Calendars depicting Boise’s iconic “Betty, the Maytag Wash Woman” has raised $24,150 for the Idaho Food Bank.
The calendars first went on sale early December; an idea developed by Paul and Mary Jean Wegner, owners of the Cucina di Paolo (aka “Paul’s Kitchen”) restaurant on Vista Avenue.
The Wegners presented a “wad of dough” check Tuesday morning to Idaho Food Bank officials.
The well-known, motorized “Wash Woman” doing laundry in her washtub has been a fixture along Vista Avenue since the mid-1950s. The property is the former site of Baird’s Dry Cleaners and the Maytag Laundromat.
“When we purchased this property two years ago, we wanted to find a way to give back to the community. And, since we’re a restaurant, what better way than to help feed the hungry?” Wagner said.
The couple enlisted the help of an area seamstress and graphic artist to help produce the 13-month, $20 “2017 Betty Calendar”. Each month depicts “Betty” in different attire.
“There are no words to express how this makes us feel, to be able to help the Idaho Food Bank produce over 96,000 meals. That’s a whole lot of hungry people that ‘Betty’ has helped feed!” Wagner stated.
