mike

May 13-16, 2010 – NRA Part Two!

What a blast (no pun intended ) I had at my second NRA National Convention in North Carolina this year! My new 2011 calendars were hot off the press just in time to launch at the show, and it was a good thing because there were people standing in line for them and we ended up going through more than 8 boxes in one weekend! Special thanks to all the Dillon fans who are so loyal and enthusiastic in their support, as well as all the other fans of last year’s calendar (Tom and Patsy, you are by far my greatest fans!), and of course the new friends and fans I met! Like last year, I was impressed with the heartwarming sincerity, generosity and patriotism of the attendees, and once again a few tears were shed when I had the honor of listening to certain people share their personal stories. I met some incredible veterans, some were retired heroes, others were currently serving heroes! As always, all were humble, open, kind, intelligent and fun! I am always so moved and inspired by the people I meet at shows like this, and we all agree on one thing – our men and women in uniform deserve nothing less than our full support and gratitude.

On a lighter note, the final night gala was a great time, with Charlie Daniels playing a killer live version of “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and there were great speeches given by Newt Gingrich, Oliver North, Glenn Beck and so many more over the weekend. There were some fun celebs walking around, including Ted Nugent, Chuck Norris and a few others, so it was great fun and fascinating to observe! Special Thanks to Walker, Elias and Matt at Arsenal for all their help and generosity – you know these guys are special gentlemen when they are willing to haul a 20-pound, ridiclously oversized purse for a girl who’s feet hurt too much to walk Needless to say, there were plenty of hilarious moments throughout the show…

California, here I come!

Just had a blast filming a new commercial for Hyundai. Thanks to Arrowhead Advertising for a fun and easy shoot! The ad will air in California, where I often get to work and play. In fact, I just returned from another gig in L.A., and while there, I ate at Bazaar restaurant, the latest creation of famed Chef Jose Andres. Let me just say, it was the best food I’ve ever had, and the atmosphere was just as wonderful! Our waiter, Terence, was incredible, turns out he is a comedy writer on the side, and he had us laughing so much during dinner that I thought we might get kicked out - if you are ever in L.A. you have to try this place just once (google it!), it is AMAZING!

Honoring a War Hero – Spokane, WA March 6-7, 2010

I just returned from Washington, where I was invited to be a special guest at the Friends of the NRA Association Banquet in Spokane. Will Parks, Director of Adventure Dynamics, was gracious enough to let me bring my last box of calendars, and more importantly to allow me to present a surprise award to one of the evening’s honored military heroes, Sgt. 1st Class, Josh Olsen.

Josh probably wouldn’t want me to make a fuss over his heroism, but you should know who he is and what amazing things he is doing. In 2003, Josh was severely wounded when his company of the 101st Airborne was attacked in Iraq. The injury forced Josh out of the war, taking one of his legs, but it did not take his spirit. Undeterred, Josh came home and stayed in the Army where he not only became a top competitive shooter with the Army Marksmanship Unit, but also a mentor and instructor to other soldiers.

Amazingly, six years later, Josh returned to Iraq as part of Operation Proper Exit, which is a program that allows wounded soldiers to, in his own words, ”go back and exit under their own power.” This is instrumental in helping injured vets deal with their psychological wounds, which are often overshadowed by the physical ones. Josh now mentors other in the program, demonstrating to all of us how truly heroic our men and women in uniform are, and how even after coming home, they continue to contribute in so many incredible ways.

As I presented Josh his brand new 308 Caliber piston action rifle, generously donated by Frank DeSoma of Patriot Ordinance Factory, I was humbled by the opportunity to thank him for his service, which meant so much to me. This, folks, is exactly why I did my calendar project in the first place! Meeting heroes like Josh makes it all worthwhile! In addition, I also got to have dinner with beautiful, 22-year old Shannon Rutlidge, who was the evening’s recipient of the Forrest Ewens Warrior Ethos Award. As an outstanding ROTC cadet from Gonzaga University, Shannon more than earned this award by performing and placing in the top 2% of all cadets in the Nation! She was humble, gracious, and absolutely charming, but make no mistake about it, this girl is tough, and if you needed someone to watch your back, she would be the one you would want beside you!

I can tell you all that I sleep very well at night knowing that it is people like Josh and Shannon who are protecting and preserving our freedoms by serving our great country. Politics aside, they are the heart and backbone of our nation, and it makes me truly proud to know they represent us so well. What a great night I had in Spokane, I cannot thank all the people involved enough for their generosity and warm and welcoming hearts. And just remember, next time you see someone in uniform, just take a moment to say thanks, it is a gesture that means so much.

January 22-25, 2009: LAS VEGAS!!!

I just got back from Sin City last week where I attended the Shot Show to promote my Colors of America calendar for the troops, as well as a poster I did for Accuracy International. The biggest Sin was that it was raining the whole time I was in Vegas, but we still had fun! Many thanks to all the great people that stopped by and donated to show support for my project! The show was full of the top dealers and manufacturers in weapons, and WOW, they were all so gracious to me while I was there! I shared laughs and a few beers with some pretty cool people, including the SWAT and Sniper guys from a certain police department that I will not name in case it gets them in trouble, LOL – Hey, at least I know that if anyone messes with me, I am now very well protected by my new friends Trust me, you don’t want to make these guys mad – they are TOUGH!!!!

Most importantly, I was able to donate more money to New England Warrior for the troops, and I officially SOLD OUT of my calendars!!! Sooooooooo, look for a new 2011 calendar coming soon – there will be a news story on it with all the details as soon as I can catch my breath from this crazy trip…

P.S. Special Thanks to Arsenal, Dillon and Accuracy International who have all been a huge support to me! (Arsenal allowed me to take up valuable space in their booth…)

P.P.S. My calendar story got picked up by the national publication, Guns & Ammo Magazine – thanks for the support, guys!

“Netherbeast, Incorporated” now showing

Now Showing! Netherbeast, Incorporated (the dark comedy I co-starred in with Darrell Hammond, Dave Foley, Amy Davidson, Steve Burns, Jason Mewes and Judd Nelson) is now available on shelves at Blockbuster, Target, Best Buy as well as on-demand through Cox or Netflix. Check out the film trailer and visit the official site for more information!

“Paranormal Matrix” Preview

If you are a fan of movies like Poltergeist, you’ll love this new pilot show I’m co-hosting, called “Paranormal Matrix.” This intriguing program, produced by Spectrum Video and Film, explores REAL stories of the wild and unexplainable with one on one interviews and meetings with some of the top paranormal experts in the nation!

I have to say this is one of the most unique projects I’ve worked on – I’ve been able to interview some very interesting subjects including an astrologist who works with the police to profile serial killers charts, as well as a retired govt defense official who was privy to secret files of UFO activity tracked by the government, among other stories!

The program is being considered for both foreign and domestic distribution, and you can watch a preview here – look for upcoming news on the progress of “Paranormal Matrix” and future stories! For more info you can also visit spectrumvideoandfilm.com.

Marines HMH-462 Airframes

I always love receiving surprise mail and pictures from the fans overseas, and these are the most recent heroes that I was honored to hear from…glad to see the calendar is providing some entertainment overseas! These are the VERY HANDSOME young men from the Marines HMH-462 Airframes, and I hope you all keep them in your prayers, along with all our other service personnel! Semper Fi!

NRA Convention – May 14-17, 2009

Wow! This month was the annual NRA Convention, and let me tell you, people came out in record-breaking numbers! I have been to a lot of events over the years, but this was one of the most fun and interesting I’ve seen!

I think people get a certain perception that is perhaps unfair, when they hear about the NRA, but I can tell you from my personal first-hand experience, it was first class all the way. Of the thousands of people that were there, I did not meet one person whom I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and respect. I had the pleasure of sharing so many stories, and yes, many tears, with veterans from World War II, Vietnam, Korea and Desert Storm. I also talked with so many active duty troops who have either just returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, or are getting ready to ship out again.

Above all, I learned so much about military history and life, and I must say I got quite an education on the 2nd Amendment. It was somewhat eye-opening. Regardless of where one stands politically, the issues we face as a country deserve fair and respectful debate, and I enjoyed learning from each person I met.

The highlight for me was attending the Saturday night banquet, where I sat front and center in an audience of at least 3,000 people or more, and listened to the most incredible speeches from Lt. Col Oliver North and John Stossel from ABC News. If you have never heard these men speak before, do yourself a favor and read their books – they have so much credibility and knowledge worth considering.

In addition, it was Armed Forces Day, and how moving it was to see the entire audience put their hands over their hearts as the military personnel stood right next to me with the flags, while the National Anthem was performed by a wonderful singer. Tears rolled down my face, and all I could think is that I am so blessed to be an American and live in a country that values freedom and democracy!

On a lighter note, I sold and autographed a ton of my calendars, allowing me to donate $2000 directly to the charity I’m supporting (New England Warrior), and those dollars will immediately go to support the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. It feels wonderful to know that every person who supported me at the show is truly helping the children of military families, particularly those who have had a parent killed in action.

The outpouring of gratitude and respect I got from the executives from the NRA, the veterans, the active duty personnel, the families, and of course my loyal Dillon fans, was just so inspirational and touching for me! I am deeply humbled by how gracious people were to me. And I must say a special thanks to Tom and Patsy, who are arguably my most enthusiastic #1 fans!

Thank you also to Dillon Precision, for inviting me to attend the show with them, I couldn’t have asked for a better result! In fact, I am now in talks to go to Iraq on a USO tour, as well as I’ve been invited to be a featured guest at many other events across the country to speak about my calendar project and my experience with the troops, so stay tuned for lots more news stories this year!

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